Are the "strong gods" returning to American life — and what does that mean for politics, Christianity, and civilization?

In this episode of Project Cosmos, host Johnny Burtka is joined by a distinguished panel of scholars to discuss NS Lyons' essay on the long 20th century and the Return of the Strong Gods — building on Rusty Reno's influential work.

Guests:
Tom West — Paul Ermine Potter and Dawn Tibbetts Potter Endowed Professor of Politics
Khalil Habib — Allison and Dorothy Rouse Professor in Politics, Associate Professor of Politics
Miles Smith IV — Assistant Professor of History
Daniel O'Toole — Assistant Professor of Politics
Rich Bacigalupi — Director, Deany's Days Foundation

Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction: NS Lyons & the Return of the Strong Gods
0:19 – Why the left calls conservatives "fascists"
3:58 – Malcolm X, identity, and strong gods on the left
8:08 – The structure of progressive movements: weak gods as the ideal
26:43 – Is traditional Christianity making a comeback?
43:09 – Two versions of Christianity & the immigration debate
1:08:37 – AI, Silicon Valley & the political realignment
1:09:24 – AI as a threat to elections and public opinion
1:31:19 – Can the republic be saved? The role of the statesman

Project Cosmos is a production of ISI — the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. Visit isi.org to learn more about our educational programs on Western and American civilization.

Join host Johnny Burtka with Yuval Levin, Sarah Gustafson, Vincent Munoz, and Sohrab Ahmari for an in-depth conversation about Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America and its relevance to contemporary American politics. This roundtable explores Congress and democratic governance, the administrative state, religion in democracy, and the formation of democratic citizens in our modern age.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Why Congress must predominate in a republic
7:22 - Andrew Jackson and the paradox of executive power
20:50 - Who was Alexis de Tocqueville?
27:18 - Tocqueville's reception in America through history
36:14 - The pathologies of democracy and soft despotism
51:37 - The bank war and Hamiltonian vs. Jacksonian visions
1:11:00 - The New Deal, progressivism, and centralized power
1:25:25 - Markets, government, and the problem of centralization
1:29:27 - The democratic soul and forming citizens
1:40:30 - Religion, morality, and American democracy today
1:50:25 - Reforming institutions and educating the next generation

Featured Topics: Tocqueville, Congress, separation of powers, Andrew Jackson, administrative state, progressive era, federalism, subsidiarity, religious liberty, democratic soul, education, virtue ethics, institutional reform, aristocracy vs. democracy

A production of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute | isi.org

ProjectCosmos #Tocqueville #Democracy #Congress #PoliticalPhilosophy #AmericanGovernment #ISI

Join host Johnny Burtka with Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, Peter Leithart, Hans Boersma, and Zachary Porcu for a deep conversation about re-enchantment in our technological age. This roundtable explores the revival of liturgical Christianity, the spiritual dimensions of technology, and what it means to live in an enchanted world.

TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - What is enchantment?
7:22 - Tolkien, WWI, and "death and the machine"
23:33 - How did materialism become dominant?
36:14 - Constantine and converting pagan culture
51:37 - Technology as spiritual warfare
1:11:00 - Asceticism and spiritual formation
1:25:25 - The Incarnation and cosmic transformation
1:29:27 - What do we do? Practical steps forward

Featured Topics: Tolkien, liturgy, sacramental ontology, the Reformation, technology and Babel, saints' lives, the Jesus prayer, AI and attention, neo-paganism

Recorded live at ISI's Christmas Open House on December 15, 2025, at Butterworth's in Washington, DC.

A production of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute | isi.org

ProjectCosmos #Enchantment #Christianity #Theology #Tolkien #Technology

In this episode of Project Cosmos, Johnny Burtka brings together Dr. Larry Arnn, Pastor Corey Brooks, Jacob Imam, Jeremy Tate, and Dr. Joshua Mitchell for a powerful roundtable discussion on the future of American education as we approach the nation's 250th birthday.

📌 Project Cosmos is ISI's flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today's leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.

