The Symbolic World

Jonathan Pageau

Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

  1. 2d ago

    466 - Malcolm Guite - Old Stories Know Secrets That We Have Forgotten

    Malcolm Guite is a poet and Anglican priest. He is a Life Fellow of Girton College, Cambridge and lives in Norfolk, England. He lectures widely in England and North America on Theology and Literature. His books include Sounding the Seasons; Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year (Canterbury 2012). The Singing Bowl; Collected Poems (Canterbury 2013) and Parable and Paradox (Canterbury Press 2016) and Mariner: A Voyage with Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Hodder 2017) After Prayer (Canterbury Press 2019) and The Word Within the Words (DLT 2021) and Lifting The Veil, Square Halo, 2021. In 2023 he was awarded the Archbishop Lanfranc Medal for Education and Scholarship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is presently working on Merlin’s Isle: an Arthuriad a four volume epic poem on The Arthurian legends He has a Youtube series called ‘A Spell in the Library’ at https://www.youtube.com/c/MalcolmGuitespell YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/E5En6DZTYFk Galahad and the Holy Grail: https://store.rabbitroom.com/products/merlins-isle Patrons of The Symbolic World can watch the 30 minute documentary here: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/premium-content/merlins-isle Subscribe here if you’re not already a patron: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe Register for Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com Timestamps: 00:00 – Coming up 01:29 – Introduction 03:05 – Malcolm Guite’s Calling as Priest and Poet 06:39 – Can the Imagination Be Dangerous? 09:27 – Imagination as the Organ of Meaning 11:58 – Fantasy, Escapism, and Enchantment 15:46 – Why Arthurian Stories Resist Modernization 19:57 – Galahad and the Grail 21:20 – What Arthurian Stories Reveal About Human Brokenness 23:27 – The Scope of Malcolm’s Arthurian Project 26:05 – The Dolorous Stroke and the Origin of the Wasteland 30:54 – “You Live in Just Such a World” 33:20 – The Wasteland as a Pattern of Reality 37:51 – Recovering the Christian Meaning of the Grail 40:44 – Universal History Masterclass 42:42 – Why Malcolm Chose the Ballad Form 44:59 – The Collapse of the Materialist Worldview 49:41 – Remembering Without Falling into Unreason 51:46 – Tradition as Active Remembrance 53:19 – Tradition as the Roots of a Living Tree 54:40 – How Irony Destroys Old Stories 57:56 – Daring to Be Naive Again 58:28 – The Four-Volume Arthurian Series 59:54 – Why the Beauty of the Book Matters 01:01:10 – Chivalry, Masculinity, and the Civilized Warrior 01:02:23 – Fellow Travelers in the Recovery of Meaning Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

  2. 5d ago

    465 - The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan's Trick

    In this video, I discuss Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated new film adaptation of The Odyssey after watching it at the premiere. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/K3wkrDbRgDs Sign up for the Universal History Masterclass during the month of July and get 15% off: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/ My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

  3. Jul 10

    464 - Logos Cinema: Orthodox films, TV shows, and documentaries - streaming now! Get a discount.

    I speak with Andrew Stokich, co-founder of Logos Cinema, about building a home for beautiful Christian storytelling. We discuss the limits of modern Christian film, the need to recover deeper symbolic stories, and Logos Cinema’s vision for supporting Orthodox filmmakers and audiences. Special discount link: https://www.logoscinema.com/the-symbolic-world-summit  YouTube version: https://youtu.be/LATR7_QsQLY Paradise Imagined. Join us from September 24–26, 2026 for a summit, hosted by Symbolic World in St Giles’, Oxford, United Kingdom at Pusey House. Only 150 tickets will be sold. Don't miss out. https://symbolicworldsummit.com/ http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe

    464 - Logos Cinema: Orthodox films, TV shows, and documentaries - streaming now! Get a discount.

  4. Jul 8

    463 - Universal History: What Was Noah's Ark Really?

    In this episode (Part 3 on our series that will soon become about Persia), we continue reading The Cave of Treasures with Deacon Seraphim, looking at Noah, the world before the flood, the strange traditions around the Ark, and how Adam, Paradise, priesthood, and Melchizedek are all carried through the waters into the new world. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IMd160ye1OM Register now and get 15% off the Universal History Masterclass! https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/universal-history-masterclass Part 1: https://youtu.be/f--wBUEAxjY?si=thM3QIB4jcwnqpzu Part 2: https://youtu.be/3D2bRWrbKUU?si=odQ6p9ehqS912PEb 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau   Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

    463 - Universal History: What Was Noah's Ark Really?

  5. Jul 3

    462 - Gregg Hurwitz - The Antihero Meets Christianity

    In this conversation I speak with Gregg Hurwitz about his new Orphan X novel, Antihero, and the surprising role Orthodox Christianity plays in the story. We discuss the assassin who is forced to face mercy, the limits of violence, the exhaustion of modern storytelling, and why we may need a new kind of hero, one who can hold together justice, sacrifice, and humanity. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/lPpZnZWdPGk Gregg Hurwitz books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001IXPXTG Latest Novella, The Delivery: https://www.amazon.com/Delivery-Novella-Gregg-Hurwitz-ebook/dp/B0FX5Y9FQG Antihero: https://www.amazon.com/Antihero-Orphan-Novel-11/dp/1250479916 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau   Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

