In this episode of the ClassicalU Podcast, Jesse Hake—joined by guests Dr. Brian Williams and Jake Tawney—explores the pressing question of AI and human formation in the classroom. Framed by the classical vision of education as the formation of the whole person, the conversation challenges the assumption that efficiency, output, or technological adoption should drive educational practice. Drawing on philosophy, theology, and classroom experience, Tawney and Williams argue that AI risks not only replacing essential learning processes but also reshaping students’ understanding of what it means to be human. Echoing insights from thinkers such as Neil Postman in Amusing Ourselves to Death, George Grant in Technology and Justice and Technology and Empire, and Jacques Ellul in The Technological Society, they examine how modern technologies subtly form habits, attention, and culture. The discussion highlights how AI differs fundamentally from human thought—operating through pattern prediction and persuasion rather than truth-seeking and embodied understanding—while raising concerns about dependence, identity, and the loss of higher-order thinking. At the same time, the conversation points toward a hopeful alternative: classrooms rooted in wonder, dialogue, and embodied learning that cultivate intellect, virtue, and community.

These themes resonate deeply with the vision of classical Christian education found in ClassicalU courses such as The Scholé Way and The Monastic Tradition of Education by Dr. Christopher Perrin, as well as John Amos Comenius: A Visionary Reformer of Schools by Dr. David I. Smith, all of which emphasize contemplation, attention, and the formation of student loves. They also align with the broader tradition of technology critique found in George Grant’s essay “The Computer Does Not Dictate How the Computer Should Be Used” and Craig M. Gay’s Modern Technology and the Human Future: A Christian Appraisal. In a cultural moment shaped by distraction and technological acceleration, this conversation reinforces the enduring value of slow reading, rich discussion, and embodied community as the surest means of forming students who can think clearly, love rightly, and live wisely.

With gratitude to Joelle Hodge for convening this conversation and to Great Hearts Academies for recording it.

In this episode of the ClassicalU Podcast, Jesse Hake speaks with Dr. Patrick R. Manning about his book Be Still and Know: Contemplative Practice for Christian Schools and Educators. Drawing from the deep wells of the Christian contemplative tradition—from the Desert Fathers and Mothers to Benedictine, Ignatian, and Dominican spirituality—Manning argues that contemplation is not foreign to Christian education but central to it. He explores how reframing time, cultivating attention, and building intentional rhythms of silence and prayer can transform classrooms into “attention sanctuaries” in an age dominated by distraction. The conversation addresses pressing concerns such as student mental health, shrinking attention spans, and the pressures of productivity culture, offering both theological grounding and practical strategies for school leaders and teachers.

In dialogue with themes familiar to classical educators—such as those explored in ClassicalU courses The Scholé Way and The Monastic Tradition of Education by Christopher Perrin, and John Amos Comenius: A Visionary Reformer of Schools by Dr. David I. Smith—the episode connects contemplative practice to a broader recovery of attention in Christian schooling. Manning engages contemporary voices such as James Lang in Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About It, Matthew Crawford in The World Beyond Your Head, and James Williams in Stand Out of Our Light, while drawing on the spiritual wisdom of Simone Weil in Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with a View to the Love of God, Wilfrid Stinissen in Eternity in the Midst of Time, and Sofia Cavalletti in The Development of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Through practices such as Lectio Divina and the Ignatian Examen, he calls Christian schools to reclaim their heritage—not by retreating from excellence, but by rediscovering how stillness strengthens attention, deepens community, and renews the soul of education.

In this episode of the ClassicalU Podcast, host Jesse Hake—joined by Scholé Academy Director Dr. Joylynn Blake—welcomes the leaders of Scholé Academy’s three Houses of Study: Monika Minehart, Fr. Nathan Dickinson, and Presb. Maria Koulianos. As representatives of three great Christian traditions, Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican, these classical educators engage in a rich conversation on soul craft, or spiritual formation that is both personal and communal. Drawing from spiritual practices found in the Book of Common Prayer and the Student Prayer Book, the Orthodox vision of theosis, and Catholic sacramental life, the guests reflect on how Christian education shapes the whole person. Informed by C. S. Lewis’s image of the Great Hall in Mere Christianity, the discussion explores how shared Christian foundations give way to distinct faith traditions where formation is lived out with depth and integrity.

Throughout, the educators describe how The Great Hall and Scholé Academy’s Houses— Aquinas House, Canterbury House, and St. Raphael School—cultivate theological clarity without dilution, honoring real differences while remaining united by the tenets of the Nicene Creed. The episode offers a compelling picture of classical Christian education as soul craft—patient, relational, and rooted in tradition—made tangible even within online classrooms. Explore courses at Scholé Academy where thoughtful attention has been given to the concept, courses, and the atmosphere that foster formative Christian education. ClassicalU courses closely related to this episode are School Culture Symposium: Top Presenters on Community and Virtue Formation and The Scholé Way.