The Colombian Chesterton
Regular price
$150.00
SUMMER 2025
Instructor: Bruce Lorenzana
Select One of the Following Dates:
- July 7 - Aug. 1 (4 weeks)
- Aug. 4 - 26 (4 weeks)
Mtg. Days: Tue. & Thur. (2 days/week)
Mtg. Time: 8:30-9:20 AM
Credits: None
Class Description: Nicolas Gomez Davila was a Hispanic Christian philosopher of the twentieth century, who, like Lewis, Tolkien, and Chesterton, was a man against his time. His life project was six volumes of aphorisms in which he intended to summarize the grand tradition of Western, Christian wisdom. These aphorisms span an astounding range of topics: from theology, philosophy, and history to virtue, politics, and the nature of reality itself. Reading Gomez Davila is not merely an academic exercise. Each aphorism is a puzzle that can only be solved by contemplating human experience in connection with the great books. Reading Gomez Davila requires one to examine oneself and one’s world in order to live a better life in light of the wisdom of the past.
Because Gomez Davila sought to summarize the whole of Western wisdom in his aphorisms, studying his aphorisms closely will help students to (1) have a clearer grasp on the overarching themes of the Humanities courses they will take at LOS, (2) read the great books with a greater perceptiveness into their deeper meaning, and (3) think of more ways to relate what they read in Humanities courses to how they live their daily lives. In this course, we will read Gomez Davila attentively and engage in deep, joyful conversation about his aphorisms to inform our pursuit of the good life in our crazy, post-modern times.
Required Materials: Selections from Don Colacho’s Aphorisms (provided by the instructor)
If you are already enrolled in LOS, simply log in to your ClassReach account--you'll see a summer registration notification on your homepage beginning March 17.
