Part 3 of 3 How “Substance” Helps Us Understand the Eucharist (and Everything Else) The idea of “substance” may seem a bit insubstantial, but getting a handle on this relatively simple idea not only unlocks what is (and isn’t!) happening in transubstantiation, but also helps us think correctly about everything in God’s creation. In this episode, Dr Brett Salkeld discusses how Aquinas turned Aristotelian water into ecclesial wine in developing the Church’s understanding of the Eucharist. Dr. Gera...
Mar 11, 2024•20 min•Season 2Ep. 46
Part 2 of 3 How “Substance” Helps Us Understand the Eucharist (and Everything Else) The idea of “substance” may seem a bit insubstantial, but getting a handle on this relatively simple idea not only unlocks what is (and isn’t!) happening in transubstantiation, but also helps us think correctly about everything in God’s creation. In this episode, Dr Brett Salkeld discusses how Aquinas turned Aristotelian water into ecclesial wine in developing the Church’s understanding of the Eucharist. Dr. Gera...
Mar 03, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 45
How “Substance” Helps Us Understand the Eucharist (and Everything Else) The idea of “substance” may seem a bit insubstantial, but getting a handle on this relatively simple idea not only unlocks what is (and isn’t!) happening in transubstantiation, but also helps us think correctly about everything in God’s creation. In this episode, Dr Brett Salkeld discusses how Aquinas turned Aristotelian water into ecclesial wine in developing the Church’s understanding of the Eucharist. Dr. Gerard McLarney ...
Feb 25, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 44
Countless students and adults alike enjoy video games but what exactly are they? A benign form of recreation, high art, engaging sport, or simply an egregious waste of time? Scholark McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett consider the gaming phenomenon in light of Plato's Gorgias, while considering the distinction between beauty, aesthetics, entertainment and addiction. #gaming #gamingaddiction #entertainment #plato Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton ...
Feb 11, 2024•56 min•Season 2Ep. 41
In response to an extremely genuine and earnest student request, Scholarch McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett look at the "grammar of bread" through the lens of anthropology, history, theology, and Scripture. They consider its role in the rise of civilization, the symbolism involved in the process of baking bread, why the Hebrew word for "bread" seems to be related to the word for "war," and why Christ may have chosen it to become His Body. You'll never eat a sandwich the same way again after these ...
Feb 04, 2024•48 min•Season 2Ep. 42
It seems fitting for a podcast on classical Catholic education to have a Latin name, but what exactly does "ex umbris" actually mean? Not just, "How would you say it in English?", but, "Once you've translated it, what is it telling us?" In this episode, Schoolman Fawcett, Latin teacher at Chesterton Academy of St. Isidore, gives Scholarch McLarney a rundown on the Latin grammar of the phrase "ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem" before discussing how it can refer to education, salvation, artist...
Jan 28, 2024•39 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Knitting involves more than meets the eye. When some in the McLarney household sought to delve deeper into the art, they went to the library, bringing home a book featuring not just techniques on threading, but a guide advocating a philosophy for dismantling all of systems on inequality. Here in the episode Scholark McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett take stock of the progressive tenants undergirding this contemporary guide, while turning the tradition to garner more about the art of threading and i...
Jan 21, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 40
Prior to entering into the Promised Land, Moses presents Israel with stark choices, the path of life and that of death. Echoing Moses' exhortation to "choose life" and the Covenant rather than Canaan, St. Pope John Paul II presents contemporary men and women with the culture of life, and culture of death. For the Pontiff, the decision for life is crucial not just for individuals to flourish but for a functioning society. In this episode Scholark McLarney speaks to Schoolman Fawcett about about t...
Jan 14, 2024•44 min•Season 2Ep. 39
In this third segment on Abolition of Man , Dr. Pinkoski explores the Part 3 of Lewis’s work, considering Lewis’s argument that the Conditioners who reshape morality engage in social engineering inspirited not only by animal instincts but also by preternatural forces. Seemingly mundane educational material such as the Green Book necessarily spill out into the arena of spiritual warfare because at stake in the “Control of Language” is how we view and pursue our ultimate destiny. Dr. Gerard McLarn...
