Jon Root is a conservative sports commentator who built his career as one of the youngest hosts in major professional sports before joining Turning Point USA. In this conversation, he exposes the increasing politicization destroying American sports culture, from Pride Night mandates to the shocking treatment of WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark. Root re…

If, like me, you're still sore about what they did to the Gladiator franchise, let this episode be part of your healing journey. It's certainly part of Aeneas': with the fleet grounded back in Sicily, the crew realizes it's been one year since the death of his father Anchises. This is the occasion for a good old fashioned fight night, with funeral …

Seth Troutt is the teaching pastor at Ironwood Church in Phoenix and holds a doctorate focused on digital technology, Generation Z, and gender identity. In this conversation, he shares his powerful "masculinity pyramid" framework and reveals how God transformed him from an arrogant high school athlete into a humble pastor through painful but necess…

Reverend Dr. Uri Brito serves as Senior Pastor of Providence Church and was elected Presiding Minister of the CREC in 2023. In this conversation he shares his recent 17-day journey through Asia, visiting CREC church plants in the Philippines and Japan while exploring how Reformed liturgical worship translates across wildly different cultures. The e…

Sam Rotman is a classically trained pianist who graduated from the Juilliard School and has performed over 3,400 concerts in 62 countries. In our conversation he shares his dramatic conversion from Orthodox Judaism to Christianity in 1971, which transformed not just his faith but his entire approach to music and performance. The episode explores ho…

There are some indelible scenes inscribed forever into the psyche of the West, and the death of Dido is one of them. When William Congreve wrote that "Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd," he surely had in mind this archetype of all scorned women, the tragic heroine who stands in for every abandoned…

Lucas Curcio is the pastor of The Mission Church in New Jersey, and the host of the Method Ministries podcast. In our conversation, he shares his journey from an aimless young man to finding purpose through reading Scripture and accepting Christ at age 18. The episode discusses how true Christian masculinity requires taking responsibility for your …

Dr. Joe Rigney is a Fellow of Theology at New Saint Andrews College. In his controversial bestselling book "The Sin of Empathy" (Canon Press) he argues that empathy becomes sinful when divorced from truth and biblical standards. In our conversation, Dr. Rigney explains how weaponized empathy manipulates through emotional validation demands rather t…

Major Doron Spielman has dedicated much of his life to excavating the City of David, the ancient archaeological site just outside modern Jerusalem which confirms much of the Jewish history recorded in the Bible. It's an astonishing tale of theological warfare, cutting-edge scholarship, and contemporary politics that shows just how dramatically anci…

I'm not saying that the catastrophe in Carthage could have been avoided. I'm just saying, everyone--the two main characters especially--behaved very badly. Now the deed is done, the nymphs are ululating, the "wedding"(?) announcements are out, and the gods are on the move to put a stop to all this. Which means Aeneas has some hard conversations he …

James Lindsay is an author and founder of "New Discourses," and he's studied the influence of Gnostic ideas on Western politics and culture. In this conversation, he explains how ancient mystical traditions transformed during the Enlightenment into social and political movements that promise to elevate humanity to higher levels of consciousness. Li…

Courtenay Turner is a podcast host and aerial acrobatic performer who studies esoteric influences on modern society. In our conversation she explains how algorithms create feedback loops that program people's perceptions, connecting topics from education reform to transhumanism. She traces philosophical movements like Game B and Dark Enlightenment …

This is it: Book 4 of the Aeneid. The storm of love that's been brewing now breaks into full force. Two human sisters start flirting with disaster while two divine frenemies enter into a catty pseudo-alliance. It's a nuclear-grade meltdown of relations between the sexes, all taking place under the soaring vault of destiny. Dido transforms before ou…

This episode marks a key moment in my journey, as I share the joyful news of my engagement to Tamara! This is also a milestone that dovetails with the evolution of this podcast. I'm also announcing a shift in the format of the show, specifically discontinuing my extended monologue intros. They may no longer serve the intended purpose of honoring my…

Aly Dee aka RealFemSapien joined the podcast to discuss motherhood, marriage, and the unexpected vulnerability new mothers face after childbirth. She explained how having children reveals fundamental differences between men and women, often testing marriages in ways couples aren't prepared for. Aly also shared how social media can negatively impact…

Virgil, master of the setup, is now laying the groundwork for some of the Aeneid's major setpieces: the love affair with Dido, the voyage into the underworld. But first Aeneas has to pass a different milestone, one that people sometimes miss: he has to say goodbye to his father. It's one of the most human moments of the poem--something every single…

Matthew Everhard, a PCA pastor and author, emphasizes the crucial distinction between worship that honors God and the increasingly popular trend of "worshiptainment" that prioritizes entertainment over reverence. In our discussion, we dig into his recent book, "Worshiptainment: The Modern Church's Golden Calf," where he critiques contemporary worsh…

