Around the Table - Geneva School of Boerne
AROUND THE TABLE is a place to explore topics, teaching and conversations from a biblical worldview hosted by Geneva Rhetoric School Headmaster Dirk Russell. Geneva is a K-12 classical and Christian school located in the Texas Hill Country that graduates servant leaders equipped to do hard things. May this podcast be a source of encouragement and inspiration to foster learning, connections and growth to the glory of Jesus Christ. Discover Geneva at genevaschooltx.org or social media @genevaschooltx.
22 episodes
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Episodes
E1: The Weight of Glory
What does it mean to have the sovereign creator of the universe say to you, "Well done my good and faithful servant?" This is one of the questions C.S. Lewis answered in a sermon he preached on June 8, 1941, titled "The Weight of Glory." In this episode Dirk talks with humanities instructors Rick Poole and Alex Markos about this and other topics Lewis addressed in this beautiful and insightful sermon.
41 min
E2: All Things Beautiful
In this episode Dirk discusses Geneva's theme verse for the year (Ecclesiastes 3:11) with Dr. Eric Covington and Brian Odom.
49 min
E3: Beauty
In this episode Dirk talks to Geneva Art teacher Cathy Lester and 5th grade Bible and History teacher Daniel Player about the final transcendental virtue, Beauty.
30 min
E4: The Divine Comedy Part 2
In this episode Dirk finishes his conversation about Dante's Divine Comedy.
44 min
E5: The Divine Comedy Part 1
The year 2021 marked the 700th anniversary of the death of the great Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. To mark that anniversary, Rhetoric School Headmaster Dirk Russell and Logic School Headmaster Jeff Jones will host a Lyceum Lunch Lecture Series on the Divine Comedy starting on Wed. Feb. 2 at noon. In preparation Dirk hosts a conversation with Humanities Department Head Aaron Southwick and Humanities teacher Rick Poole about the man Dante Alighieri and his most famous work, The Divine Comedy.
43 min
E6: Goodness Part 2
In this episode Dirk continues his conversation with Dr. Eric Covington and Luis Arizpe about the virtue goodness.
38 min
E7: Goodness Part 1
In this episode Dirk talks with Dr. Eric Covington and Luis Arizpe about the virtue goodness. Book Recommendations: Cicero "On the Good Life" Peter Kreeft "Summa of the Summa
43 min
E8: Truth
In this episode Dirk talks with Geneva's Head of School Dr. David Corbin about truth and how it is revealed in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave." Copy and paste this link in your browser to read "The Allegory of the Cave" https://yale.learningu.org/download/ca778ca3-7e93-4fa6-a03f-471e6f15028f/H2664_Allegory%20of%20the%20Cave%20.pdf
23 min
E9: The Abolition of Man
Bibliography The Abolition of Man C.S. Lewis The Consolation of Philosophy Boethius After Virtue Peter Kreeft Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis Orthodoxy G.K. Chesterton The Divine Comedy: Inferno Dante Alighieri Episode Notes Riddell Memorial Lectures – Each year New Castle College hosts a lecture series called the “Riddell Memorial Lecture.” The 1943-1944 Lecture was delivered by C.S. Lewis and the Abolition of Man was his topic. In 2019-2020, Lucy Winkett (Anglican Priest) delivered a lecture entitled, “Good News in an Age of Fake News? The Place of Mercy in a Post-Truth Society.” In his lecture Lewis warned of the dangers of subjectivism and just a few years later we are living in a “post-truth” society. The warning issued by Lewis was clearly ignored. Dante’s Inferno – At one point in the discussion the point was made that adopting subjectivism was madness, the ultimate reduction to absurdity. It was compared to being frozen in a lake of ice at the bottom of Dante’s Inferno, flapping your wings making the situation worse. In Dante’s Inferno Satan is enslaved at the bottom of hell, but instead of fire his lower half is ensconced in ice. He has three heads and six wings that he flaps incessantly which produces three cold winds. Thus, the more he flaps the more certain it becomes that he cannot escape.
52 min
E10: Season 2 Trailer
"The Abolition of Man" C.S. Lewis "The Divine Comedy" Dante Alighieri
1 min
E11: Conversation with Geneva's Founders
In this last episode of Season 1, Dirk sits down with Geneva founders Cindy & Brian Fowler, Joanne & Robert Thornton and Paula Wacker (husband Bret couldn’t join conversation) to hear how Geneva began. You will be blessed by their story and how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things to the glory of God.
