Have Great Books, Will TravelTo 3 New Catholic Schools?
No Time . . . no time . . . no. time.
And this means a lot of quicklinkingposts.
Check out these three new schools, all of which are verifiable, untelevised parts of the quiet revolution taking place against the modern academy:
Living Water Arts College combines a Thomas Aquinas College great books/liberal arts approach with the savory spices of the fine arts.
Transfiguration College combines a Thomas Aquinas College great books/liberal arts approach with an “East Side” focus to its Theology, offering up the best of Byzantine Catholicism. And hey, they even got a blog.
John Paul the Great Catholic University combines what looks like a sort of Thomas Aquinas College great books/liberal arts core curriculum with a school of technology, business, and media.
Of course, America is an intrinsically evil nation; most people are morons; none of these colleges will ever get off the ground (and even if they did they are tainted by bad, naughty modern philosophy and will only spread error); no one is as smart as, well, us (whoever “us” happens to be); and the world has already gone to hell in a handbasket and if only everyone knew . . . or maybe . . .
not.
God has a funny way of laughing last, especially at silly humans who take themselves too seriously.
Did you even bother to read the John Paul the Great Univ website?
Where did you find the “Thomas Aquinas great books program/liberal arts core curriculum” wanna be part?
Do you really think it won’t work? Or do you just not want it to?
Or are you just be facetious????
Me
August 21, 2005 at 11:24 pm
Besides, you forgot to list Southern Catholic College in Georgia.
Or do you think that one will work?
Kodiak
August 21, 2005 at 11:27 pm
Um, the last paragraph above is a sarcastic joke, which clearly not everyone took as such. That’s kind of scary that someone thought I was wasn’t joking there and was actually that much of an arrogant ass.
Anyway, the John Paul the Great University website and what I have heard about the place from other sources does indicate that they seek to bring a core curriculum to, and “put in context” a technology, business, and media trade school type program. How successful or meaningful this will be is up in the air as the school doesn’t exist yet. Yet the intent of the school is clearly to set up a core curriculum of some type–you can find this on the website–rather than just teach the technical arts. Perhaps my quotation above is a little bit of a stretch, but their intent is clear.
Of course I want all these schools to be successful, they are all part of a revolution for the good taking place right now.
I did forget to list Southern Catholic College in Georgia, I will have to do that in another post.
I just put up 3 new schools I had recently heard of and been thinking about–they were new to me, anyway–this is my blog, after all.
kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 7:06 am
Again, that last paragraph is mocking arrogance and the sorts of things one hears people say about noble attempts to found new schools like those above…
kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 7:10 am
Heh, heh, heh…
Anyways, as far as the core curriculum goes, I know what you mean.
My point is simply that requiring theology, “foundations of catholicism,” “masterpieces of literature, art and music” (this would include “great books” I assume) and “introduction to philosophy” classes in a trade school type program is an attempt (some might say merely a nod, some might give it more credit) to point students towards the liberal arts. The fact that its founders feel the need to do that speaks volumes about the quiet shifts going on right now across Some of those classes have got to involve “great books,” and sure its not quite a pure great books/liberal arts approach BUT it is a sign of the revolution.
Protestant colleges are reading more Aquinas these days, and even Catholic businessmen setting up trade schools feel the need to have some sort of required curriculum that teaches the great books.
See the latest post on this blog–that makes six schools off the top of my head–and these aren’t even the obvious newbies, like Ave Maria College. . .or the “old school” (which is still new and of the same generation–like TAC, UD, Christendom, etc.) All of these schools have very similar aims and approaches–they arose largely out of the same general motivation–when you look at the big picture of the last 30-50 yrs.
Whether they will be successful or not (practically and speculatively) is, of course, another question entirely.
Yet I don’t think a condescending dismissal of their project is justified, although one might hear such a thing from all corners these days, and most especially from those who should be seeking to encourage and guide such well intentioned projects.
A look at Catholic blogs shows the unfortunate divisions within the “CONSERVATIVES” in the American Church.
kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 9:27 am
Just the same, I shouldn’t have mentioned TAC in relation to JP the G CU.
kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 9:39 am
No, it was ok to mentioned TAC in relation to JP Catholic because I’ve heard that the founders compare JP Catholic to TAC in it’s orthodoxy and (oh the horror!) to Franciscan at Steubenville in it’s fervor.
I’m being a stickler but, you keep mentioning JP Catholic as a “trade school.” When I think trade school, I think certificate of completion. JP Catholic will graduate students with Bachelor of Science degrees. These graduates will go out and be able to start businesses or be hired right away in “culture changing” jobs (and here’s a little stick to the TAC graduates) unlike TAC graduates. ;o)
Obviously, you can tell that I have a soft spot for JP Catholic. That’s because one of my daughters is planning on going in the fall of next year. Also, I know what I am talking about with TAC because I know a lot of graduates from the first few classes and some from the recent classes.
Kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 10:05 am
Ah, I see where you are coming from. We agree on these things. I didn’t mean to downplay JP Catholic by calling it a “trade school,” it looks great to me–IT FILLS A SORELY NEEDED ROLE.
I’ve heard good things about its founders, and I’m very interested in how they are going to lay out their core classes.
kodiak
August 22, 2005 at 10:43 am
Amen to that sorely needed role! I think it’s really exciting these new schools popping up all over the country with various and sundry aims, but wanting to establish themselves as primarily CATHOLIC colleges. As a kid whose parents made it clear that any financial aide from them was reliant that I chose a school from a short list, it’s great to think there will be more options out there!
Strange but my dad and I recently stumbled upon a list of my 11 year-old sister’s goals as she gets ready for jr. high, one was going to Southern Catholic College. I was shocked she had heard of it already!
May these founders be blessed as they set out to offer higher education anchored by faith.
jedno
August 24, 2005 at 6:40 am
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