The Heart of Culture: A Brief History of Western Education

The Heart of Culture is a succinctly substantive history of Western education and a profound witness to the necessity of maintaining tradition. The West is the product, not of geographic, ethnic, or political forces, but of a dynamic educational tradition. When that tradition breaks down, the culture suffers a crisis of identity. Today, the West is undergoing just such a crisis, as the perennial wisdom of its tradition is ignored, misrepresented, or outright rejected. This short book confronts that crisis, bringing to light the living, intricate educational tradition that built the West, from the Greek ideal of paideia to John Henry Newman’s idea of a university. First developed for course use in the Catholic Studies program at the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota), The Heart of Culture provides a unifying perspective and a clear historical understanding of the lifeblood of Western culture, and is certain to aid teacher and student alike in the pursuit of excellence.