Guests:
Dr. Larry Arnn – President, Hillsdale College
Pastor Corey Brooks – Founder, Project H.O.O.D. and Leadership Academy (Chicago)
Dr. Jacob Imam – Founder, College of St. Joseph the Worker (Steubenville, OH)
Jeremy Tate – Founder & CEO, Classic Learning Test (CLT)
Dr. Joshua Mitchell – Professor of Political Theory, Georgetown University
Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)

⏰ Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & 10-Year Vision for Education
01:08 Pastor Corey Brooks on School Choice
07:18 Jeremy Tate on Classical Learning Test
08:18 Identity Politics & Higher Education
28:50 Inner City Education & the Gospel
1:04:15 The American Canon & Great Books
1:20:00 Marriage, Family & Gender Dynamics
1:40:00 Liberal Arts & Manual Labor
1:47:45 AI, Digital Age & Human Competence

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and political strategy meet.

ProjectCosmos #Education #ClassicalEducation #SchoolChoice #HigherEducation #LiberalArts #Faith #Truth #AmericanFamily #JohnnyBurtka #CoreyBrooks #LarryArnn #JacobImam #JeremyTate #JoshuaMitchell #ISI #Hillsdale #Tocqueville

In this episode of Project Cosmos, Spencer Klavan, Rachel Bovard, Michael Toscano, Gladden Pappin, Leah Libresco Sargent, and Johnny Burtka gather for a thought-provoking roundtable on one of the most pressing questions of our era:

👉 How are technology, transhumanism, and AI reshaping the American family and our society’s future?

This wide-ranging conversation explores:

The promise and peril of AI and emerging technologies
Whether technology can strengthen or undermine families and communities
The intersection of faith, ethics, and the digital age
How education and human skills are changing in the face of automation
The global race for technological supremacy and its impact on policy
Family policy, fertility, and the economic challenges of modern life
Building real community and human connection in a tech-driven world

📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.

Guests:
Spencer Klavan – author, classicist, and commentator
Rachel Bovard – policy director and writer
Michael Toscano – executive director, The Institute for Family Studies
Gladden Pappin – political scientist and editor
Leah Libresco Sargent – author and speaker
Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)

⏰ Chapters:
00:00 Introduction & Framing the Technology Debate
04:35 Technology, AI, and the American Family
14:45 Faith, Ethics, and the Role of Technology
26:40 Education, Human Skills, and AI
44:40 Policy, Innovation, and Global Competition
57:00 Family Policy, Fertility, and Economic Challenges
1:15:00 Building Community & Human Connection
1:54:43 Final Thoughts & Outro

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and political strategy meet.

ProjectCosmos #Technology #AI #Transhumanism #AmericanFamily #JohnnyBurtka #SpencerKlavan #RachelBovard #MichaelToscano #GladdenPappin #LeahLibrescoSargent #Faith #Ethics #Policy #Family

In this episode of Project Cosmos, host Johnny Burtka is joined by Ross Douthat, Aaron M. Renn, Michael Miller, Matthew Walther, and Frank Hanna for a profound roundtable on one of the most urgent questions of our time:

👉 What does it mean to be a techno-optimist? Can technology serve the common good, or is it leading us toward dystopia?

This wide-ranging conversation explores:

The promise and peril of AI, biotech, and digital innovation
The tension between faith, tradition, and technological progress
How technology shapes culture, politics, and the future of America
The moral and spiritual challenges of the digital age
Decentralization, blockchain, and the search for community
The role of leadership, witness, and spiritual renewal in a technological society
Global competition, China, and the future of Western civilization
The importance of subsidiarity, education, and local solutions

⏰ CHAPTERS:
00:00 - Introduction: Technology and Conservative Perspectives
40:46 - The Virtues and Pitfalls of Modern Technology
55:02 - Hyper-Politics and the Failure of Political Solutions
1:06:28 - Global Competition and China's Technological Rise
1:19:59 - Ameliorating the Worst: Limited Reforms and Class Divides
1:26:34 - Christian Anthropology and Decentralized Solutions
1:32:44 - Personal Witness and Spiritual Awakening

📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political, philosophical, and cultural challenges facing America.

Guests:
Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)
Aaron M. Renn – writer, urban analyst
Michael Matheson Miller – social philosopher, Acton Institute
Matthew Walther – editor, The Lamp
Ross Douthat – columnist, The New York Times
Frank Hanna – entrepreneur, philanthropist

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, technology, and society meet.

