Summer SoderBlurb (2024)!
Life Updates, Kepler Classes, New Publications
[Priest Lake]
Well, this has been another fast-paced Summer! Here are a few life/family updates and what I’m up to in my teaching and writing these days.
Life Updates
The Spring was especially fun, with our son Chester marrying his lovely wife Esther. I know-even the names are a match made in heaven! We are adjusting to life with a married son and a wonderful daughter-in-law.
The end-of-year gatherings for Kepler Education and Logos Online School were especially fun, since I got to meet many students that I’ve taught over the years in person. They are a wonderful bunch of young people, and I look forward to seeing how they will use their God-given talents to serve Him and others in their lives.
We moved across town to a new rental. The location is great because we can walk to my wife’s parents’ house and the local greenway is just down the road. My wife and I are really enjoying our walks there.
We’re finally settled in (mostly) to our new place, and I’ve set up my new command-station. I was barely able to fit my many books into the new house, and I had to go through a painful process of saying goodbye to some of them.
Kepler Education
I’ve been part of Kepler since the very start, when we offered $1.00 classes during the COVID shutdowns. This year, I’m moving into the role of Student Life Coordinator, as well as teaching a few classes. Here’s the line-up—I’m really excited about these classes!
Old Western Culture: The Greeks ($800 for the entire year)
Old Western Culture: The Romans ($800 for the entire year)
Old Western Culture: Christendom ($800 for the entire year)
Old Western Culture: Early Moderns ($800 for the entire year)
Rhetoric: Fitting Words ($700 for the entire year)
Classical Economics - ($750 for entire year)
Each class meets only 1x a week, for 90 min. Kepler Education utilizes the "flipped classroom" or "Oxford tutorial" style. Each week, students watch one or two lectures. Then they meet 1x a week as a class with the teacher to discuss what they read in a seminar-style format. This model reduces screen time, and gives students more time to pursue jobs or interests outside of school. Old Western Culture classes at Kepler combine history, theology, literature, and philosophy, to help equip faithful leaders for the future.
Kepler also flew me out to represent them at the national Association of Classical Christian Schools (ACCS) conference in Atlanta, and I was able to take our oldest daughter. I got to meet a few former colleagues from my days at Cary Christian School, and got to chat again with Dr. George Grant, who has been a major influence on my life and work.
It was also fun to see my former language professor at NSA and now President of Redemption Seminary—Dr. John Schwandt. I’m blessed to be a Mentor-Professor at Redemption, in addition to my other roles.
I love Atlanta, and it was great to take my daughter to visit places like the Georgia Aquarium, Stone Mountain, and the historic Mary Mac’s Tea Room. We also got our fill of our favorite Southern fast food restaurants (Chic fil A, Cook Out, Bojangles, Waffle House). And, yes, that’s a whale shark behind me down there!
Coming from Moscow, ID, the summer humidity hit us pretty hard—we don’t miss that aspect of the South, though we do love so many other things about it.
Writing & Publications
I’ve been able to publish a few things lately. Besides some book reviews in academic journals, here are some recent pieces:
“Your Vocation is More Than Your Job” – Common Good, July 9, 2024
“Antifragile” – SALVO magazine, #69
“Reform Where You’re Planted: How Ordinary Christians Change the World” – SALVO magazine, #69
Review of “Why Do Protestants Convert?” (Littlejohn & Castaldo) – London Lyceum, May 10, 2024
“Peter Leithart’s Theopolitan Vision” – Touchstone, Mar/Apr, 2024
“True Revolution and Education” – Consortium, March 4, 2024
“Understanding Bucer’s Economics of Neighborly Love” – Common Good, Februrary 15, 2024
Right now, I’m working on a couple of larger projects. Stay tuned for more details!
Thanks for reading The SoderBlurb!