It has become fashionable in traditionalist circles to blame all problems in modern theology on the so-called nouvelle théologie, including a range of thinkers such as Henri de Lubac, Karl Rahner, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Hans Küng and Josef Ratzinger. But this is based on a number of misconceptions: about the nature of the nouvelle théologie itself, and about the views held by some of these theologians. Nouvelle théologie is not a unified movement in which everyone held the same views. Some of the “new theologians” were radicals and modernists who wanted the Church to bow to the modern world. Some were orthodox men who wanted to revitalize theology by a return to the sources: the Fathers, Scripture, and St. Thomas (in his own words, not as filtered through the commentators). Others were harder to pin down. A broad-brush approach to the nouvelle théologie has resulted in injustices, perhaps as much to theology itself as to some good Churchmen whose reputations have been tarnished. Even Ratzinger has been dubbed a modernist by a certain trigger-happy trad celebrity. It’s time for an intervention, and theologian Richard DeClue is here to bring some sobriety. Links DeClue’s Views https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq3P-y0YV1V6owHdCRw4I3A Richard DeClue’s blog, Sapientia Nulliformis https://declubac.wixsite.com/sapientianulliformis Episode 38: The Sacred Monster, on Garrigou-Lagrange https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-38-sacred-monster-matthew-k-minerd/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

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Modern education treats the child as a blank slate, a malleable object to be formed according to the will of whoever has power over educational policy. Classical Christian education treats the child as a person made in the image of God, a mystery to be held in awe, and tends to the flowering of his already-given nature by leading him to wisdom and virtue. Andrew Kern, founder of the CiRCE Institute (Center for Independent Research on Classical Education), is one of the best guests Thomas has ever interviewed. In this episode he leads us through the profound basics of classical Christian education—offering a radically different view of the human person and of reality itself from that which predominates today. Contents [5:31] What has Athens to do with Jerusalem? [10:31] What is a classical education? It is simply a list of great books one must study? [15:58] Teaching “subjects” vs. the seven liberal arts [21:18] Using music to illustrate a number of ideas about classical education [28:20] The need for the art of rhetoric in a sophisticated political system like ours [31:04] The generative power of form [37:35] Respecting the “Holy of Holies” within the child—an image of God and a mystery [42:38] Each of the seven liberal arts has a form and skill, tending to wisdom and virtue [55:14] How mastering the liberal arts glorifies God [59:35] Classical education has no ‘method’ [1:09:39] The seven stages of a lesson [1:15:13] Services offered by the CiRCE Institute [1:23:09] How would a classical school teach “practical” skills like finance? [1:30:19] Practical concerns of parents hoping to educate their children classically Links Ask Andrew your own questions, live—Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 ET in May https://www.circeinstitute.org/ask-andrew-live Older Ask Andrew podcast feed https://www.circeinstitute.org/podcasts/ask-andrew CiRCE Institute https://www.circeinstitute.org/ Books recommended by Andrew: The best book on classical Christian education: Norms and Nobility by David Hicks https://classicalconversationsbooks.com/products/3s032 CiRCE’s upcoming book edited by David Kern, including essays by past Catholic Culture Podcast guests James Matthew Wilson and Anthony Esolen (and a poem by past guest Dana Gioia): 30 Poems to Memorize (Before It’s Too Late) https://www.circeinstitute.org/30poems C.S. Lewis, The Discarded Image https://www.amazon.com/Discarded-Image-Introduction-Renaissance-Literature/dp/1107604702 This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

St. John Henry Newman was involved in several art forms throughout his life. In literature, he was perhaps the greatest English prose writer of his time, and a highly skilled poet. In music, he was an accomplished amateur violinist, taught music to the boys at his school in Littlemore, and oversaw liturgical music as the head of an Oratorian community. In architecture, he commissioned a number of church buildings and was involved in controversies over the role of the Gothic in contemporary English Catholic church architecture. Though Newman never wrote a book on the topic of beauty, comments on beauty and the arts are sprinkled throughout his writings, sometimes in surprising contexts. In Unearthly Beauty: The Aesthetic of St. John Henry Newman, Fr. Guy Nicholls of the Birmingham Oratory draws these comments together for an overview of the role of beauty in Newman’s life and thought. For Newman, the true purpose of earthly beauty is to draw us beyond itself to the higher and more real beauty of God. Contents [4:02] Synthesizing Newman’s various comments on beauty into a coherent whole [4:57] Unearthly vs. earthly beauty, and the dangers of the latter according to Newman [10:49] Real vs unreal [14:46] A danger of art: