EP 943 Can We Maintain Western Civilization if We Don’t Teach it?

Courses on Western Civilization were once a staple in schools.  No longer.  It’s been replaced by Global Civilization or Social Studies courses.  Our guest,  former Harvard Professor, James Hankins and his co-author, Professor Allen Guelzo, sought to change that so that the good resulting from the traditions of Western Civilization–its art, literature, law, philosophy, science, faith, and tolerance–are preserved and, thus, perpetuated.  Professor Hankins authored volume I of ‘The Golden Thread: A History of the Western Tradition” and Professor Guelzo will take this impressive work from the 1500’s to the modern day in Volume II.  The epic scope of the project is meant to provide that which threads from ancient Greece, through the Roman Empire and Christendom and then to more modern civilizations, including our own.  The second volume will provide context as to how our Founding Fathers tried to maintain the synthesis of reason and compassion, the twin exemplars of the tradition they unpack for us.  Western Civilization’s great achievements predominate, but its failings are also a part of this scholarly work.  Professor Hankins joins us today to discuss.

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