Educate Yourself

Lanier Theological Library

Mark Lanier is a layman whom God has blessed with a wealth of resources. He has used these to construct a wonderful little enclave in Houston that contains a theological library used by theologians worldwide and a reproduction of a second century Christian church where some of the brightest minds in Christendom have spoken. And he makes these books and lectures available to interested people for free. Speakers have included Alistir McGrath, Antonin Scalia, and the former Archbishop of Canterbury.  You can get the podcasts at this website.

Hillsdale College Dialogues

Listen to these podcasts on such topics as the Lincoln-Douglas debates, Dante, Churchill and a host of other intellectually stimulating subjects discussed by authorities who come from a Judeo-Christian perspective.

First Things Magazine

Founded by the cultural warrior, Richard John Neuhaus, this magazine is intellectually challenging and thought provoking and takes on cultural issues from  conservative but theological point of view. The writing leans Catholic but Protestant, Jewish, and sometimes even Muslim perspectives are represented. The tone is generally irenic among the Christians and polemical toward an increasingly pagan culture.  The website has other content that frequently touches on literature, history and other topics of interest to the Christian educator.

Books and Culture Magazine

This is an offshoot from Christianity Today magazine and reviews a ton of books you will want to know about. The editor, John Wilson, gives rein to both liberal and conservative Christian viewpoints. Whichever side you lean toward, you will think he gives to much space to the other.

Open Culture

This site calls itself the “best free cultural and educational media on the web” and it is a cornucopia of great free podcasts, audio books, course, language lessons, and e-books.

Baylor Institute for Faith and Learning

Every year this institute sponsors an academic conference on a subject of interest and then Christian scholars present papers pertaining to the subject. One year the conference was on education and another on film. The speakers that are brought in are world-renowned and the papers these Christian scholars present are eye-opening. You can get an idea of where Christian academic thought is headed, and it is not always where you might want it to go. But the conference provides you an opportunity to interact with people whose books you may have read.

Intercollegiate Studies Institute

This group does yeoman’s work in bringing conservative thought about our constitution, our republic, and our history to young people. They offer podcasts and lectures as well as a great set of books on the subjects your kids study. Some of the best minds in America are associated with this group.

 

Classical Education

The Well-Trained Mind

Anyone who has investigated classical education knows about Susan Wise Bauer. Here is her great site to help get you started.

The Great Books Foundation

This site offers fabulous resources for learning how get kids (and yourself) to think about the ideas contained in great books. Their methodology, which I discuss here, is an effective and insightful way to have book discussions that really engage the participants.

The Circe Institute

This group offers curriculum, advice, podcasts, seminars, and more for anyone interested in classical education. I have attended their annual conferences and find them to be intellectually stimulating but not snobbish. They want you to know you can “do” classical education no matter your educational background.