“I helped assemble some brothers up from the community. We converged, we prayed, we sang, we stopped some fights, we stopped some rioting. We just held them by the hand and talked to them, and told them to calm down.” -Malcolm Taylor, Baltimore city bus driver responding to the 2015 Baltimore riots
In April of 2015, Baltimore, Maryland was violated by extreme violence and heartache. As the news reports rolled in I began to forget that good things existed. My heart was hurting for our brothers and sisters in Baltimore. The next morning, however, I opened up Facebook and was reminded that truth, goodness, and beauty still exist. You know, those truly human things that we are drawn to and are compelled by when we are at our best. These truly human things are of course in stark contrast to the riot descriptions, videos, and photos, which were plastered all over the internet and describe a state that seems more animal-like than human. Malcolm Taylor shows us one small, but beautiful, act that embodies something we are all aware that exists and is deserving of honor. If we compare Mr. Taylor’s act to the chaos of the riots something in us rises to the surface and we celebrate one and detest the other. There is something in us that responds a certain way to certain things. A sort of “deep calling to deep.” It is a bit of a mystery, but if we are honest we know it is there.
How do we name that and how do we talk about it? I believe that is the refreshment and the struggle of Stephen R. Turley’s new book ‘Awakening Wonder: A Classical Guide to Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.’ Refreshment, because it is always harmonizing to hear someone name something you had not known the name of. Struggle, because we have forgotten the value of those human things, have divorced them from our lives and curriculum, and because apprehending and encountering truth, goodness, and beauty will always be a bit of wrestling match.
Stephen R. Turley graciously tells us the human and scholarly story of man’s encounter with the good, the true, and the beautiful, he opens the door to what these ideas have meant for the life of the Christian, and what it calls us to and makes possible in our pedagogy and curriculum that was never possible before.
“Our tasks as educators is nothing less than to awaken students to the self-replenishing fountain of indescribable delights of a new creation in Christ, to give them the gift of the freedom to be human again, and in so doing to watch their lives blossom into rational, poetic, worshipers of God, and through their lives to get a taste of what life will be like when Christ returns, when God will be all in all.” -Stephen R. Turley, Awakening Wonder: A Classical Guide to Truth, Beauty, & Goodness
In his book, Awakening Wonder, Stephen Turley gives us a frame of reference for how to think about the idea of the good, true, and beautiful. He also explains how the good, true, and beautiful are the means by which we heal. Furthermore, Turley shares a way to pursue the good, true, and beautiful that is formal and imitative.
Turley’s frame of reference, which helps us think about the idea of the good, the true, and the beautiful is a historical one and a cosmological one. Turley begins his tour with Creation, turning next to the Classical world, and then to the Christian world, through the lens of the Greek East and then the Latin West. He shows the progression and development of these ideas over time, most profoundly of course when Christ himself came on the scene as The Truth, The Good, and The Beautiful one. I was awestruck to see how intimately the allure of the true, good, and beautiful was tied to the very person of Christ.
Since sin entered the world, all of creation cries out. We were created for harmony, but instead everything feels a sense of disorder. It is the good, the true, and the beautiful One that orders and harmonizes. This is a great mystery to me, so I do not want to give too many words here. All I can say it that after reading Turley’s book I have a new and renewed faith in the good, the true, and the beautiful to heal and restore my senses and my imagination to a more Eden-like state. I do not know whether this can happen completely on this side of eternity, but I do know it is worth pursuing regardless.
One of my favorite things and one of the hardest things about classical education is this business of contemplation. What is contemplation anyway and how does one do it? Many of us have heard beautiful and appealing things like “You become what you behold” or “The only thing worth beholding.” Of course, that would be Christ, and now we know that Christ is the good, true, and beautiful one, but how do you behold Him? Turley gives a great answer, and I am eager to reread this section of his book a few more times. He shows us how the three branches of aesthetics knowledge give us three different ways to give form to our contemplation. This is good news for me. Mostly because my imagination still needs a lot of healing, and my thoughts need a guide.
I am so excited to think more deeply about the ideas and suggestions in Awakening Wonder. More than anything I, my children, and my students need the good, true, and beautiful One in as many waking moments as we can. Can you imagine a day filled with the good, true, and beautiful bursting out at the seams? Well, there is good news, our days are bursting at the seems with the good, true, and beautiful and Stephen Turley helps to show us how and in what ways we can access it. I do hope you get a copy of his book, I think it would bless you. Plus, I would love to discuss it with you!