severing noble sentiments from action [20:43] The problem with making morality a matter of good taste [23:18] How people were struck by Newman’s personal beauty [31:00] Two formative experiences of beauty which Newman connected with Paradise: his sister Mary’s holiness, and the Sicilian landscape [39:09] Newman’s involvement with and views on church architecture [46:36] Newman the amateur musician; his views on the power of music [57:45] The importance of primitive music and art vs. “scientific” music and realistic art, especially in liturgy [1:03:43] The importance of music in the Rule of the Oratory; St. Philip Neri’s practice of using entertainments to “allure” people to God [1:06:55] Difference between devotional and liturgical music; Newman’s use of popular song and chant [1:12:58] Music in the Little Oratory under Newman; adapting to the needs of the local community (esp. the poor) [1:19:25] The origins of the musical genre “oratorio” with St. Philip’s Oratory and other oratories of the time [1:23:13] Comparison and contrast between the experience of conscience and that of beauty Links Unearthly Beauty: The Aesthetic of St. John Henry Newman http://www.gracewing.co.uk/page190.html Fr. Guy Nicholls https://www.bfriars.ox.ac.uk/people/rev-fr-guy-nicholls-cong-orat/ Newman’s sermon on “The Danger of Accomplishments”: http://www.newmanreader.org/works/parochial/volume2/sermon30.html Image of Newman University Church in Dublin, founded by Newman for the Catholic University of Ireland and designed by John Hungerford Pollen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newman_University_Church#/media/File:Newman_University_Church_Interior,_Dublin,_Ireland_-_Diliff.jpg This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

A look back through the Catholic Culture Podcast archive. This episode contains highlights from: Ep. 11 - Music and Morals - Basil Cole, O.P. https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-11-music-and-morals-fr-basil-cole-op/ Ep. 14 - Priest & Actor - George Drance, S.J. https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-14-priest-actor-george-drance-sj/ Ep. 15 - Online Education with the Tolkien Professor - Corey Olsen https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-15-online-education-with-tolkien-professor-corey-olsen/ Ep. 16 - Extremly Specific Middle-Earth Q&A with the Tolkien Professor - Corey Olsen https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-16-extremely-specific-middle-earth-qa-with-tolkien-professor-corey-olsen/ Ep. 17 - A Civics Lesson for Catholics - Bob Marshall https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-17-civics-lesson-for-catholics-bob-marshall/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Stabat Mater, a medieval hymn that was long used as the sequence for the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, is now commonly sung between each Station of the Cross. This prayer, in which we ask Our Lady to help us experience the same sorrow and love with which she participated in her Son’s Passion, has been set to music by many great composers. This episode explores the most famous and influential setting of Stabat Mater, completed by the 26-year-old Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (1710-1736) as he was dying of tuberculosis. An interview with leading Pergolesi scholar Francesco Cotticelli is combined with excerpts from the piece as recorded by La Nuova Musica (used with permission). Contents [2:11] The Stabat Mater text in the context of liturgy and Marian devotion [6:30] Pergolesi’s bio and career [9:30] Aria from L’Olimpiade (used with permission from Lyubov Petrova) [17:37] Deathbed composition of the Stabat Mater [18:52] Pergolesi’s place and innovations in sacred music of the time [23:07] First movement, Stabat Mater dolorosa [35:04] Second movement, Cuius animan gementem [40:32] Pergolesi’s approach to text-setting: alternating between contemplation and action [43:20] Sixth movement, Vidit suum dulcem natum [50:35] Seventh movement, Eia, Mater, fons amoris [56:45] Musical characteristics of the baroque and galant styles [58:27] Ninth movement, Sancta mater, istud agas [1:11:44] Popular settings of the Stabat Mater before Pergolesi [1:12:49] Twelfth movement, Quando corpus morietur [1:17:20] The somber ending to the piece: hope amidst sorrow [1:20:30] Contemporary and later criticism of the piece for being too theatrical [1:23:11] Other interesting settings of the Stabat Mater Links Recording by La Nuova Musica (featured in this episode) http://www.harmoniamundi.com/#!/albums/2239 Also recommended: Recording by Concerto Italiano https://www.amazon.com/Pergolesi-Scarlatti-Stabat-Mater-Alessandrini/dp/B00CMSP1HU/ Website devoted to settings of the Stabat Mater https://www.stabatmater.info/ The text https://www.stabatmater.info/english-translation/ Lyubov Petrova sings Aristea's aria from Pergolesi's opera L'Olimpiade https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_SsVAXMMqo La Nuova Musica http://lanuovamusica.co.uk/ Lyubov Petrova https://imgartists.com/roster/29757/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

