The Pillars: Jerusalem, Athens, and the Western Mind

The Scientific Revolution will change the way humanity understands and relates to the natural world. As we learn more about this period, we'll uncover answers to the following questions: How did the Scientific Revolution lead to an English sensibility that things ought to be useful? In what sense did Newton's universal laws lay the groundwork for a decline in religious observance? Why was the Juli...

A series of wars in the eighteenth century will eventually lead to a recently-unified Britain as the new, dominant world power. As we move forward in history, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did the French and English responses to their respective financial crises pave the way for future English dominance? Why were the wars of the eighteenth century characterized by...

As culture changed across Europe, social and economic expectations shifted accordingly. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: How did the growth of high culture lead to a decline in local dialects and a rise in vernacular languages? Why was there a crackdown in the seventeenth century on carnivals and similar types of entertainment? When it came to changing...

While Poland will weaken and will eventually collapse, Austria, Prussia, and Russia will rise as they begin to consolidate power. To help us dive deeper into the topic, we'll address the following questions: Why were Poland and the surrounding territories particularly conducive for Jewish life to flourish? Even as European society modernized, why were Prussian aristocrats still drawn to military s...

The fields of modern mathematics and philosophy owe a great deal to René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. As we learn more about the two thinkers, we'll explore the following questions: How did Descartes balance the tension between skepticism and certainty in his philosophical writings? According to Descartes, why is it important to study foreign languages? Why did Pascal sharply criticize Descartes'...

While the king in France amasses more power and splendor to himself, the English monarchy undergoes a drastic change. To help us unpack the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did the English Bill of Rights establish the strength of the English parliament? Under the leadership of Louis XIV, how and why did France become the envy of Europe? How did the War of Spanish Succe...

The balance of power in Europe will shift dramatically in the seventeenth century. On today's episode, we'll uncover answers to the following questions: For such a small country, how did the Netherlands succeed in becoming a dominant power in Europe in the seventeenth century? Why did Englishmen place great value in this time on being a landowner? What brought about the English Revolution? Why was...

Miguel de Cervantes will propose a new type of hero for an age that has moved beyond the knight in shining armor. As we continue our survey of Don Quixote, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How does Don Quixote's title, "Knight of the Sorrowful Face," reflect Cervantes' critique of modernity? In what sense is there a small piece of Don Quixote in every man? In spite of all his ant...

The first modern novel employs humor and satire to explore what it means to be an individual. To help us in our survey of Don Quixote, we'll focus on the following questions: How does Don Quixote both mock the past and emphasize the value of tradition? Even if Don Quixote is objectively mad, how do his wild imaginings critique modernity? What are we to make of and learn from Don Quixote's insisten...

The Jewish communities of Renaissance Italy were unusual in their interactions with their Christian neighbors. As we explore this topic, we'll find answers to the following questions: Why did early Renaissance Italian humanists turn to Jews to inspire Christian thought? In what ways were the Jews involved in developing the Renaissance culture of Italy? How did the Jews of this period lay the groun...

For good reason, Shakespeare is one of the most famous and most influential writers of the English language. To help us unpack that topic, we'll explore the following questions: In contrast with the greatness of man to be found in Hamlet, how does the relative bleakness of Macbeth resonate with a listener? Of all the bard's plays, what makes As You Like It a good one to introduce students to Shake...

Arguably Shakespeare's greatest play, Hamlet will catapult us into the modern era of literature. To unpack that notion, we'll explore the following questions: In what sense does Hamlet have a foothold in both the classical and modern eras? How does Hamlet grapple with the Biblical, covenantal tension between man's significance, on the one hand, and insignificance, on the other? Why is Hamlet's con...

Modernity continues to emerge with the writings of Montaigne and Shakespeare. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will help us address the following questions: Why did Montaigne love history as a tool to understand the human character? How does Montaigne's approach to education diverge from his contemporaries' such that we might recognize his approach in today's world of education? What sets Shakesp...

The study of Kabbalah—Jewish mysticism—will play an outsized role in shaping not only Western thought but even modern science. To explore the topic, we'll turn to the following questions: What is Kabbalah and why did it become important, as an area of study, for Christian thinkers and scholars? How does Kabbalah further develop the notion of human agency? What role did Kabbalah play in the develop...

The amount of bloodshed that took place following the Protestant Reformation is staggering. As we try to make sense of the religious wars, we'll explore the following questions: What role did chivalric virtues play in bolstering Protestantism in France? Why did local Catholics in the Low Countries oppose an inquisition against Protestants? How did the Treaty of Westphalia, which recognized Protest...

In the aftermath of the Protestant Reformation, religious Europe continued to splinter. On today's episode, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did John Calvin's views of free will and predestination lead to a culture in which hard work and monetary success was seen as valuable? How does Anglicanism occupy a middle ground between Lutheranism and Calvinism? Over the course of the...

Erasmus was arguably the greatest scholar and foremost humanist of the Northern Renaissance. As we learn more about him, we'll explore the following questions: How was Erasmus' Greek language scholarship foundational to the Protestant Reformation? What were Erasmus' basic criticisms of the Catholic Church? How did those critiques differ from Luther's? Why is it still important to read Erasmus toda...

Political turmoil swept across Europe in the wake of the Protestant Reformation. To help us expand the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did Luther's approach to religious reform encourage a rise in centralized power? Why was it necessary to divide the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Augsburg? How did Rashi, an eleventh century Jewish scholar, indirectly influence Lut...

Few events in Christian history had a more dramatic impact than the Protestant Reformation. As we survey this seismic event, Rabbi Rocklin will answer the following questions: How did the spirit of the Renaissance that swept through Europe foster a culture that could lead to the Reformation? What theological debates led to Martin Luther's eventual split from the Roman Catholic Church? How is Luthe...

The spirit of discovery in the Renaissance will push Europe to expand its trade horizons and reshape its economy. On today's episode, we'll address the following questions: What were the technological innovations in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries that made long-distance sailing easier? Why did Portugal, of all countries, become a dominant force in expanding European trade in the East? How...

Consolidation of power will dramatically alter politics, wars, and loyalties in Europe. To help us expand this notion, we'll explore the following questions: What caused political power in Europe to shift from being localized in the hands of the lords to being wielded by royal families ruling vast territories? How did a rise in national loyalties lead to increasing suspicion of divergent religious...

The Northern Renaissance may be infused with the same spirit as the Italian Renaissance, but it manifested in uniquely northern European ways. On today's episode, we'll take a look at the following questions: How does Goethe's Faustus grapple with the relationship between knowledge and goodness? What was the danger in Nicholas of Cusa's philosophical innovation regarding man's relationship with Go...

Modern politics cannot be fully understood without Machiavelli. To help us unpack this claim, Rabbi Rocklin will explore the following questions: How does Machiavelli shift the way that virtue is understood? Why do some scholars consider Machiavelli to be the first modern political philosopher? How does Machiavelli justify his claim that a ruler should use cruelty and fear as tools to control the...

The notion of human dignity takes center stage as humanism comes to the fore with Petrarch and Pico. To help us explore the topic, Rabbi Rocklin will address the following questions: Why did Petrarch, who is often considered the father of humanism, heavily criticize Medieval philosophers? According to Pico, what makes man unique and uniquely dignified? How does that shift the general understanding...

A new era dawns on history as the Renaissance begins. As we begin to explore this period, Rabbi Rocklin will help us answer the following questions: Can the Renaissance truly be characterized as a new period, as opposed to simply an outgrowth of the Middle Ages? Why does the re-examining of Greco-Roman thought lead to a religious emphasis on man's greatness and centrality to creation? What was the...