Learning to See Again:
The Place of Beauty in Classical Education
Although most Classical educators appreciate the importance of truth and goodness, beauty is often something of a “forgotten transcendental.” The benefits of truth seldom need to be explained or justified, while the emphasis on virtue formation in Classical education also makes goodness an explicit concern. But what about beauty? In this retreat, we will take up the challenge of Josef Pieper to “learn to see again” as we explore the role that beauty can and should have in classical schooling that aims to shape the whole person and enables students to grow in wisdom, faith, hope, and love.
Retreat Details:
- Theme: Learning to See Again: The Place of Beauty in Classical Education. Participants will be asked to read a selection of short texts in preparation for the retreat.
- Schedule and Presenters: Friday, April 25, at 4:30 p.m. to Saturday, April 26, at 9:00 p.m. Alcuin Fellow and working artist Sean Oswald will begin by leading participants in a hands-on art experience. Dr. Todd Buras, Chair of Baylor’s Philosophy Department, will take up the question “What Is Beauty?” and Dr. Phil Donnelly, Professor of Literature in Baylor’s Great Texts Program, will make a case for the place of beauty among the other transcendentals. The retreat also will include a seminar discussion on the role of fiction in light of an essay by Flannery O’Connor; the seminar will be led by Brooke Ramsey, fiction writer and head of a local classical grammar school, and Dr. Stephen Barnes, Professor of English at University of Mary Hardin Baylor. The retreat will culminate with a panel on the place of beauty in the classroom. Although it will involve the reading and discussion of challenging texts, the retreat will also be practical, showing teachers concrete ways in which a Christian vision of beauty can shape their own classroom practice. The retreat includes times of common prayer and worship.
- Location: Baylor University, Waco, TX
- Cost: $150 (includes three meals). Because of limitations of space and the dynamics of the seminar, the number of participants will be capped at 17, so please register today!
- Lodging: Participants should make their own lodging arrangements in proximity to Baylor University.
- Questions: For more information, contact Aly Barnes at alyssanbarnes@gmail.com.
- Deadline: Please register by March 25, 2025.