Timothy and David Gordon join the show to discuss their new book Rules for Retrogrades: Forty Tactics to Defeat the Radical Left. It’s a reverse-Alinskyan playbook for conservatives and Christians who are sick of being outmaneuvered at every turn by the forces seeking the destruction of the Christian faith and the natural foundations of the social order. The Gordon brothers want us to stop falling for the left’s tactics, which take advantage of the timidity, and false humility of today’s conservative Christians, and start turning the radicals’ own tactics against them as much as possible within the bounds of Christian morality. https://www.tanbooks.com/rules-for-retrogrades-forty-tactics-to-defeat-the-radical-left.html Contents [1:21] Remarks on the beginning of a dialogue [6:11] Egalitarianism as the beating heart of radical leftism [9:17] What is a retrograde? [12:45] “No truth is ‘off-limits’”: Don’t censor your thoughts for fear of consequences or optics [21:05] Admission of sin’s wickedness a prerequisite for mercy [23:01] “Always be on offense”: why a defensive position leads to failure; it should fall to those who advocate wickedness to be on the defensive [28:21] “Risus est bellum”: The best response to an absurd or evil claim could be laughter or rebuke rather than dignifying it with an argument [30:38] Virtue-signaling Christians who try to curry favor with the left by throwing retrogrades under the bus; mod-cons vs. militant mods [33:32] Ways that leftist conditioning affects even staunch conservatives [37:50] “Be coarse but never crass”—have “thick skin and a weak stomach”; how the hierarchy of virtues gives us moral perspective in politics (civility is relatively low on the virtue totem pole) [45:23] The degree to which Alinsky’s tactics may be used against the left; the rules of swordsmanship vs. the ends for which you fight [50:57] Why prayer was not discussed in Rules for Retrogrades [55:38] “For radicals, the issue is never the real issue”: ex., pushing maternity leave is a pretext to normalize being a working mother [59:46] The importance of the order in which the rules were arranged [1:01:34] “The root of cultural decay is feminism: end feminism to end radicalism” [1:07:00] Follow-up comments by Thomas on the importance of prayer This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio

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This episode features two young Catholic publishers who are doing cutting-edge work to preserve and carry forward the Catholic literary legacy, building on the accomplishments of the great Catholic writers of the 20th century in particular. The first guest is Joshua Hren, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Wiseblood Books. Wiseblood's focus is on cultivating and publishing new works that maintain a high standard of literary quality and Catholic vision: featuring up-and-coming writers alongside established successes like Dana Gioia, Samuel Hazo, James Matthew Wilson, and Michael O’Brien. Besides introducing us to the Wiseblood catalogue, Joshua talks about his own fiction and non-fiction writing and his calling as an editor. He and Thomas discuss issues in Catholic fiction such the danger of a narrow preoccupation with modern neuroses, and flaunting the secular taboo of “cultural appropriation” (e.g., the idea that white authors cannot write black characters). The second guest is John Emmet Clarke, Editor-in-Chief of Cluny Media. This family business is preserving and reintroducing forgotten Catholic classics of the 20th century, bringing to the surface the submerged lineage of many of our favorite authors—republishing crucial writers like François Mauriac, Charles Peguy, and Romano Guardini. A recurring theme in both interviews is the influence of Flannery O’Connor. Wiseblood Books is, of course, named after her first novel, though that doesn’t stop Thomas and Joshua from throwing some slight, friendly shade at her dominance over the discussion of 20th-century Catholic “literary” fiction. Meanwhile, John Emmet Clarke says that if she described the South she portrayed as “Christ-haunted”, the Cluny catalogue could be said to be “Flannery-O’Connor-haunted” in a reverse sense, as they publish many authors who influenced her.   Contents Joshua Hren [4:11] The upcoming Colosseum Summer Institute, a workshop for poets and fiction writers given by Josh Hren and James Matthew Wilson [9:25] The necessity of “cultural appropriation” in fiction [12:59] The mission of Wiseblood Books: “Wide-eyed for continuities of beauty and truth” [15:55] Using short-form publications to generate interest in the Catholic literary heritage [18:10] Dana Gioia’s crucial support and encouragement [21:48] Michael O’Brien’s writings for Wiseblood about the Apocalypse and sexual abuse [24:59] Wiseblood’s newest novel: Samuel Hazo’s If Nobody Calls, I’m Not Home [27:20] Wiseblood’s residency program bringing promising works-in-progress to fruition [32:22] Apologia for the role of a fiction editor [42:43] Joshua's conversion and marriage story [50:41] Joshua’s fiction writing: Stream-of-consciousness, poetic prose, people under pressure [1:05:30] Examining “Christ-haunted fiction” in his How to Read and Write Like a Catholic [1:13:43] The dominance of Flannery O’Connor in our awareness of 20th-c. Catholic fiction and the need to rediscover other great writers like J.F. Powers [1:18:24] Is there a narrowness to O’Connor’s focus on uniquely modern neuroses? Contrasts with Tolkien and Manzoni   John Emmet Clarke [1:26:18] The mission of Cluny Media: promoting the 20th-century Catholic literary tradition [1:29:46] The process of republishing out-of-print