Purgatorio: Ante-Purgatory and the Terrace on Pride (Cantos 6-12) with Mr. Luke Heintschel

Purgatorio: Ante-Purgatory and the Terrace on Pride (Cantos 6-12) with Mr. Luke Heintschel

February 24, 2026 · 2h 28m

About this episode

The episode discusses the transition from Ante-Purgatory to the first terrace of Purgatory, focusing on the purging of pride and the role of classical education in making Catholicism relevant.

Today on Ascend: The Great Books Podcast, Deacon Garlick and Mr. Luke Heintschel, headmaster of Coeur du Christ Academy , discuss the rest of ante-purgatory and then the first terrace--the purging of pride. Check out our GUIDE: 51 QUESTIONS ON THE PURGATORIO . Visit thegreatbookspodcast.com for more information. The conversation explores the transition from Ante-Purgatory into the proper mountain of Purgatory and the first terrace dedicated to purging the sin of pride. Garlick describes this section as one of his favorites in the entire Purgatorio , praising Dante’s ability to provide a rich “liturgy” and spiritual library of resources for reshaping the soul into the beautiful image of Christ. The episode emphasizes Purgatorio as a positive map for sanctification and theosis, contrasting sharply with the Inferno’s exposure of sin’s ugliness.Guest Introduction and Classical Education Insights Luke Heintschel shares his personal journey from evangelization and biblical theology into classical education, explaining how he came to see the liberal arts tradition—long cultivated by the Church—as the most effective means of making Catholicism relevant to contemporary young people. He…

People in this episode

Host: Harrison Garlick

Guest: Luke Heintschel

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Coeur du Christ Academy

Books & works: Purgatorio

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