William C. Michael

Transcribed by https://otter.ai Today is Saturday, June 22. And this is William Michael of the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. This week, it was announced that efforts are being made to require that the 10 commandments be displayed in schools down in Louisiana. And as soon as this news begins to spread the secular media responds, criticizing it and and asking how this is not a violation of the Constitution. And so if you go on the major news networks, you’ll find the different hosts, questioning representatives from Louisiana questioning politicians, even citizens from Louisiana and asking, how would this not … Continue

Taking effective notes on a reading assignment is crucial for understanding the material and retaining key information. What’s important is not only that you summarize your reading, but that you prepare for future activities such as tests, exams, essays and class discussions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to take notes efficiently: 1. Before Reading: Prepare 2. During Reading: Active Reading 3. After Reading: Review and Organize Tips for Effective Note-Taking Example of Note-Taking Format Here’s an example of how your notes might look for a reading assignment: Title of Reading: “Climate Change and Its Impact on Biodiversity” By following … Continue

This is a question that assumes its own answer. Yes, lonely homeschool students get lonely. Homeschool students who enjoy good culture and a balanced schedule do not get lonely. Remember, are lonely, friendly children in schools with hundreds of students. Loneliness is not caused by any certain form of schooling. It is a personal problem that can often be traced back to the parents. When I was a kid, I was a popular, athletic kid in a large public school in central New Jersey–I was elected class clown in high school. My children have been home-schooled and we live in … Continue

In philosophy and reasoning, arguments are often categorized based on the types of evidence or reasoning used to support them. Two key classifications are a priori and a posteriori arguments, each relying on distinct forms of justification and evidence. A Priori Arguments Definition: A priori arguments are those where knowledge or justification is independent of experience. In other words, they are based on reason and deduction rather than empirical evidence. These arguments seek to establish truths through logical analysis alone, often starting from self-evident principles or definitions. Example: Let’s consider the statement “All bachelors are unmarried.” This proposition is considered … Continue

When citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church in Chicago style, you should follow these guidelines for both footnotes/endnotes and bibliography entries. Here is how you can format the citation: Footnote/Endnote Bibliography Examples If you are citing section 1033: Footnote Bibliography Online Version If you are citing an online version of the Catechism, you should include the URL and access date. Footnote/Endnote Bibliography These examples should help you properly cite the Catechism of the Catholic Church in your work according to the Chicago Manual of Style.

The ancients, who under the leadership of Pythagoras (570-500 BC) first made science systematic, defined philosophy as the love of wisdom. Indeed the name itself means this, and before Pythagoras all who had knowledge were called “wise” indiscriminately- a carpenter, for example, a cobbler, a helmsman, and in a word anyone who was versed in any art or handicraft. Pythagoras, however, restricting the title so as to apply to the knowledge and comprehension of reality, and calling the knowledge of the truth in this the only wisdom, naturally designated the desire and pursuit of this knowledge philosophy, as being desire … Continue

Yesterday, I posted a talk on whether we can have assurance of salvation. I spent most of the talk criticizing Protestant attempts to answer that question. I explained that they need to answer that question because they struggle with the issue of whether or not they are saved. It’s a consequence of their own bad teaching. I picked on Protestant teaching for quite a bit, and when I finished the talk and posted it, I realized that while it’s easy to tear apart Protestant teaching, it’s also easy to point out all the flaws in Protestant teaching. One thing we … Continue

With standardized test results coming in, I see some students receiving low scores in vocabulary. In lesson 21 of the Academy’s English Composition course, students learn the following about vocabulary: A word is the symbol of an idea, and the addition of a word to one’s vocabulary usually means that a new idea has been acquired. The more we see and hear and read, the greater our stock of ideas becomes. As our life experiences increase, so should our supply of words increase. This is important because it teaches us why vocabulary is important. Vocabulary is not simply a matter … Continue

In the Catholic Church, the “Liturgy of the Hours” is a collection of “psalms, hymns and spiritual canticles”, along with prayers and and readings, that are recited in the Church at specific “liturgical hours” of each day. Some may wonder, “What are the liturgical hours?” and “Where did the liturgical hours come from?” First, the liturgical hours are found in Sacred Scripture, the Bible. It was common for God’s people in the Old Testament to pray at set hours of the day. We read King David saying “Seven times a day I praise you because your judgments are righteous.” Psalm … Continue

A friend wrote this morning and mentioned that a priest he knew was asked by a Protestant whether he is assured of his salvation, whether he is certain that he is saved. This is a common question asked by Protestants, evangelicals. It’s a necessary problem in their system of religion—this question of whether we’re sure that we’re saved. So, he asked me if I would take some time to talk about it, think through it, and try to provide something helpful. Now, as a former Protestant, I know all about this endless fussing about assurance of salvation. I witnessed it … Continue