The Virtue of Reading Classic Literature w/ Dr. Jennifer Frey
From Evangelization & Culture Podcast by Word on Fire Institute
March 17, 2026 · 1h 34m · Episode 71
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance of reading classic literature and its impact on college students with Dr. Jennifer Frey.
"When you read Shakespeare," Justice Antonin Scalia's high school English teacher thundered, "Shakespeare's not on trial, you are." What are we to do about college students purportedly incapable of reading, much less finishing, great novels? We are to double down and put in front of them what Matthew Arnold called, "the best which has been thought and said." Join Professor Jennifer Frey and me on The Evangelization & Culture Podcast as we discuss the virtue and necessity of reading classic literature and encouraging its meaningful consumption among the young. Stay up-to-date with the latest episodes of The Evangelization & Culture Podcast biweekly on WordOnFire.org , on YouTube , or wherever you get your podcasts. You can get more content like this in the quarterly print journal of the Word on Fire Institute, Evangelization & Culture .
People in this episode
Host: unknown
Guest: Dr. Jennifer Frey
Topics covered
- classic literature
- reading
- education
- college students
- cultural consumption
- virtue
Keywords
- classic literature
- reading
- education
- college students
- Shakespeare
- virtue
- cultural consumption
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Word on Fire Institute, WordOnFire.org, Evangelization & Culture
Books & works: Shakespeare, great novels, the best which has been thought and said
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