Latest Episodes
Episode 71: Dana Gioia on the Tragic Thought of Seneca
In this season finale, internationally acclaimed poet Dana Gioia and I discuss Seneca’s thought in general, and his tragic work The Madness of Hercules in particular.
Episode 70: The Poetry of John Donne w/ Lars Engle
In this episode, I speak with my colleague, Lars Engle, on the poetry and person of John Donne. There is no poet more attuned to the connections between the sacred and the
Episode 69: Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” w/ Aaron Gwyn
In this episode, I discuss Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian with Aaron Gwyn. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Aaron Gwyn is the author of three novels. His fiction
Episode 68: The Poetry of Jonathan Swift with Steve Karian
In this episode, I speak with Stephen Karian, renowned scholar of 18th century British literature, on the poems of Jonathan Swift, the promise and perils of satire, and the
Episode 67: Poetry, Art, and Truth with Carl Phillips
In this episode, I am joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Carl Phillips to discuss poetry, classic texts, art, and truth. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Carl Phillips
Episode 66: Ovid’s “The Art of Love” with Julia Hejduk
In this episode, I speak with the classicist Julia Hejduk on Ovid’s The Art of Love. I hope you enjoy our conversation! Dr. Julia D. Hejduk holds a B.A. in Cla
Episode 65: Boris Dralyuk on Nabokov’s Pnin
In this episode, I speak with my colleague at TU, Boris Dralyuk on Vladmir Nabokov’s delightful take on the campus novel, Pnin. We explore our endearing hero’s journey from b
Patrick Deneen on DeLillo’s White Noise
In this episode, I speak with the political theorist Patrick Deneen about Don DeLillo’s award winning novel, White Noise. We explore the novel’s undercurrents of existential
Summer Update
In this episode, I explain our recent hiatus. As I’m transitioning to my new role as inaugural dean of the Honors College at University of Tulsa, we’ll be re-running ou
St. Augustine’s Confessions with Russell Hittinger, Part III
In this episode, Russell Hittinger and I finish our conversation on St. Augustine’s Confessions and discuss the last three books. This is part three in a three part series on thi
St. Augustine’s Confessions with Russell Hittinger, Part II
In this episode, I continue my conversation with Russell Hittinger about one of the great masterworks of the Western literary tradition: St. Augustine’s Confessions. In our
St. Augustine’s Confessions with Russell Hittinger, Part I
In this episode, I speak with professor Russell Hittinger about one of the great masterworks of the Western literary tradition: St. Augustine’s Confessions. We discuss the st
Randy Boyagoda on Original Prin and Dante’s Indiana
In this episode, I speak with novelist, critic, and Americanist Randy Boyagoda about his two most recent novels, Original Prin and Dante’s Indiana. We discuss his influences
TS Eliot with Anthony Domestico
In this episode, I speak to Anthony Domestico about the poetry of TS Eliot. We discuss Eliot the man, the critic, and the poet. We contrast the Wasteland and The Four Quartets, and
Justin E.H. Smith on Edgar Allan Poe
In this episode, I speak with fellow philosopher (and substack writer) Justin E. H. Smith about the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe. This is our final episode of 2022! As always,
JM Coetzee on Philosophy, Fiction, and the Academy with Sam Filby
In this episode, I am joined by Sam Filby, a graduate student in philosophy at Northwestern University. We discuss JM Coetzee’s novel, Elizabeth Costello, which is a fiction
Dana Gioia on Charles Baudelaire’s The Flowers of Evil
In this episode, I am joined by the poet and critic Dana Gioia to discuss Charles Baudelaire’s famous book of poems, Les Fleurs du Mal, or The Flowers of Evil. We tackle some
Christopher Snyder on Tolkien and Virtue Ethics
In this episode, I am joined by Christopher Snyder, professor of history and director of British Studies at Mississippi State University, to discuss J.R.R. Tolkien’s fict