My friend Dr. Brian Keating, leading cosmologist and all-around mensch, joins me to discuss one of the most brilliant, complicated, and misunderstood men in all of Western history. No, not Elon Musk. Galileo Galilei! We cover Galileo's daring philosophy of science, his contributions to human knowledge, his devout Catholic faith, and his many, many …

Jason Mironchuck, host of Mironchuck Now, presents a compelling thesis regarding the current societal shift towards what he terms “vengeful sons.” Together we explore the intricate dynamics of cultural transformation, tracing a trajectory from the oppressive “tyrannical father” archetype, through the “devouring mother,” and into the present state c…

It's time to embark on Book III of the Aeneid, and with it a mini-Odyssey. But there's a catch: Odysseus had home waiting for him at the end of all his wanderings. Aeneas has left home behind him, and he can never return. This episode is about why that's so important--for Virgil, for Augustus, for Rome at the dawn of its imperial age, and for Ameri…

Pastor Doug Wilson joins for the 6th edition of Will & Doug's Book Club, this time with a discussion about the impact of human folly as articulated in Carlo Cipolla's book, "The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity." The book explores the nature of stupidity, its pervasive presence across all demographics, and its implications for institutional building a…

I'm back from Hungary, where the topic of the day was the future of faith in the West, without which it seems unlikely we'll survive. But are we on the brink of a revival? There are some hopeful signs, and no one better to discuss them with than my guest today. Justin Brierley has been podcasting and writing about the return of religious faith for …

Mike Gendron joins the podcast to discuss the critical issue of salvation and the teachings of the Catholic Church. He shares his journey from being a devout Catholic to becoming a biblical apologist, emphasizing the stark contrast between Catholic doctrine and scriptural truths regarding salvation. Gendron argues that many evangelicals are leaving…

Dr. Jared Longshore, Associate Pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho, and the Dean of New St. Andrews College, explores the pressing issues facing young Christian men in today's society. In this discussion, he highlights the detrimental effects of modern cultural influences on masculinity and the importance of adhering to timeless standards of C…

This is a podcast about the West, which means Athens and Jerusalem. Without the second part of that equation you don't get the key notion of the "Imago Dei," or mankind's creation in the image of God--and without that, arguably, that you don't get America. Then of course there's the enormous storehouse of political wisdom that makes Israel a bulwar…

Nick Jonsson climbed the corporate ladder for over a decade before realizing his success came at a devastating personal cost. After hitting rock bottom with alcoholism, depression, and failed relationships, he found the courage to admit he needed help. By embracing vulnerability and making amends to those he had hurt, Nick discovered a new path for…

Speaking just for myself, I'm still not over Creusa. Aeneas' first wife, the woman who bore the future forefather of Rome's emperors, must stay behind to die in Troy while her family forges on ahead. Today we'll talk about why that has to be, what it says about the tragic cost of destiny for each of us, and how book II of Virgil's epic concludes. P…

Mike Williams, the creator of the Paul is Dead YouTube channel, unravels the intricate tapestry of the Beatles' cultural significance, which he argues extends far beyond mere musical innovation. Through meticulous documentation and analysis, Mike posits that the ascent of the Beatles was not merely a product of artistic evolution, but rather a calc…

We will not live in the pod. We will not eat the fake meat. We will not perform robot necromancy. But then...what should we do? With the Right in political power and a radically new mood sweeping the country, Jon Askonas of the Catholic University of America is among those thinking about how we can use technology well and in service of our humanity…

Lennox Kalifungwa, the host of the podcast Of Flames and Crowns, joins us to discuss his journey from Zambia to the United States. He reflects on his upbringing in sub-Saharan Africa and the cultural contrasts he has experienced. Throughout this dialogue, Lennox emphasizes the importance of a Christian worldview in combating contemporary societal c…

When we first met Aeneas, he wished he could have died at Troy. Today, we find out why. By all accounts, the honorable thing to do would have been to go down with the burning citadel of his fathers. But this ain't your daddy's Iliad, and one thing we're learning is that honor and glory don't fetch quite the price they used to. If there's anyone who…

Dino, aka The Art of Purpose, a former public school teacher and now a successful entrepreneur, shares his transformative journey back to Christianity. He discusses his experience of leaving the public school system during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it led him to explore his faith more deeply. Dino emphasizes the importance of community and fait…

Hey look, it's some Greeks! Bearing gifts! What could possibly go wrong? Today the Trojans will find out the answer to that very question, which will take us (at last!) into the story of that freaking horse. In Virgil's masterful hands it becomes a parable of Greek rhetorical trickery, Odyssean danger, and above all Roman anxiety over just how we s…

In this episode, Spencer Smith, a pastor and filmmaker, delves into the intricate relationship between modern Christianity and ancient mysticism. He highlights how the 'Third Adam' documentary series exposes the alarming trends of occult practices infiltrating churches. Smith argues that many charismatic movements are essentially repackaged forms o…

