MISSION
The Ciceronian Society encourages and equips Christian scholars who serve the Church as a center of cultural and civic renewal.
VISION
The Ciceronian Society cultivates an interdisciplinary network of Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox scholars and public intellectuals committed to the examination of three core themes – tradition, place, and ‘things divine’ – and their role in a civilization built upon the principles common to the traditions of historic Christianity.
Through friendship, events, publications, and education we seek to support the intellectual discipleship of local churches and parachurch educational institutions, such as classical schools and homeschooling families.
We ultimately aspire to see the intellectual life of the Church renewed, in which clergy and congregations become more connected to the classical and Christian tradition and their local communities.
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The Ciceronian Society was incorporated in 2012 with the goal of facilitating interdisciplinary, scholarly events dedicated to our core themes of tradition, place, and “things divine.” We believe that attention to such themes helps to restore and defend those ideals and institutions vital to a free, virtuous, and just society. Above all, we view the church as the core institution from which civic and cultural renewal must emerge. Strong Christian congregations and communities are the essential bulwark against those vices and movements hostile to liberty, order, justice, virtue, peace, and prosperity.
These churches are distinguished by a fidelity to the historic Christian faith and tradition, by a love of the places they minister to, and by deep spiritual and intellectual formation. They are fertile soil for growing and loving marriages and families, for a free and ethical economy, and for rich friendships, fruitful education, and a more civil political order.
The Ciceronian Society is primarily composed of scholars. Churches are led by the clergy as the primary shepherds of congregations. What role does the scholar play in the life of the Church? How does the Church shepherd scholars?
Executive Director, Josh Bowman, began to answer this question in his article on Intellectual Discipleship.
Ultimately, how this intellectual discipleship happens will depend on a given Church’s tradition and the places Christians find themselves. It will also adapt to social, political, and cultural shifts, not for the sake of remaining “relevant” or “popular,” but for the sake of faithfulness to Christian teaching.
Whatever form this intellectual discipleship takes, it ought to be led by Christian scholars enriched by intellectual friendship with other scholars and who are encouraged and equipped to be the researchers, writers, and teachers the Holy Spirit has gifted them to be.
The Ciceronian Society, in sum, serves as a kind deep “well” from which those scholars can draw – an interdisciplinary well of friendship, tradition, experience, research, inspiration, and insight – for the nourishment of their families, congregations, and classrooms.