    462 - Gregg Hurwitz - The Antihero Meets Christianity

  6. Jul 1

    461 - Rachel Wilson - Feminism Is the Political Arm of Witchcraft

    In this conversation with Rachel Wilson, we discuss the strange inversion at the heart of modern feminism, its occult and anti-Christian roots, and the way it has turned women against motherhood, marriage, the family, and even the feminine itself. We also look at abortion, witchcraft, gender, the destruction of womanhood, and the vision of marriage as a path of sacrifice, love, and mutual self-giving. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/DKliIG90YDw Follow Rachel Wilson’s work: X: https://x.com/Rach4Patriarchy  Substack: https://rwilson.substack.com/  Get her book, Occult Feminism: The Secret History of Women’s Liberation: https://www.amazon.com/Occult-Feminism-Secret-History-Liberation/dp/B09NGXZKHB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rachel.wilson 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel  🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau   🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

    461 - Rachel Wilson - Feminism Is the Political Arm of Witchcraft

  7. Jun 26

    460 - Dn. Seraphim Rohlin - Universal History: The Origin of the Nephilim

    In this conversation with Deacon Seraphim Rohlin, we continue our exploration of Genesis through the Syrian tradition, looking especially at Seth (Adam and Eve’s son after Cain and Abel), the Nephilim, and the fall of the sons of God. What begins as a discussion of the descendants of Seth becomes a way of understanding the descent from the holy mountain, the corruption of Cain’s line, and the strange traditions around giants, demons, music, desire, and the second fall before the flood. YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/3D2bRWrbKUU Episode 1 of this series: https://youtu.be/f--wBUEAxjY?si=cJE6aczhbDx13AoI Fr. Stephen De Young talking about Nephilim with Tucker Carlson: https://youtu.be/5x9vR5sKHFI?si=nBh9exyV3jkGYtWs 📕 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ 📢 Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel  Books (outside of the Bible) mentioned: The Cave of Treasures The Book of the Bee Book of Enoch Book of Adam Kebra Nagast Jubilees 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau   Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

    460 - Dn. Seraphim Rohlin - Universal History: The Origin of the Nephilim

  8. Jun 24

    459 - The Future Belongs to Humans (Ottawa talk)

    This is a talk I presented at Chesterton Academy of Ottawa earlier this year.  YouTube version: https://youtu.be/ETaRAauDxS0 Buy Little Red Riding Hood now during the month of June and get the audiobook with for free: https://store.thesymbolicworld.com/ Join Seraphim Hamilton in studying the Book of Isaiah this June. Register now: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/the-fifth-gospel  Timestamps: 00:00 - Coming up 00:51 - Intro music 01:05 - Chesterton Academy introduction 03:28 - Jonathan begins: art, AI, education, and the Pope’s encyclical 05:53 - Why AI is not human intelligence 08:18 - AI lacks embodied understanding 10:47 - Money, efficiency, power, and the values behind AI 13:07 - The Moloch trap and the AI arms race 15:32 - AI’s impact on work and education 17:01 - The anti-human vision of technocracy 18:40 - What education is really for 21:05 - Why learn art in the age of AI? 23:50 - Little Red Riding Hood promotion 24:46 - Remember, celebrate, and create 25:57 - Remembering our stories and traditions 29:36 - Celebrate what is good 33:16 - Create in service of remembrance and celebration 37:11 - Sincerity after irony and cynicism 39:32 - Fairy tales, icons, and Christian visual language 42:58 - Graphic novels, saints, and medieval storytelling 44:28 - The challenge and opportunity of our time 46:27 - Q: Is pessimism about AI justified? 48:32 - Q: How can remembrance, celebration, and creation be transmitted practically in schools and families? 53:23 - Q: Should schools return to oral exams and oral presentations because of AI? 55:52 - Q: How much can we participate in or use AI without falling into the trap? 58:31 - Q: What does cave art reveal about the relationship between man and art? Is art the signature of man? 01:03:02 - Q: What is the difference between inventing something new and creating? 01:07:20 - Q: Do strict rules in art stifle creativity? Why do people say beauty is subjective? 01:10:04 - Q: How can we recover a true remembrance of the Middle Ages rather than seeing them as dark or backward? 01:14:55 - Q: What is the difference between reading traditional stories and watching movies for entertainment? 01:19:02 - Q: Why was beauty dismissed from art, and why is our built environment so ugly? 01:21:07 - Q: What is your favorite piece of art in your home? 01:23:28 - Q: Can AI be used as a Socratic interlocutor in education? 01:26:36 - Q: What is the value of teaching classical languages like Latin and ancient Greek? 01:27:45 - Q: How should young artists balance pursuing art with the need to make money? 01:30:50 - Q: What is the importance of boredom, rest, silence, and imagination? 01:33:15 - Q: Is re-enchantment, post-irony, and sincerity possible in an intentional way? 01:37:08 - Q: How can different traditions unite against AI without losing their distinctiveness? 01:41:39 - Q: How do we discern beauty in imperfect work, especially in a performative society focused on excellence? 01:44:02 - Q: Where do you think AI is going, especially in education and culture? 🔓 Become a patron to support us and unlock exclusive monthly symbolism content: https://thesymbolicworld.com/subscribe 💻 Website and blog: http://www.thesymbolicworld.com 🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/jonathanpageau   🎧 Listen to and review The Symbolic World podcast: -Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0gI8bUwPtT3gkduHqNh6M5 -Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-symbolic-world/id1386867488  Our website designers: https://www.resonancehq.io/  My intro was arranged and recorded by Matthew Wilkinson: https://matthewwilkinson.net/

    459 - The Future Belongs to Humans (Ottawa talk)
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About

Jonathan Pageau looks at symbolism in all its forms, from its source in sacred stories and images to contemporary culture and ultimately how it shapes the world we encounter.

Information

  • Creator
    Jonathan Pageau
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    464
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jonathan Pageau
  • Show Website
    The Symbolic World

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