Karen Swallow Prior on The Scarlet Letter
In this episode, I team up again with Karen Swallow Prior, this time to discuss what many people call “the great American novel” Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet
Paul Mariani on Robert Lowell
In this episode, I speak with the poet, critic, and biographer Paul Mariani, professor emeritus at Boston College. We discuss his new book, All that Will be New and his biography o
The Hillbilly Thomists
In this episode, I speak with my friends, Fr. Thomas Joseph White, OP and Fr. Jonah Teller, OP about the relationship between art, truth, and beauty, sacred and profane music, how
A Canticle for Leibowitz with Christopher Frey
In this episode, I speak to my husband (and fellow philosopher) Chris Frey about Walter M. Miller’s sci-fi novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz. We both agree that this is a
Are the Humanities in Crisis with Zena Hitz and Chad Wellmon
On April 26, 2022, The Institute for Human Ecology at the Catholic University of America hosted a launch event to reveal the new design and website of Sacred and Profane Love. I
Christopher Beha on Lucky Per
In this episode, I speak with the writer, editor, and critic, Christopher Beha, about the Danish bildungsroman by Henrik Pontoppidan, Lucky Per. We focus on Per’s struggle to
Thomas Hibbs on Crime and Punishment
In this episode, I speak with philosopher Thomas Hibbs (Baylor) about Dostoyevsky’s famous novel, Crime and Punishment. We discuss how Raskolnikov gets trapped in various
Justin E. H. Smith on Suttree
Justin E. H. Smith is professor of philosophy in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Paris. In 2019-20, I was the John and Constance Birkelund
Katy Carl on Henry James’s novella and R.R. Reno’s essay
In this episode, I speak with Katy Carl, who is the editor in chief of Dappled Things and also the author of As Earth Without Water, to discuss Henry James’s novella, Washing
Roosevelt Montas on Great Books and Intellectual Transformation
In this episode, I am joined by Professor Roosevelt Montas to discuss his new book, Rescuing Socrates: How the Great Books Changed my Life and Why They Matter for a New Generation
The Tragic Abyss with Dr. Kevin Kambo
In this episode, I speak with Dr. Kevin Kambo about Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, in light of an essay by Louise Cowan titled “The Tragic Abyss.” Cowan argues that tragedy is “a
Brad Carson on The Closing of the American Mind
In this episode, I speak with the president of the University of Tulsa, Brad Carson, about Allen Bloom’s infamous book, The Closing of the American Mind. Brad and I ultimately d
Frederick C. Bauerschmidt on Graham Greene’s The Heart of the Matter
In this episode, I speak with the professor of theology Fritz Bauerschmidt about Graham Greene’s novel, The Heart of the Matter. We discuss the moral psychology of sin, and how i
James Baldwin is Bringing the Fire with Dr. Cornel West
I am pleased to share a very special episode of Sacred and Profane, our first episode recorded in front of a live audience, and with the amazing Dr. Cornel West! The context for th
Damon Linker on The Tragic Vision of Eugene O’Neill
In this episode, I speak with the journalist Damon Linker about the Pulitzer prize winning American playwright, Eugene O’Neill. Our conversation mostly centers around A Long
Michial Farmer on Gabriel Marcel’s Thirst
In this episode, I speak with Michial Farmer about the philosopher and playwright Gabriel Marcel–more specifically, we discuss his play, Thirst, and one of his essays, “The M
Nick Ripatrazone on The Poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins
In this episode, I speak with the writer Nick Ripatrazone about the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, one of the authors featured in his latest book, Wild Belief. We discuss the sp
Jessica Hooten on Wilson Boethius and John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces
O, Fortuna! The long awaited episode on A Confederacy of Dunces has at last arrived in your podcast feed. In this episode, I speak with podcast regular (see episode 14 on Walker P
