The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan discuss the basic theological precepts of 1 and 2 Samuel before introducing Justin Jackson, professor of English at Hillsdale College. First and Second Samuel tell the story of Saul and David, Israel’s first two kings. These Old Testament books depict the importance of the relationship between father and son and the consequences of sin for the sinner, his family, and his nation. While David’s transgressions lead to great tragedy for himself and Israel, his penitence shows a path toward redemption. First Samuel opens with the stories of two faithful parents, Hannah and Eli. Hannah raises her son, Samuel, to be faithful, while Eli fails to correct his sons, Hophni and Phineas, and their sins bring defeat to Israel. Robert Alter's The David Story: https://shop.hillsdale.edu/collections/books/products/the-david-storySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Jeremiah and Juan introduce the course "The David Story: Shepherd, Father, King." First and Second Samuel tell the story of Saul and David, Israel’s first two kings. These Old Testament books depict the importance of the relationship between father and son and the consequences of sin for the sinner, his family, and his nation. While David’s transgressions lead to great tragedy for himself and Israel, his penitence shows a path toward redemption. The Israelites are God’s chosen people, but they must undergo challenges to prepare them to be the nation from which the Messiah will come. The story of David illustrates how Israel’s history is touched by the divine, but still human.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan introduce the show's new host Jeremiah Regan.The three then discuss the legacy of Moses before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom.  When Moses returns from Sinai, he finds the Israelites worshiping a golden calf. As God’s wrath flares against the Israelites, Moses pleads the cause of the people, and then Moses mediates God’s wrath to the people by letting his own wrath flare so they will repent and return to obedience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the commandment "Honor thy father and mother" before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom.  The Ten Commandments establish the proper relationship between God and man and between man and man within the community of God's chosen people. The commandments remind the people that God saved them from slavery in Egypt and that He is their only God.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the lessons we can learn from the persistent disobedience of the Israelites in the wilderness before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom.  Pharaoh pursues the Israelites, but he and the Egyptians are destroyed in the Red Sea. The Israelites murmur against God and Moses as they wander through the wilderness. God provides food and water for them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the strange questions raised by the Passover narrative before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom. After many warnings and attempts to convince Pharaoh to obey God, the final plague is the death of the firstborn throughout Egypt. The Israelites are spared, and Pharaoh, who is himself a firstborn son, is spared. Pharaoh finally agrees to let the Israelites go.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the many possible readings of the biblical plagues before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom. God separates the Israelites from the plagues to show that He can spare His people. The Egyptians begin to see God’s power and have the chance to obey God’s commands and be spared as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the unique challenge presented by the plagues and the question of monotheism before introducing Justin Jackson. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom. The plagues show God’s ability to bring death and suffering to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Pharaoh repents, but then again hardens his heart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss perhaps the most striking image in the Old Testament: the burning bush. Next, Justin Jackson dives into the intricacies of Hebrew translation. Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom. God appears to Moses in the Burning Bush and calls him to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt. Pharaoh, who views himself as a god, hardens his heart against Moses and God.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan introduce the course "The Exodus Story," a continuation of "The Genesis Story." Exodus is central to the Old Testament and the Gospels. It tells the story of God reclaiming His people. This literary study of the Book of Exodus examines man’s relationship to God, God’s mercy toward man, and the nature of human freedom. Pharaoh fears the growing number of Israelites while they are enslaved in Egypt, so he orders all newborn Israelite boys to be killed. Moses is spared by Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopts him as her own son.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the beauty of the story of Joseph before introducing Justin Jackson. Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. Genesis concludes with the long and complex Joseph story. Employing a series of parallel structures, this penitential narrative—a pinnacle of literary achievement in Genesis—serves as a fitting transition to Exodus.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan reminisce about how much their own sibling rivalries remind them of Jacob and Esau before introducing Justin Jackson. Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. Genesis is filled with sibling rivalries, beginning with the tragic story of Cain and Abel. The decades-long rivalry between Jacob and Esau demonstrates how such conflicts can be resolved and how the face of God is made visible through a beautiful act of forgiveness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the challenging story of the binding of Isaac before introducing Justin Jackson. Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. The binding of Isaac is the Genesis passage that generates the most commentary—though it is frequently misunderstood. The narrative presents two acts of faith: Abraham offering his son to God and Isaac offering himself to his father. Abraham submits to God’s command, knowing full well that God will keep His promise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the problem of suffering in the Old Testament before introducing Justin Jackson. Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar illustrates the rivalry and pain that arise as humans struggle with divine promises. In spite of their failings, God remains faithful to His covenant and responds to the suffering of mankind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan meditate on the value of reexamining the story of Adam and Eve before introducing Justin Jackson. Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. Genesis is dominated by four types of relationships: God and creation, God and human, human and human, and human and creation. Adam and Eve’s transgression in the Garden of Eden transforms the relationship between God and man and sets the stage for the remaining narratives of Genesis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan introduce the course "The Genesis Story: Reading Biblical Narratives." Genesis is a book of fundamental importance for the Jewish and Christian faiths and has exerted a profound influence on Western Civilization. In addition to being a great religious text, it is also a literary masterpiece. This course explores some of the work’s major narrative themes, including the complex relationship between God and man, the consequences of a rupture in that relationship, and the path towards reconciliation. Among the primary aims of Hillsdale College are the teaching of the Christian religion “by precept and example” and the “diffusion of sound learning.” These aims rest upon a tradition that views faith and reason as an integrity and affirms their capacity to discover truth about man’s relationship to the divine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the importance of the Founding in our modern political arena before introducing David Azerrad and Thomas West. In this course, Thomas West, one of the leading scholars on the American Founding, is joined by David Azerrad, his former student and now colleague, to examine the principles of the Founders, explore the urgent political questions they faced, and reveal the choices they made to secure free government in America.    The goal of their conversation is to move beyond a simple recitation of the abstract principles of the Founding and bring their political theory to life so we can see how the Founders approached the perennial problems of politics.  While important elements of the older American way of life still animate parts of the country, the Founders’ political theory has been abandoned today in several critical ways. Americans are no longer guaranteed equal protection of the laws, and the basic idea of consent has been undermined by an emerging oligarchic element that encourages division on the most important political questions.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss whether or not the government should have control over the market before introducing David Azerrad and Thomas West. In this course, Thomas West, one of the leading scholars on the American Founding, is joined by David Azerrad, his former student and now colleague, to examine the principles of the Founders, explore the urgent political questions they faced, and reveal the choices they made to secure free government in America.    The goal of their conversation is to move beyond a simple recitation of the abstract principles of the Founding and bring their political theory to life so we can see how the Founders approached the perennial problems of politics.  A just economic system, according to the Founding, protected the right of citizens to possess and acquire property. The Founders sought to secure this right through exclusive ownership of property by private citizens, the encouragement of free markets as far as is compatible with the rights and interests of citizens, and a stable standard of money. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss the role of the government in regulating marriage before introducing David Azerrad and Thomas West. In this course, Thomas West, one of the leading scholars on the American Founding, is joined by David Azerrad, his former student and now colleague, to examine the principles of the Founders, explore the urgent political questions they faced, and reveal the choices they made to secure free government in America.    The goal of their conversation is to move beyond a simple recitation of the abstract principles of the Founding and bring their political theory to life so we can see how the Founders approached the perennial problems of politics.  The Founders viewed sex as a vital political topic because it generates children. In order to ensure children were raised well, they supported laws and customs that channeled this passion into stable, monogamous marriages that recognized the natural differences between the sexes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of The Hillsdale College Online Courses Podcast, Kyle and Juan discuss whether the government should legislate morality before introducing David Azerrad and Thomas West. In this course, Thomas West, one of the leading scholars on the American Founding, is joined by David Azerrad, his former student and now colleague, to examine the principles of the Founders, explore the urgent political questions they faced, and reveal the choices they made to secure free government in America.    The goal of their conversation is to move beyond a simple recitation of the abstract principles of the Founding and bring their political theory to life so we can see how the Founders approached the perennial problems of politics.  The Founders understood that republican government not only depended upon citizens who possess justice, moderation, and industry, but it also required some citizens to possess more assertive virtues like courage and prudence. They sought to develop a virtuous character in American citizens through criminal law enforcement, political speeches and ceremonies, education, and support for religion. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.