Jan 07, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 38
Episode 37 picks up directly where we left off, discussing Abolition of Man with Dr. Pinkoski, elaborating upon the Tao, a shared moral heritage which connects our reason, passions, and sentiments to reality. Here we delve into the implications of shaping society outside of the “the Way,” as witnessed in Moa’s Cultural Revolution as well as the embrace of materialism in the West, before considering the propensity of those who leverage the power of the state outside of the Tao to make man in man’...
Dec 31, 2023•22 min•Season 2Ep. 37
This episode, the first of three discussing Abolition of Man with Dr. Nathan Pinkoski, a former EICS student and current Assistant Professor of Humanities at the Hamilton Center at the University of Florida, considers why it should be viewed as one of the great dystopian texts of the 20th century. Prompted by a review of “The Green Book,” Lewis gave a series of lectures 80 years ago which were later published as Abolition of Man . In the work Lewis argues that “[t]he practical result of educatio...
Dec 24, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 36
C.S. Lewis's Narnia, a well-loved series, presents fascinating portrayals of Christian themes. This episode delves into elements of the Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe that correlate closely with Catholicism while also considering Lewis's and Tolkien's approaches to myth, faith, and creative writing. #classicaleducation #narnia #cslewis Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical cur...
Dec 17, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty. Through our Three Pillars Model, we form our students in: Intellect, Character and Spirituality. As part of a larger online outreach school with Elk Island Catholic Schools, St. Isidore...
Dec 10, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Unreeling Unearth: Hoizer and Dante Discussed First conceived during pandemic lockdowns, the recently released album Unreal Unearth by Hoizer, with songs like Francesca and Eat Your Young, plays on themes from Dante's Inferno. Schoolman Fawcett and Scholark McLarney unfurl some of the allusions while commenting on the tenor and themes of the brilliantly cyclical album from a classically informed perspective. #danteinferno #exumbrisPodcast #catholicpodcast #classicaleducationpodcast Dr. Gerard Mc...
Dec 03, 2023•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 33
The hope of Hannah and demise of David: Lessons from the darkside of David Having spoken of Psalm 3 and the parallels between the life of Christ and David, we turn our attention to the darkside of David, gleaning lessons from how his negligence fails to halt the destructive atrocities of his sons Amnon and Absolom. Absolom, whose name means "peace of the father," and Amnon not only become lethal opponents of each other, but ape the worst impulses of the father, expediting their family's demise. ...
Nov 26, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 32
You need to know the whole story of the Bible to see how different sections comment on and illuminate each other, always with Jesus at the center. Psalm 3, for example, takes place during Absalom's rebellion against David, a story which itself anticipates many parts of the story of Jesus Christ. In this episode, Scholarch McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett go through Psalm 3 and explain how it takes on new meaning in the light of 2 Samuel 15-19 and the Gospels. Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawc...
Nov 19, 2023•49 min•Season 2Ep. 31
St. Augustine famously designated St. Mark the “attendant and abbreviator” ( pedissequus et breviator ) of St. Matthew. As a result, the Gospel of Mark largely dwelt in the marvelous shadows of the New Testament up until the 20th century. In this episode, the Carpenter and Solar Pons (sic) discuss this fiercely brilliant and captivating Gospel, as the case is made for why Mark should be read as first among equals. #GospelofMark #ChestertonAcademy #Classicaleducation #teaching #Catholiceducation ...
Nov 05, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Season 2Ep. 30
COULD a computer have a soul? And, if it did, where did it get it? Did we make it? Is it possessed by a demon? Or—just maybe—could God give a computer a soul? Using Pascal and Turing as their sources, Dr McLarney and Mr Fawcett discus these various possibilities on this episode of Ex Umbris. Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal a...
Oct 29, 2023•58 min•Season 2Ep. 29
Increasingly sophisticated displays of artificial intelligence such as CHATGPT have elicited variegated responses ranging from experts decrying the need for regulation to educators embracing new possibilities for lesson planning and student learning. While many marvel at the alacrity by which AI is transforming society, AI is forcing people to ask themselves questions such as “what exactly divides humanity from machines?” In this episode, Scholarch McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett discuss AI, how ...