Expanding wisdom, extending grace,
Jen
Of course, this brings us to a giveaway! Classical Academic Press has kindly offered to giveaway two copies of Stephen Turley’s book Awakening Wonder! All you have to do to enter the giveaway is to comment on this post with a question or a comment related to our discussion about the good, the true, and the beautiful and then enter your email by clicking the Giveaway link below. If you don’t want to wait, you can go ahead and pick up your own copy of Awakening Wonder right here. Giveaway is open through this Sunday May 10th! Furthermore, Classical Academic Press is giving you, my readers, a chance save 20% on CAP products through the remainder of May! Just use the code EW20 at checkout!
I look forward to thinking and discussing with you all.
Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! PICK ME!!
(Please.)
😉
This sounds like a fascinating book – I love the idea of the ‘good, true, and beautiful’ in our education, but have often wondered how to flesh that out more. Sounds like this might be a good read to help me sort through that. 🙂
Oh, and I never enter giveaways since it’s so complicated to get stuff sent to us overseas….but since we will be Stateside so soon….;)
Yay!!! Can’t wait to have you on this side of the Atlantic!
I’ve also seen much about these ideas lately and would love a tool to learn more. Thanks for the giveaway chance!
My pleasure!
Thanks Jennifer! Sounds awesome. Also, I was very intrigued by what you wrote about your imagination needing healing. Do you think you might be willing to write a post about that some time? I think I’ve been under the assumption that a damaged imagination isn’t really capable of healing, which is why often feel so much pressure on behalf of our little ones.
Meghan, I will have to think about it more. Right now, I feel like I do not have enough words about it. I will keep it in mind though! I will say this, I am convinced that Christ has the power to heal all. After all, He trampled death by death!
I’ve always liked the idea of “good, true, and beautiful”, so this book sounds really interesting!
Having these ideas permeate my thoughts and my teaching is still challenging me greatly! I would love to read another great text on how I can assist my students in contemplating what is good, true, and beautiful!
Amen. I am right there with you Amy.
Not having a classical education myself, it’s been eye opening to read on the “pursuit of the good, true and beautiful”. Would love to read this too!
This book sounds just like what I have been looking for!
Thanks for the opportunity
My pleasure!
Our Headmaster, Mr. Schultz, uses Dr. Turley’s youtube videos for staff development training at staff meetings at Grace Christian Academy, a Classical Christian K-12 school in Merrick, NY. Not only are the videos informative, we enjoy Dr. Turley’s presentation of the material, so I’m sure his book will be very beneficial as well.
That is wonderful, thank you for sharing that Tracey! I can’t wait to check them out!
I am just becoming familiar with these concepts as the basis for education, and I am very excited about incorporating them into our homeschool. I’m glad that my oldest child is still young, and that we have lots of time to explore all of this. I’m also thankful for quality resources, and I look forward to reading the book, whether I win it or not.
That is wonderful Mary. Thank you for reading!
I’ve had this on my wish list since they started advertising it. Just this year have I been awakened to the importance of the true, the good, the beautiful in our homeschooling of our kids. I’ve found as I’ve sought to educate myself about them, I have grown so much as a person, mother, friend, wife, teacher. : ) More books please! 🙂
That is beautiful Meghan. And yes, more books please indeed!
So glad to find others interested in these things, and giving them their due importance.
Im excited to read this book!!! Love all CAP products 🙂
Contemplation…hmmm. What does that look like with 4 little ones?
That is a great question! My first thought would be, sustained attention. Kind of how Charlotte Mason talks about the habit of attention and how Andrew Kern talks about rigor. What do you think?
This book sound fantastic! I would love a copy!
I am feverishly reading about leading our students in desiring the kingdom, wisdom and eloquence. This book would be a real treat to add to this delight.
Catherine, I have not read Desiring the Kingdom yet! It is on my list. what are some of your takeaways from it?
Healing the imagination… this is a lovely phrase!
I’ve been reading Dr. Turkey’s blog for a couple of weeks now and enjoy his take on education. I’d love to win the book.
Thank you for mentioning that. I did not realize he had a blog. Now I do. Thank you.
Thank you for the review! I would definitely enjoy reading this book.
I would love to win this book and be able to apply this in our family’s home school!
Thank you for this review! It looks like just the book I need for my summer reading collection. Blessings, Dori
To teach our children contemplation on the things which are beautiful when the world is filled with things that seeks to destroy is a worthy endeavor. I would love more detailed instruction on how this is implemented in our teaching. How do we display this and turn their attention to this? I love the thought of “healing” as well. I know my children as well as myself could benefit from this idea. Thank you for this review!
Great thoughts Courtney. I think Andrew Kern has some good ideas along this line when he discusses the ideas of beholding and rest & rigor. In addition, I think Charlotte Mason does a great job of embodying this process in how she talks about relationship building.
would so love to read this and apply in my classroom!