Thomas Pfau on The Realist Poetry of Czeslaw Milosz
In this episode, I am joined by Professor Thomas Pfau (Duke University) to discuss the Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz. We talk about his realism–i.e., his conviction that the task of
Morten Hoi Jensen on Jens Peter Jacobsen
In this episode, literary critic Morten Høi Jensen and I discuss the Danish novelist and poet, Jens Peter Jacobsen, and his beautiful novel, Niels Lyhne. Niels is a man search
Matthew Rothaus Moser on Dante’s Paradiso
“Heaven is a place where nothing, nothing ever happens...” Talking Heads OK, friends, we are finally in Paradise, with our faithful guides Beatrice, St. Bernard, and of course,
Matthew Rothaus Moser on Dante’s Purgatorio
2021 marks the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death in Ravenna. This is the second of three episodes exploring Dante’s The Divine Comedy, with Professor Matthew Rothau
Jon Baskin on The Therapeutic Fiction of David Foster Wallace
In this episode, I am joined by one of the founding editors of The Point, Jon Baskin, to discuss the prospects of philosophical literary criticism and how we can apply such criti
Matthew Rothaus Moser on The Hellish Desires of Dante’s Inferno
2021 marks the 700th anniversary of Dante Alighieri’s death in Ravenna. This is the first of three episodes exploring Dante’s The Divine Comedy, with Professor Matthew Rothaus
Tara Isabella Burton on The Seducer, Self-Creation and The Aesthete
In this episode, I am joined by author and theologian Tara Isabella Burton. Tara and I explore the distinctive erotic pleasure one can experience in the act of creating a character
Agnes Mueller on Thomas Mann’s Death in Venice
In this episode, I speak with my colleague, Agnes Mueller, who is a professor of German and Comparative Literature at the University of South Carolina, about why Thomas Mann’s no
Agnes Callard on Antigone
In this episode, I have a wide-ranging conversation with Agnes Callard. We discuss our experience teaching the Great Books Core at the University of Chicago, as well as why philoso
Karen Swallow Prior on Reading Joseph Conrad Well
In this episode, I speak with Karen Swallow Prior, who is professor of English literature, Christianity, and Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We discuss how
James K.A. Smith discusses St. Augustine and the Index of Self-Destructive Acts
In this episode, I talk with philosopher Jamie Smith (Calvin College) about St. Augustine and Christopher Beha’s latest novel, The Index of Self-Destructive Acts. Our conversat
Ian Marcus Corbin on Solitude with Rilke and Merton
In episode 25, I speak with Ian Marcus Corbin (Harvard) about solitude. We discuss Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke alongside Thomas Merton’s essay, “Rain and
Troy Jollimore returns on Reading The Plague in a Plague
This is our final episode of the podcast for the academic year. I’ll be recording new episodes over the summer, which I will begin releasing next September. We decided to end
Zena Hitz returns and discusses Lost in Thought
In Episode 23, I speak with Zena Hitz about her new book, Lost in Thought: The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life. We discuss how love of learning saved us and how we can
David McPherson returns to discus Huxley on Love and Longing in the Dystopia
In episode 22, I am joined by the philosopher David McPherson, of Creighton University, to discuss Huxley’s famous sci-fi dystopia, “Brave New World.” We discuss how techno
Phil Klay on Joseph Conrad’s Lord Jim
Like everyone else, my life has been upended by the global pandemic. I have five kids in public schools here in South Carolina (plus one very rambunctious and ornery toddler), so
Fiona Ellis on Scruton’s Wagner: Sex, Death, and the Sacred
With the recent passing of the philosopher Sir Roger Scruton, I decided to devote episode 20 to his provocative and comprehensive analysis of Wagner’s famous opera, which he lay
Becca Rothfeld on Love and Lust in Lolita