Oct 22, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 28
If you can read classical literature allegorically, morally, and analogically, what happens when you apply that lens to Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Michael Crichton’s “Jurassic Park”—both stories about scientists creating new life and “playing God”? In this episode, Scholarch McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett analyze these two modern horror stories in the light of the story of the Fall and the Garden of Eden—the original park where humans grasped after divine knowledge. Dr. Gerard McLarney an...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Who exactly is Melchizedek, the King and Priest of Salem and why is he important? At the behest of a student, Schoolman Fawcett and Scholark McLarney investigate this mysterious figure, offering some background from Genesis, connections to the Letter to the Hebrews, as well as applicability to our daily lives. #classicaleducation #ChestertonAcademy #Catholiceducation #onlinelearning #onlineeducation Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy i...
Oct 18, 2023•51 min•Season 2Ep. 27
Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty. Through our Three Pillars Model, we form our students in: Intellect, Character and Spirituality. As part of a larger online outreach school with Elk Island Catholic Schools, St. Isidore...
Oct 08, 2023•52 min•Season 2Ep. 26
Some people think being masculine means being aggressive and assertive--which sounds like the opposite of turning the other cheek. Is it possible to be a strong, masculine dude and still be a good Christian? In this episode, Dr. McLarney and Mr. Fawcett discuss how Shakespeare's Macbeth tells the story of someone who chooses toxic masculinity over Christlikeness, and how many other male characters (Banquo, Malcolm, and Macduff) show that true manliness means being obeying the teachings of Christ...
Sep 24, 2023•1 hr 15 min
Machiavelli advocates for an evil ethical system, yet wrote Christian devotional literature, received the last rites, and is buried in a basilica. Was he a genuine Catholic or a hypocrite? In this episode, Schoolman Fawcett shares his opinion about Machiavelli's religious beliefs with Scholarch McLarney. They also discuss whether his recommendations for politics--and life--actually "work." Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood...
Sep 16, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 1
In the inaugural episode of season 2, Scholarch McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett pick up where they left off, discussing Justice in Plato's Republic and Machiavelli's Prince . Following a quick recap of Plato, they introduce Machiavelli, then delving into the vision of humanity, power, and freedom the Prince offers us such as the the cunning, callous, and calculating guidelines necessary for people in power to stay in power. The pair then consider the implications this has had and continues to hav...
Sep 10, 2023•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 22
Justice in Plato and Machiavelli: Part 1. Considering Plato's Republic in concert with Machiavelli's Prince, Scholark McLarney and Schoolman Fawcett delve into the how these thinkers approach the topic of justice. This episode focuses primarily on Plato, the context of the Republic, definitions of justice the interlocutors of Socrates offer, and the katabasis or descent into which this seminal work invites readers. Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Ches...
Jul 10, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 21
In this 20th Episode of Ex Umbris, our teachers explore Mary's motherhood as describe in the 4th Gospel of John. Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty. Through our Three Pillars Model, we form our students in: Intellect, Cha...
Jul 03, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 20
Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty. Through our Three Pillars Model, we form our students in: Intellect, Character and Spirituality. As part of a larger online outreach school with Elk Island Catholic Schools, St. Isidore...
Jun 25, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 19
How do we make sense of violence in the Old Testament, such as warfare or wishing the worst for one's enemies? Should Christians excise those passages, write them off as nefarious interpolations, or otherwise ignore them? We discuss some weighty and perplexing topics, including genocide and infanticide while proffering various ways these have been read, particularly by the Church Fathers. Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood ...
Jun 18, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 18
June 24th we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist. Why is this such an important liturgical feast and why is he such an important figure? Dr. Gerard McLarney and Mr. Brett Fawcett are teachers at St. Isidore ONLINE Chesterton Academy in Sherwood Park, AB Canada. SILC Chesterton Academy is a classical curriculum that combines a broad, liberal arts education with a strong emphasis on the development of Christian virtues and an appreciation of beauty. Through our Three Pillars Model, we form...
Jun 11, 2023•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 17