40 min
E12: The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved children’s book series of mythical tales of adventure, danger and intrigue. Buried in these myths are stories of sin, redemption and resurrection. This week, Dirk talks with Grammar School teachers Tonya Fikes, Alex Markos, Tonya Mowery and Keri Strickland about the profound biblical truths found in The Chronicles of Narnia.
50 min
E13: Gratitude
In a year of fear and discouragement, God's goodness and grace can be seen. In this special edition of Around the Table, Dirk talks with Geneva parents Cindy Young, Allison Peet and Ernie Jones about their Geneva experience which reminds us of the truth, beauty and goodness that is found.
48 min
E14: Senior Thesis: The Art of Rhetoric
It is almost time for Geneva’s seniors to start presenting their senior theses. In this episode, Dirk talks with Hillary Short, James Grover and Aaron Southwick about the process of writing and presenting a thesis. The Senior Thesis is the capstone of a Geneva education and a stepping stone into further education.
44 min
E15: Fine Arts: The Importance of Storytelling
Today's podcast is a continuation of Dirk Russell's conversation about fine arts and classical education with several members of the Fine Arts Department. He talks with Doug Hurt, Ben Vis and Autumn Jones about the importance of storytelling.
31 min
E16: Fine Arts and Classical Christian Education
This week, Dirk talks with Gradi Evans (Fine Arts Director), Cathy Lester (Visual Arts Instructor), Ben Vis (Vocal Music Instructor) and Doug Hurt (Theater Instructor), about the nature of art and its place in the curriculum of a classical and Christian School. Suggested Reading: "Saving Leonardo" Nancy Pearcey "Resounding Truth" Jeremy S. Begbie "Art and Soul" Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin "Adorning the Dark" Andrew Peterson
42 min
E17: David Corbin Interview
This week, we are offering a special edition of “Around the Table.” In this episode, Amy Metzger interviews Geneva’s new Head of School Dr. David Corbin. Enjoy this conversation.
39 min
E18: The Christian Mind
Geneva’s theme for the year is “The Mind of Christ.” With that in mind, Dirk sits down with Rhetoric School Headmaster Rob Shelton, Humanities Department Head Aaron Southwick and humanities teacher Scott Milam to talk about what it means to think like a Christian. Suggested Reading: "The Christian Mind" Harry Blamires "The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind" Mark Noll "Fit Bodies, Fat Minds" Os Guinness "Habits of the Mind" James Sire "Simply Christian" N.T. Wright
48 min
E19: On Reading, Part 3
Dirk talks to Humanities Department Head Aaron Southwick and Logic School teachers Debbie Wheeler and Mary Clifford about the books that shaped them and helped grow their Christian faith. Suggested Reading: "Mere Christianity" C.S. Lewis "Emma" and "Persuasion" Jane Austen "Hannah Coulter" Wendell Berry "Charlotte's Web" E.B. White "All the Light We Cannot See" Anthony Doerr "A Gentleman in Moscow" Amor Towles "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” Jean-Dominique Bauby
42 min
E20: On Reading, Part 2
Dirk Russell invites the Rhetoric School Humanities faculty to discuss ancient literature and why we should be interested in them in modernity. Suggested Reading: "God in the Dock" C.S. Lewis "The Consolation of Philosophy" Boethius "The Iliad" Homer "The Odyssey" Homer "Paradise Lost" John Milton "The Divine Comedy" Dante
44 min
E21: On Reading, Part 1
An intriguing and illuminating discussion with Grammar School Headmaster Jessica Gombert and reading specialist Dr. Melissa Siller on how the human brain learns to read, the effects of reading on the lives of children, and how reading intersects with God's design for humans. Suggested Reading: "Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain" by Maryanne Wolf "Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling and Literacy" by Denise Eide "Mere Discipleship: Growing in Wisdom and Hope" by Alister E. McGrath
29 min
E22: Around The Table Trailer
AROUND THE TABLE is a place to explore topics, teaching and conversations from a biblical worldview hosted by Geneva Academic Dean Dirk Russell. Geneva is a K-12 classical and Christian school located in the Texas Hill Country that graduates servant leaders equipped to do hard things. May this podcast be a source of encouragement and inspiration to foster growth, learning and connections to the glory of Jesus Christ. Discover Geneva at genevaschooltx.org or on social media @genevaschooltx.
1 min