Ep. 093 - The Light of Fidelity

Ep. 093 - The Light of Fidelity

Author: Albertus Magnus Institute, Inc. November 22, 2023 Duration: 53:46

Today, we are offering you another glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Helen Freeh's course, "Friendship and Freedom in the Lord of the Rings."

This is the first half of the first class of the final 8- week course on The Lord of the Rings, offered over three rounds of 8- week courses. This Fall, Fellows have been finishing the seminar with The Return of the King. They have discussed closely how the power of friendship achieves the Ring’s destruction; they have looked at the extreme limitations of the individual acting alone against superior physical and spiritual force, the unseen hand of Providence coordinating the consequences of many characters’ choices, and the despair that results from the modernist claim to autonomy.

Find out how you can catch the rest of this course AND access all archived courses- over 40 hours of exceptional classes with some of the top educators in liberal learning. 

Subscribe to our e-mail list today and stay up to date on all courses, articles, and podcasts!


Deep within the rich tradition of the classical liberal arts, conversations unfold that feel both timeless and urgently contemporary. Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education is where you’ll find them, a production of the Albertus Magnus Institute. This series explores the foundational ideas that shape our humanity, society, and faith, guided by the enduring vision of St. Albert the Great. His dream was of an education that liberates the mind and spirit, one that is profoundly enriching yet accessible to all. Each episode delves into the intersections of philosophy, culture, and Christianity, examining how these ancient wells of wisdom speak directly to our modern condition. You’ll hear thoughtful dialogues and reflections that resist easy answers, instead inviting a deeper consideration of what it means to live a fully human life. The podcast serves as a kind of auditory academy, where the core subjects of a truly liberal education-those that free us-are opened up for anyone willing to listen. It’s for those curious about how enduring truths can illuminate contemporary confusion, offering not just information but a form of intellectual and spiritual nourishment. Tune in for a journey through the catacombs, where the light of classical thought remains undimmed, waiting to be rediscovered in our own time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 102

Magnus Podcast: Conversations from the Catacombs of Liberal Education
Podcast Episodes
Ep. 099 - To Build and Behold: Recovering from Architectural Suicide [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:54
Who is man, what is he building, and why does this matter? Alan Cornett of Cultural Debris joins John Johnson to discuss mans relationship with architecture and both the worldly and eternal implications therein. Listen a…
Ep. 098 - The Best and Most Noble Things [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:41
The Magnus Podcast is BACK and better than ever. If you’re a returning listener, you’ll notice that this season premiere is a change of pace from previous episodes as we announce a tier of courses in the Magnus Fellowshi…
Ep. 097 - Victory Has Defeated You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:30
Today we bring you the 20th and final episode of season 3. This season we talked about all things liberal arts from music and monarchy to Plato and Socrates to freeing minds and humanizing humans. It only seemed right th…
Ep. 096 - Boethius and Business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:21
“You creatures of earth, don’t you stop to consider the people over which you think you exercise authority?” This conversation between two ‘non- serial’ entrepreneurs, Christof Meyer and AMI’s own John Johnson, will chan…
Ep. 095 - A Harmonious Home [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:03
Mother, grandmother, and author, Leila Lawler joins Larissa to talk about raising children faithfully. She explains how we can escape the traps of the modern world and provide something beautiful for our children to imit…
Ep. 094 - What is Man? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:49
Enjoy the first half of the first lecture in Senior Fellow, Dr. Arias' course, "Philosophy of Man." Building on Aristotle and St. Thomas's philosophical account of the human person, this class focused on St. Thomas's tea…
Ep. 092 - Freedom from the Shackle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:47
Blessed Feast of St. Albert the Great! On this special day, we spoke with Leigh Bortins of Classical Conversations who, like St. Albert the Great before us, shares our love for a liberating education. Education is never…
Ep.091 - Rousseau and the Imagination [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:21
Once again, we are offering you a quick glimpse into the Magnus Fellowship; this time with Senior Fellow, Dr. Finley's class, “Rousseau and the Diabolical and Moral Imagination." This course explores the moral dimensions…
Ep. 090 - Freeing Minds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:41
Dr. Amir Sabzevary has spent the last thirty years teaching philosophy and religion. Today, he joins John to talk about the journey of both teaching and studying philosophy– how to trek through complicated lives as stude…
Ep. 089 - On Moral Conundrums [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:30:55
This week on the Magnus Podcast, John and Larissa talk moral theology with high school teacher, Rocky Brittain and attempt to answer difficult moral questions according to Catholic Theology and Thomas Aquinas, such as wh…