works [1:32:39] Showing the hidden lineage of well-known Catholic authors; Mauriac’s fiction; writers who influenced O’Connor; Fulton Sheen [1:41:10] Scholarly works of Ven. Sheen [1:42:21] New works published by Cluny [1:44:09] Cluny's connections to the Dominican Order [1:46:18] A family business; looking to the past for directions for the future [1:49:06] Cluny's distribution partnerships with parishes   Links Cluny has made a discount offer available to Catholic Culture Podcast listeners. To receive the discount code, sign up to their mailing list at this link and include "Catholic Culture Podcast" in the Affiliation tab of the form. http://eepurl.com/gNrNq1 All of Wiseblood’s offerings are discounted if purchased directly from their website: http://www.wisebloodbooks.com Colosseum Summer Institute https://www.colosseuminstitute.com/summer-institute.html   Wiseblood Books mentioned in this episode: Ryan Wilson, How to Think Like a Poet https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p97/How_to_Think_Like_a_Poet%2C_by_Ryan_Wilson.html Dana Gioia, The Catholic Writer Today and Other Essays https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/c4/Wiseblood_Essays_.html James Matthew Wilson, The River of the Immaculate Conception https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p96/The_River_of_the_Immaculate_Conception.html Michael D. O’Brien (contributor), Abuse of Sexuality in the Catholic  Church https://www.divineprovidencepress.com/store/p10/Abuse_of_Sexuality_in_the_Catholic_Church_%28Shipping_Included%29.html Michael D. O’Brien, The Apocalypse: Warning, Hope & Consolation https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p93/The_Apocalypse%3A_Warning%2C_Hope%2C_%26_Consolation.html Samuel Hazo, If Nobody Calls, I’m Not Home: The Open Letters of Bim Nakely https://www.wisebloodbooks.com/store/p98/IF_NOBODY_CALLS%2C_I%27M_NOT_HOME%3A_THE_OPEN_LETTERS_OF_BIM_NAKELY%2C_by_Samuel_Hazo.html Writings by Joshua Hren mentioned in this episode: “The First Commandment of Fiction” https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/03/the-first-commandment-of-fiction “A Crisis of Curiositas” https://www.crisismagazine.com/2019/a-crisis-of-curiositas Joshua Hren has two forthcoming books: In the Wine Press, his second collection of short stories, from Angelico Press, and How to Read and Write Like a Catholic, from TAN Books. His previously published books are: This Our Exile: Short Stories https://angelicopress.org/product/this-our-exile/ Middle-Earth and the Return to the Common Good: J.R.R. Tolkien and Political Philosophy https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K81KLQ5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1 Cluny Media books mentioned: Lyra Martyrum: The Poetry of the English Martyrs, 1503-1681 https://www.clunymedia.com/product/lyra-martyrum/ François Mauriac https://www.clunymedia.com/?s=mauriac Caroline Gordon, The Malefactors https://www.clunymedia.com/product/the-malefactors/ Fulton Sheen https://www.clunymedia.com/?s=sheen Augustine Di Nioia, O.P., Grace in Season https://www.clunymedia.com/product/grace-in-season/ Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, O.P., Philosophizing in Faith https://www.clunymedia.com/product/philosophizing-in-faith/ Humbert Clerissac, O.P., The Mystery of the Church https://www.clunymedia.com/product/the-mystery-of-the-church/ Past podcast interviews mentioned: Dana Gioia https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-44-catholics-need-poetry-but-do-we-want-it-dana-gioia/ Samuel Hazo https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-28-introduction-to-maritains-poetic-philosophy-samuel-hazo/ James Matthew Wilson https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-57-river-immaculate-conception-james-matthew-wilson/ Poetry of the English Martyrs https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/ep-69-poetry-english-martyrs-benedict-whalen/ Matthew Minerd on Garrigou-Lagrange https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-38-sacred-monster-matthew-k-minerd/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. 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A look back through the Catholic Culture Podcast archive. This episode contains highlights from: Ep. 1 - A Working Actor's Working Faith - Tony Mockus, Sr. https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-1-working-actors-working-faith/ Ep. 2 - The Largest Civil Disobedience Movement in American History - Bill Cotter, Phil Lawler https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-2-largest-civil-disobedience-movement-in-us-history/ Ep. 3 - Native American Catholicism and the New Evangelization - Peter Jesserer Smith https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-3-native-american-catholicism-new-evangelization/ Ep. 4 - The Marian Option - Carrie Gress https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-4-marian-option-carrie-gress/ Ep. 5 - Hospital Dreams - Chris Baker https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-5-hospital-dreams-chris-baker/ Ep. 9 - How to Start an Institutional Apostolate, Pt. 1 - Jeff Mirus https://www.catholicculture.org/commentary/episode-9-how-to-start-institutional-apostolate-part-1-jeff-mirus/ This podcast is a production of CatholicCulture.org. If you like the show, please consider supporting us! http://catholicculture.org/donate/audio