After a long winter’s nap–i.e., the end of the semester madness followed by holidays with my family–I am back to releasing new episodes of Sacred and Profane Love. I am sta
Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. on Carrying the Flame
In episode 18 of Sacred and Profane Love, I speak with my friend, Fr. Gregory Maria Pine, O.P., about the virtue of hope in Cormac McCarthy’s painfully beautiful novel, The Road
Angela Knobel on The Death of a Whisky Priest
In episode 17 of Sacred and Profane Love, I speak with Dr. Angela Knoble about Graham Greene’s masterpiece, The Power and the Glory. Set in Mexico during a period of brutal re
Troy Jollimore Returns and discusses King Lear’s Vision
After a hiatus over the summer, I am back to recording and releasing new episodes of Sacred and Profane Love! For all of the podcast’s fans, thank you so much for your patience
Anne Pollok on Goethe’s Faust
In episode 15 of Sacred and Profane Love, titled, “Faustian Ambitions,” I speak with my colleague and neighbor, Professor Anne Pollok, about Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s fa
Karen Stohr discusses Jane Austen on the Virtues of Social Life
In episode 13 of Sacred & Profane Love, “Jane Austen on the Virtues of Social Life, I speak with professor Karen Stohr of Georgetown University about how Austen brings into r
Return of Rev. Prof. Michael Sherwin OP on Meaning, Murder, and Divine Madness
In Episode 12 of Sacred & Profane Love, “Meaning, Murder, and Divine Madness,” I speak with the eminent moral theologian, Fr Michael Sherwin, O.P., about Donna Tartt’s br
Scott Moringiello on The Contemplative Realism of Marilynne Robinson
In episode 11 of the Sacred and Profane Love Podcast, I speak with Scott Moringiello, assistant professor of Catholic Studies at DePaul University, in Chicago, Illinois, about Rob
Paul Mankowski, SJ discusses A Twitch Upon The Thread
In episode 10 of the Sacred and Profane Love podcast, host Jennifer A. Frey has a conversation with scholar Paul Mankowski, SJ, about Evelyn Waugh’s popular novel, Brideshead
Rev. Prof. Michael Sherwin O.P. on Revelations Of Love In John
In Episode 9 of Sacred & Profane Love “Revelations of Love in John Steinbeck,” Philosopher Jennifer A. Frey speaks with Thomist Theologian, Fr Michael Sherwin, OP, about Jo
Dhananjay Jagannathan on “Sophocles and Tragic Love”
In episode 8 of Sacred & Profane Love, Jennifer Frey speaks with Dhananjay Jagannathan about Greek tragedy and the fragility of human love and happiness, with a special focus o
Holly A. Crocker on “Boasts of Love in Troilus and Criseyde”
In Episode 7 of Sacred & Profane Love, Professor Jennifer A. Frey speaks with her colleague in the English department at the University of South Carolina, Professor Holly A.
Elena Ferrante on Friendship and the Intellectual Life
In Episode 6 of Sacred & Profane Love, Professor Jennifer A. Frey (University of South Carolina) has a conversation with Zena Hitz (St. John’s College) about friendship, the
Talbot Brewer on Eros Ecstasy
In Episode 5 of Sacred & Profane Love, Professor Jennifer A. Frey (University of South Carolina) discusses the erotic impulse and experience with Professor of philosophy Talbot
Troy Jollimore discussing Fantasy, Romance, and Self-destruction in Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary
In Episode 4 of the podcast Sacred & Profane Love, Professor Jennifer A. Frey speaks with philosopher, poet, and literary critic, Troy Jollimore, about how romantic ideologies
Nancy Snow discussing Walt Whitman on Civic Hope
In Episode 3 of the podcast Sacred & Profane Love, philosopher Jennifer A. Frey has a conversation with fellow philosopher Nancy Snow, about why she thinks we should be readin
David McPherson on Transfiguring Love in the Brothers Karamazov
In Episode 2 of the podcast Sacred & Profane Love, philosopher Jennifer A. Frey has a conversation with fellow philosopher, David McPherson (Creighton University), about trans
Flannery O’Connor on Redemptive Love
In Episode 1 of the podcast Sacred & Profane Love, philosopher Jennifer A. Frey has a conversation with the Thomist theologian, Father Thomas Joseph White, O.P., about Aquinas
