Why study this at all?

Western civilization is in danger of collapse. It is built on two foundations: the Bible and, in specific, King Jesus, on the one hand, and the Greeks and Romans, on the other. When it comes to areas of technical expertise, such as architecture, the Greco-Roman legacy can enrich civilization. In the realm of ethics, however, the influence of Greco-Roman philosophers has done untold damage on European and North American nations.

In light of this, the education journey will promote a course of action in which we should bid farewell to Greco-Roman philosophical ethics and redouble our efforts to embrace the ethical foundation presented in the Bible, the voice of Jesus above all.

Jesus versus Socrates

At the core of Western civilization’s ethics is this choice: Jesus versus Socrates. The Bible versus Greek philosophy. Worship of Father God versus worship of humans (humanism). Family versus sexual perversion. These are polar opposites in a tug-of-war throughout the West’s history, which we will explore together in this 10-week course.

Logistics

Cost: US$1000

Duration: 10 weeks (August–October)

Live sessions: 11 @ 2 hours each

Further learning: Video lessons and tests, 5-6 days/week

Instructor: Jordash Kiffiak, PhD

Part I: (1) Greeks, (2) Romans, (3) Old Testament, (4) King Jesus & New Testament, (5) Comparison

Part II: (6) United Kingdom, (7) France, (8) German-Speaking peoples, (9) USA, (10) Comparison & Summary

Greeks

Understand how Greeks have contributed enormously to Western civilization through technical areas, such mathematics & geometry, architecture, anatomy and more. Learn the concepts that impacted the ancient world, the philosophical schools founded by Plato, Aristotle, Zeno (Stoicism), Epicurus, Pyrrho (Skepticism), Antisthenes (Cynicism) and Pythagoras. Consider the impact of Greek religion, homosexuality, pedophilia and colonialism, through Alexander the “Great.”

Romans

Discover the vast contributions made by the Romans to the West, including in architecture (arches, domes), urban planning, engineering (aqueducts, underwater concrete) and more. Consider also the perpetuation of Greek religion and philosophy, enabling an at times brutal authoritarian regime, the rationalization of an expansive empire and the proliferation of moral blights, including destruction of the family, homosexuality, pedophilia and violence as “game.”

The Old Testament

Understand the powerful record of God’s deeds in lovingly creating humans, the heavens and the earth, bringing a global deluge, when humanity went awry, and calling a special family-turned-into-nation, the people of Israel, to himself. Consider his lenience to his people, voiced through his prophets, as the nation often betrayed their special relationship with him. See the ethical principles that will be a light for all of Western civilization.

King Jesus & the New Testament

Consider how a carpenter’s son from a remote village in the Roman empire became the most influential figure in all of history. Learn the essence of the life and teachings of the man executed shamefully in public, who nevertheless provided the remedy for humanity’s moral plight. Learn about the significance of his return from the dead. Consider core texts of the New Testament whose grand ethical vision will inspire the West here on.

United Kingdom

Understand how the peoples of these little British Isles embraced the Bible, becoming the most influential nation for much of modern history, bringing science and advanced technology to the world and, with it, English, now the most widely spoken language. Consider this people’s successful resistance to French and German attempts at European domination. Simultaneously, understand how the influence of Greek philosophy, coupled with greed, turned a trade agenda into colonialism and undermined the nation’s moral fibre.

France

Explore how state-sponsored massacres of French Christian reformers in the 16th century opened the door for a vacuum of faith. Consider the constant promotion of Greek philosophies and ideals that led to a civil blood bath and then a totalitarian state, setting a course for Napoleon’s colonial conquest abroad. See how further promotion of Greek skepticism led to increasing despondency.

German-Speaking Peoples

Follow the growth of the German-speaking peoples from tribes to the powerhouses that gave the world the printing press, widely distributed the Bible and propagated a wealth of ethical knowledge. Trace the peoples’ engagement with godless philosophies that then brought them to their knees, at the failure of a fully flowered lust for domination. Consider the current perplexity, arising from an opposite extreme, compassion turned careless.

United States of America

Consider the growth of the USA from religious settler communities to an independent nation and, through two eras of significant Christian renewal (the Great Awakenings), to the world’s leader in areas as diverse as science and technology, media, military, while also understanding the roots of modern challenges, where its citizens no longer know what a man or woman is, nor what human life is.