Recordings from the 2021 ONLINE Conference
Interview with Rod Dreher
Click here for the Interview on Ancient Faith
Rod Dreher, the keynote speaker for the 2021 Saint Emmelia Ministries Online Conference, joins us to talk about homeschooling, his best-selling books, and the importance of living a life in the world, but not of the world. Rod Dreher is a senior editor at The American Conservative and author of five books, including the New York Times bestsellers Live Not By Lies (2020), The Benedict Option (2017), and The Little Way Of Ruthie Leming (2013), as well as How Dante Can Save Your Life (2015) and Crunchy Cons (2006). He lives in Baton Rouge with his wife Julie, a teacher and administrator at a classical Christian school, and their children. The Dreher family are parishioners at St. Matthew the Apostle Orthodox Church (OCA) in Baton Rouge.
Keynote 1 - Homeschooling: Preserving Cultural Memory In A Time Of Forced Forgetting - Rod Dreher
Totalitarians have always known that if you control a culture's collective memory, you can control the culture. We live in a time in which our history is denied and our heroes are denounced, in the name of progress. This talk will discuss why preserving cultural memory is vital, and how homeschooling is akin to a strategy employed by Christian dissidents under Nazi and Soviet totalitarianism.
Keynote 2 - St. Benedict Vs. Soft Totalitarianism: The Benedict Option in 2021 w/ Rod Dreher
It has been four years since Rod Dreher's bestselling "The Benedict Option" appeared. Since then, the conditions Dreher warned about in that book have grown more dire for Christians. In this talk, Dreher will discuss changes in the church and the culture that herald the coming of "soft totalitarianism," and explain why we need the Benedict Option now more than ever.
Homeschooling 101: Getting Started
w/ Sh. Shell Keim
HomeSchool 101 workshop will cover things from the beginning. When do I start? What curriculum do I use? Starting your homeschool with a firm foundation is very important. We will ask the hard questions and try to figure out the answers. This workshop will look at the why of homeschooling as well as the logistics. Many families are overwhelmed by the beginning of such a huge task so together we can figure it out and help each other on the path to a successful homeschool journey. If you already homeschool but would like to look back at the beginning and rethink your homeschool, this workshop can be helpful too. "Of all the holy works, the education of our children is the most holy" St. Theophan the Recluse
Virtue in Sickness - Andrew Kern
In this talk, Andrew will explore ways in which sickness has the potential to grow virtue in each of us. The book referenced by Andrew during this session is Spiritual Counsels of Elder Paisios IV: Family Life.
What it Means to be Shallow - Joshua Gibbs
What makes a person shallow? The parable of the sower by our Lord not only tells us all we need to know about shallowness of spirit, but depth of character. The meaning of the parable is harrowing, though, for Christ confronts our petty desires and our preferences for simple things.
Repetition is the Mother of (Restful) Learning - Monique Neal
As every parent knows, children desire repetition, always saying, “Do it again!” As adults, we fear being monotonous, yet this desire for repetition is mystically present in all of us at all ages. This session will explore how practices of repetition lead to restful learning for both the student and the teacher. Much of the session will be devoted to practical suggestions for incorporating repetition in home schools throughout the day, week, month, and year.
Standing Up to Your Kids in Anxious Times
w/ His Grace Bp. JOHN (Abdalah)
When trapped at home with children in anxious times, we need all the support we can get negotiating.
Preparing for Life after High School
w/ Angela Weaver
Does a high school student ALWAYS go to college? When is college not the right answer or not the right answer yet? What are other paths that a high school graduate could take into the world of adults? Need a few answers? Would you like to hear from others that have walked down different paths? I will try to help you see the light at the end of the high school tunnel!
Helping Your Children Have Good Taste
w/ Joshua Gibbs
Our culture is inundated with shocking, sexy, sensual, spectacular art that dulls our minds and corrupts our ability to seek after the transcendent beauty of God. In this lecture, Joshua Gibbs helps parents establish simple, meaningful standards for what sorts of films, music, and books they should allow into their homes.
Holding Fast the Word of Life Everyday
w/Fr. Nikolai Meyers
In this talk we will discuss some of the temptations homeschool families face and how we might progress in overcoming these temptations so as to hold fast to the Word of life. About 20 minutes will be dedicated to presentation and the rest of the time will be open for discussion.