Great texts, greater love: cultivating Christian charity through reading

I want to support congregations to think deeply and prayerfully about charity, through exemplary classical literature. I aim to facilitate study groups reading sermons, letters from theologians, and encyclicals, for the purposes of catechesis and bringing ourselves into a deeper love of God , and raising the pitch of the call to charity.

I encourage the use of the St. John’s College classical method, which fosters learning through great texts and egalitarian discussion, focusing on working through the ideas within the text rather than relying on personal opinions. The value of discussing the ideas of a great thinker as opposed to exchanging our own opinions is that great texts are the product of long seasons of dedicated hard work, and are written with a central consistent vision. In contrast, we often don't know where our own opinions come from, and they lack the backing of the rigorous intellectual work that leads to the formation of clear ideas.

Reading in community offers participants a greater level of engagement with ideas than is possible alone. Through dedicated discussion, we clear up our confusions about the contents of the text, and have the opportunity to test out our understanding. As participants become more familiar with one another, the ongoing conversation blooms.

Please set a meeting with me on calendly (link on front page), or email me at jhlaw@sjc.edu if you are interested in starting a reading group with me in your congregation.