The Climacus Conference
of Thoughtful Ascent:
A Contemplation of
Noble Ideas

Classical Education • Orthodoxy and Postmodernism • Poetry •
Patristic Thought • Logic and Rhetoric • Motherhood • Health and Medicine •
St. John Climacus • The Great Books • Theology and Spirituality

Listen to audio of the conference on Ancient Faith Radio

Friday and Saturday:
February 5-6, 2010

Saint Michael Orthodox Church has been witnessing to the truth of Orthodox Christianity in Louisville since the early 1930’s, but our Faith has been preached unchanged for 2,000 years.

www.stmichaelorthodoxchurch.org
3701 Saint Michael Church Drive, Louisville, KY 40220

Vigen Guroian

Fri 8:15pm Pinocchio and the Moral Imagination

B.A. University of Virginia; Ph.D Drew University. Professor of Religious Studies in Orthodox Christianity at the University of Virginia. Eastern Orthodox Theologian and Ethicist. Authored nine books; contributed nearly two hundred articles to books, journals, encyclopedias, magazines, and newspapers. His books include: Tending the Heart of Virtue: How Classic Stories Awaken a Child’s Moral Imagination; Inheriting Paradise; The Fragrance of God; Rallying the Really Human Things; Incarnate Love: Essays in Orthodox Ethics; and Ethics After Christendom: Toward an Ecclesial Christian Ethic.

Dr. George Bebawi

Sat 1 pm The Fasting of the Mind

M.Lit, Ph.D., Cambridge University. Internationally recognized as one of the world’s leading scholars on Eastern Christianity. For the last 35 years Dr. Bebawi has taught theology, Church History, Patristic Studies, and Islam at seminaries and universities in the Middle East, Europe, and the U.S.

Theron Mathis

Sat 3:30 pm Scripture as an Icon of Christ

M.Div. Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1999. Theron was received into Holy Orthodoxy with his wife in 2000. He contributed notes and translations to the recent Orthodox Study Bible.

David Wright

Fri 6:30 pm Introduction to Conference
+ St. John Climacus, Poetry, and the Rhetoric of Life

Conference host. Literature Teacher, duPont Manual High School. M.A. English, DePaul University; Fellow in Classical Education, the Great Books, and Classical Rhetoric at the CiRCE Institute.

John Granger

Fri 7:15 pm Why Reading Matters:
Great Books and the Life in Christ;
Sat 2 pm Harry Potter: The Gateway to English Literature

Writes and speaks on the intersection of literature, philosophy, faith, and culture Keynote and Featured Speaker at eight academic and fan conferences and at major Universities such as Princeton, Pepperdine, Yale, and the University of Chicago. He is the author of five books: Unlocking Harry Potter; How Harry Cast His Spell; The Deathly Hallows Lectures; Harry Potter’s Bookshelf; and Spotlight: An Up-Close Look at the Artistry and Meaning of the Twilight Novels.

Bobby Maddex

Sat 9 am The Truth Is Out There:
Confessions of a Post-Postmodernist;
Sat 4:15 pm The Orthodox Moviegoer

B.A. Wheaton College; M.A. DePaul University. Bobby Maddex is a Senior Editor of Salvo magazine, Operations Manager of Ancient Faith Radio (AFR), host of the AFR podcast “The Orthodox Moviegoer,” and a freelance writer and speaker on topics related to faith and culture.

Molly Sabourin

Sat 9:45 am An Orthodox Vision for Motherhood

Freelance writer focusing on issues of family, faith, and community. Molly has a regular podcast on Ancient Faith Radio and is the author of Close to Home: One Orthodox Mother’s Quest for Patience, Peace, and Perseverance.

Dr. Peter Rosi

Sat 10:30 am An Orthodox Vision for Natural Birth,
Medicine, and Living Well

B.A. Swarthmore College; M.D. University of Chicago. Dr. Rosi has been a doctor of natural birth and medicine with the Homefirst Organization in Chicago for the last 25 years. Delivery of life-affirming, Hippocratic, scientific medical care and guidance is his goal.

Weekend Schedule

Friday

6:30pm
Introduction to Conference + St. John Climacus, Poetry, and the Rhetoric of Life — David Wright
7:15pm
Why Reading Matters: Great Books and the Life in Christ — John Granger
8:15pm
Pinocchio and the Moral Imagination — Vigen Guroian

Saturday

8:30am
Coffee, bagels, and donuts
9:00am
The Truth Is Out There: Confessions of a Post-Postmodernist — Bobby Maddex
9:45am
An Orthodox Vision for Motherhood — Molly Sabourin
10:30am
An Orthodox Vision for Natural Birth, Medicine, and Living Well — Dr. Peter Rosi
11:30am
Q&A with Dr. Rosi / Shop at Eighth Day Books Table
Noon
Lunch
1:00pm
The Fasting of the Mind — Dr. George Bebawi
2:00pm
Harry Potter: The Gateway to English Literature — John Granger
3:00pm
Q&A with John Granger / Break / Eighth Day Books
3:30pm
Scripture as an Icon of Christ — Theron Mathis
4:15pm
The Orthodox Moviegoer — Bobby Maddex
5:00pm
Hour break for dinner
6:00pm
Vespers Service in St. George Chapel

Direct Trade Organic Coffee provided by Old Louisville Coffeehouse!
Bagels, donuts, provided Saturday morning.
Delicious lunch provided Saturday.

Eighth Day Books is bringing a four-table display of the greatest books on the planet:
Classics in Philosophy, Theology, Church History, Literature, and the Great Books.

Childcare provided Friday and Saturday.

Recommended Hotel

Breckinridge Inn, (502) 456-5050
Special rate for Climacus Conference attendees: $69.95/night (for 2 doubles or 1 king)
Less than 1 mile to conference • Continental Breakfast •
Heated indoor pool • Whirlpool • Exercise room • Full service lounge

Directions to Parish/Conference

3701 Saint Michael Church Drive, Louisville, KY 40220
Exit I-264 at Breckenridge South. Go about 1/3 mile to Hikes Ln.
Turn right. Go 1/2 mile on Hikes Ln. to church on left.