Classical Education Courses for Parents & Classroom Teachers

Reading Josef Pieper with Dr. Fred Putnam

4 September-4 December, 2025 (runs Thursday evenings for 14 weeks)

6:30-8:00 p.m. CENTRAL TIME

Description

At the end of this course, you will better understand(1) virtue and the virtues; (2) what it means to know and understand; (3) the importance of contemplation and celebration in our lives and the lives of our schools, among many other concepts and ideas.

One of the most important Christian philosophers of the twentieth century was Josef Pieper (1904,1997). Because he wrote in German, and because his works only began appearing in English a few decades ago, he is largely unknown, apart from Leisure:The Basis of Culture. Far more important and helpful is Josef Pieper:An Anthology, which he himself compiled from his own works a few years before his death. In this online seminar we will read and discuss our way through the Anthology, learning from Pieper and each other to think carefully and well about what it means to be (truly) human, about what it means to know some thing or someone (a topic crucial for teaching), and many other fundamental aspects of our existence.

Pieper is known for his deep insight into human nature and the relationship between God and his creation, and its implications for us means to live a good life and the clarity of his writing. One of the great benefits of reading Pieper, testified to by many classical teachers, is that he offers us a way to understand and use words that often function as buzzwords in classical education-words such as "virtue", "knowing", "believing", and"curiosity". Gaining a better understanding of terms that we all use affords us the opportunity to sharpen our understanding of what we are doing and thereby strengthen our school's identity and unity, and better enable us to present our selves and our vision to those within and outside our schools.

Syllabus:

Pre-course reading:"On the Nature of This Course (sent upon registration) and Anthology, "Foreword"

4 September: Virtue (Anthology,#1-5)

11 September: Faith (Anthology,#6-8)

18 September: Hope (Anthology, #9-10, 57-58)

25 September: Charity/Love (Anthology,#11-14)

2 October: Prudence/Wisdom (Anthology, #15-18)

9 October: Justice (Anthology, #19-21)

16 October: Fortitude/Courage (Anthology, #22-23;handout)

23 October: Temperance/Self-control (Anthology, #24-30)

30 October: Reality & Truth (Anthology, #31-37);Josef Pieper died 6 November 1997

6 November: Freedom (Anthology,#38-46)

13 November: Work, Celebration, Worship (Anthology,#47-49)

20 November: Considering the Whole of Reality (Anthology,#50-56)

27 November: Thanksgiving!(noclass)

4 December: Finis:‘End’ and ‘Good’ (Anthology,#1-4,59)[#57-58 were read for 18 September]

Who:   This is for classroom teachers, school administrators, home educators, anyone interested in thinking about the sum of reality.

When:14 weeks- Every Thursday Evening, 4 September-4 December, 2025

Time: 6:30- 8:00 p.m. CENTRAL

Zoom: A link will be emailed the day before the session.

Supplies: You will need to purchase a copy of An Anthology by Josef Pieper and have access to zoom. 

Recorded:Every session is recorded and will be available to view for one month after the session. Recordings are sent to paid participants approximately 24-48 hours after the live session.

Cost:$150/participant

About the Instructor

Fred Putnam: Dr. Putnam (PhD in Hebrew Bible)

Retired after forty years' of teaching graduate students, college students, and highschoolers (in his own "Friday school"). He taught Biblical Hebrew, Koine and Classical Greek, Old and New Testament, philosophy, literature, poetry, drama, classical pedagogy, and the history and philosophy of the American public school system. He helped start and taught in the MA in Teaching in Classical Education offered by the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University, where he was Professor of Bible and Liberal Studies. An ordained minister, he also serves as an educational advisor and consultant for schools, and is a popular speaker at every level. He and his wife live in southeastern Pennsylvania-she as a native, he as a transplanted New Englander.