ProjectCosmos #JohnnyBurtka #AaronMRenn #MichaelMiller #MatthewWalther #RossDouthat #FrankHanna #TechnoOptimism #Technology #Society #AI #Faith #Decentralization #Podcast #FutureOfCivilization #Leadership #Philosophy #Culture #America

Learn more about ISI’s educational programs: https://isi.org

Project Cosmos returns with a special LIVE episode, filmed at ISI’s annual Homecoming Weekend in Wilmington, DE. This in-depth roundtable brings together leading voices in the conservative intellectual movement—including Phillip Blond, Rod Dreher, Mary Harrington, Michael Gibson, Dan McCarthy, Nathan Pinkoski, Kevin Roberts, Justin Shubow, and Johnny Burtka—for an unfiltered, wide-ranging dialogue on one of the most pressing questions of our time:

👉 How can we recover the Golden Age Mindset and restore Western civilization?

Join us as our panel explores:

The moral and intellectual foundations needed for civilizational renewal
Lessons from the Western tradition and how to apply them today
The challenges and opportunities facing young leaders in America
The role of art, education, and culture in shaping the future
Strategies for building resilient communities and institutions
What it means to pursue a “Golden Age” in the 21st century
Set against the backdrop of ISI’s beautiful Brandywine Valley campus, this episode captures the spirit of fellowship, learning, and bold conversation that defines Homecoming Weekend.

Featured Guests:

Phillip Blond – Political thinker, founder of ResPublica
Rod Dreher – Author, The Benedict Option
Mary Harrington – Author, Feminism Against Progress
Michael Gibson – Venture capitalist, author
Dan McCarthy – Editor-in-Chief, Modern Age
Nathan Pinkoski – Senior Fellow, Center for Renewing America
Kevin Roberts – President, The Heritage Foundation
Justin Shubow – President, National Civic Art Society
Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)

📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political and cultural challenges facing America.

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and strategy meet.

ProjectCosmos #GoldenAgeMindset #WesternCivilization #ISIHomecoming #PhillipBlond #RodDreher #MaryHarrington #MichaelGibson #DanMcCarthy #NathanPinkoski #KevinRoberts #JustinShubow #JohnnyBurtka #Conservatism #CivilizationalRenewal

In the second episode of Project Cosmos, James Orr, Alex Petkas, Nathan Pinkoski, Dan McCarthy, Johnny Burtka and Bill Rivers. gather for a profound roundtable on one of the most enduring questions in history:

👉 Can you be a great man and a good father? What does true greatness mean in the modern world?

This wide-ranging conversation explores:

The tension between ambition, leadership, and family life
Historical and philosophical perspectives on greatness and virtue
Lessons from Aristotle, Plutarch, and the “mirror for princes” tradition
The impact of technology and AI on legacy and authenticity
The role of education, faith, and tradition in shaping leaders
How heritage, family, and culture influence the pursuit of greatness
The challenges of work-life balance for leaders and public figures
The meaning of providence, spontaneity, and timing in a successful life

⏰ CHAPTERS:
0:00 Introduction
1:13 Can Great Men Be Good Husbands & Fathers?
5:00 Historical Examples of Leadership and Fatherhood
8:07 The Challenge of Work-Life Balance for Leaders
10:04 The Importance of Timing and Providence in Leadership
14:01 Spontaneity vs Structure in Leadership
16:51 The Role of Family Heritage & Legacy
21:01 Technology, Innovation and Leadership
32:11 The Challenge of AI and Human Authenticity
1:12:52 The Left's Relationship with Heroism and Greatness
1:28:20 Education, Leadership and the Great Books?
1:40:49 The Role of Faith in Leadership

📌 Project Cosmos is ISI’s flagship series—intimate, living-room-style conversations where today’s leading thinkers tackle the deepest political, philosophical, and cultural challenges facing America.

Guests:
James Orr – philosopher, Cambridge University
Johnny Burtka – President, Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI)
Dan McCarthy – editor, Modern Age
Nathan Pinkoski – political theorist, St. Michael’s College
Bill Rivers – novelist, speechwriter
Alex Petkas – classicist, host of The Cost of Glory podcast

🔔 Subscribe for more episodes of Project Cosmos, where ideas, history, and leadership meet.

ProjectCosmos #JamesOrr #JohnnyBurtka #DanMcCarthy #NathanPinkoski #BillRivers #AlexPetkas #GreatMen #Fatherhood #Leadership #Philosophy #History #AI #Education #Faith #LiberalArts #WorkLifeBalance #Legacy #Conservatism #Politics
Learn more about ISI’s educational programs: https://isi.org