I love the idea of the good, the true , and the beautiful, but I need more help in contemplating it and understanding how to share it with my kids. So I’d love to win a copy of this book.
This looks like a great book! I would love to win. Wonder is my theme in homeschooling.
That is a great theme! It sounds like you are on the right track!
This looks incredible! Renewing my mind to this “new” way of teaching and living.
I too love all of CAP items! They have been such a blessing to our family. These books look lovely too.
This book looks great! Lord knows we can use more truth, goodness and beauty in the world right now:-)
This book sounds amazing! I would love to learn to practically incorporate truth, goodness, and beauty in my home!
There is such a refreshing feeling I experience when I read about people whose attitudes and actions reflect truth, goodness and beauty. I try to read stories about male main characters to my boys that reflect the true, good and beautiful so they will learn to admire and desire those characteristics.
Amen Regina!
Thank you for allowing us to discover this great resource. I look forward to absorbing it all soon.
There is also a book called Beauty in the Word: Rethinking the Foundation of Education, by Stratford Caldecott of England (recently deceased much too young). I discovered this book thanks to Andrew Seeley of Institute of Catholic Liberal Education, where they had used this and others as part of their classical teacher training course last summer. What is amazing is Mr. Caldecott’s “holistic” look at the supposedly opposing threads of faith and reason in education, from Aristotle to Charlotte Mason, from “unschoolers” to Scholastics. He even dares to relate Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric in group with the Holy Trinity–and Goodness, Truth, and Beauty! Utterly simple but philosophically profound. So you can take heart that an approach to learning with these principles has a lot more going on, historically and practically, than just a “pretty face” . . .
http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Word-Rethinking-Foundations-Education/dp/1621380041
Adrienne
Thank you for sharing Adrienne! I have had Caldecott’s book on my wish list for some time now. I do hope to get to it soon. I am constantly refreshed by how many are rushing to participate in this Christian Classical renewal!
I, too, would love to win a copy of this book as my own growth in knowledge of what truth, goodness and beauty mean in the life of myself and my children.
This book sounds wonderful. I love the way classical education provides a framework to integrate knowledge
I often wonder how to teach truth, beauty, and goodness if I was never taught it. This books sounds like it can answer that question.
It is definitely a beginning. He is very scholarly, but a strong beginning for further research and contemplation.
I would love to read this book. I know in my heart that awakening wonder and discovering the true, ggood, and beautiful is the way to a true education for ourselves and our children. Anything that will help this endeavor is worthy of our time.
Thabk you for the review!
My pleasure! Thank you for reading!
Especially this time of the year with so much happening around us, so many things finishing up, so many places we need to be, contemplation seems like a mythical creature or figment of my own damaged imagination. Hard to take the time to wonder about much although there is so much available that lends itself to wonderment in the newly – budding spring. Would love a road map to contemplation. Thanks for the opportunity.
Well said Shan. I think we can all relate.
This sounds like an amazing book. I’d love to read it. I know my own thoughts and imagination suffer from lack of discipline at times and especially when I am tired I crave easy entertainment as an escape. Perhaps though, I just need more truth, beauty, and goodness. These are such powerful ideas and yet so abstract for me that i often struggle to make them real and accessible for my children.
I agree. I think sometimes, if I am craving something, I must have some need for it. But what you said about truth, goodness, and beauty being what we need rings much truer. I do not think we realize the extent to which the good, true, and beautiful fulfills.
This sounds like a great book to include in a ‘homeschooling retreat.’ I’m hoping to find time each week this summer for an audio lecture, a book, or watching a webinar as part of a ‘refreshing’ to get a little more lift in our homeschool (and fend off burnout) as I start my 10th year of homeschooling.
ooh, great idea and congratulations for running this race for 10 YEARS! Wow! Homeschooling retreat for sure!
Would LOVE to read/win this book 🙂
I won’t ask you to send a copy to Europe :-), but I sure wish Bookdepository would carry CAP’s books. Those new books look amazing!
I will pray for it!
I would love to read more on this topic. I am prone to being ruled by my lists and not allowing myself to see and acknowledge the beauty, goodness, and truth from each day. Thank you for the review and giveaway!
I am right there with you. I think we all are in one area or another. I also think it is just part of the tension between the real. Every classical educator feels it.
Awakening Wonder Giveaway Results are in!! Congratulations Nancy B. and Tara H. You each have won a copy of Awakening Wonder by Dr. Steve Turley. Classical Academic Press will be sending your copy soon! Check you email for instructions.