Don't take money...don't take fame...just takes a primordial deity whose powers of creation and destruction supervised the origins of the world, who is now divebombing straight at Dido's heart. What could go wrong? This extremely twisted Valentine's Day special will bring us to the end of The Aeneid, Book 1, which ends in blood-pumping fashion with…

Wail, O Tyre and...where now? Just where WAS Jonah going when he got re-routed via fish? The possibilities aren't limitless, exactly, but there sure are a lot of them including...just, like, the ocean itself? Nah, probalby not, but it's a fun thought and there are lots of others. It's one of those little Biblical mysteries that holds out all sorts …

Cody Lawrence, host of the Spare No Arrows podcast, is a prominent voice against contemporary ideologies that threaten traditional values. Lawrence articulates a vision of courage that transcends mere bravado, advocating for a selfless commitment to truth and righteousness inspired by historical Christian principles. The discussion extends to the c…

It's Aeneas and Dido: A Tale of Love and War. As we get into the first major episodes of Aeneas' journey, we embark upon an intricate composition of wheels within wheels--stories of carnage and battle interlocked with stories of desire, affection, and lust. From an explanation of ring composition via Harry Potter, to a Virgilian image that has chan…

Vince Miller is an esteemed author and speaker who has dedicated nearly three decades to men's ministry. In this episode, we explore his insights into the challenges and opportunities men face today, as well as the essential elements of forging godly men. Vince draws upon his personal experiences, including the transformative influence of his grand…

Who's that dime walking down the temple corridor? Is it Juno? Venus? Diana? Cleopatra? No, it's Dido, queen of Carthage and warrior princess of Tyre. In this episode, Virgil introduces one of literature's all-time greatest heroines, high on her throne but doomed to fall. She's demure...or is she? She's mother...or not? Whatever she is, she's always…

Special Birthday Episode! This Twitter/X Space recorded with the outstanding account @DarwinToJesus traces my path from deep involvement in the rave scene and New Age practices to ultimately finding my faith in Christianity. This in-depth testimony includes key moments for me like exploring psychedelics, studying the Kabbalah, and experiencing tran…

When I tell you my finger smashed the "order now" button--apparently there's a fragmentary translation of the Aeneid by C.S. Lewis that he was working on all throughout his life. It's a rhyming version in 12-syllable Alexandrine lines, and you KNOW I had to do a review of it. Here are my thoughts, as well as a little more on Lewis's theory of epic …

Of all the gin joints on all the shores of the Mediterranean, Aeneas had to wash up onto this one. He doesn't know it yet, but this is Carthage: the home of what will become Rome's greatest rival and the ultimate obstacle in her rise to greatness. The genius of Virgil is how he tells us all that while also showing us what things looked like from Ae…

Joshua Haymes is the host and founder of the Reformation Red Pill podcast, where he explores significant theological concepts and cultural issues from a Reformed perspective. His journey includes a remarkable transition from a church planter in Los Angeles to a committed member of a confessional church in Tennessee, driven by a desire to engage mea…

If you've ever wanted to make the ladies or the fellas swoon with just three little words, now is your chance. I'm talking, of course, about the words "arma virumque cano." So few syllables, yet they say so much. In fact, they connect Virgil's epic to Rome and Greece, past and future, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the human and the divine realms, all …

Aeneas really, really does not want to be in this poem. As in, he would rather be dead. That's how the Aeneid starts out: when we're introduced to our hero he's a very unwilling participant in a grand plan for world history, and he doesn't feel remotely up to the task. Virgil might have felt the same way, crushed under the political and artistic pr…

Aaron Smith, co-founder of Marriage After God, articulates the essential role of faith in navigating the complexities of marriage and relationships. He reflects on his own journey, including the challenges he and his wife faced early in their marriage, and how those experiences shaped their mission to help others. Smith emphasizes that both men and…

How many English editions of the Aeneid can we possibly need? Which one is the best one, and why? Is the C.S. Lewis version real, or just a myth? Today, as we prepare to launch into our series on Virgil's great epic, I share a reading from a few different translations, a discussion of some of the issues at play, and a verdict on the GOAT when it co…

Carl Teichrib, a Christian author and researcher, comes on the show to discuss his impactful book, *Game of Gods: The Temple of Man in the Age of Re-Enchantment*. Teichrib shares his insights on the rise of progressive spirituality, its roots in historical movements, and how it shapes contemporary culture. The conversation highlights the transforma…

It's a new year, and it's time for a new epic. You asked, we delivered: here comes Virgil's Aeneid! BUT FIRST: while we were gone over the Christmas vacation, Twitter descended into an intoxicating madness of epic adaptation, debate, and counter-programming. I'll recap the major points and give my take on: Christopher Nolan's Odyssey, whether you s…