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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.

education

All Episodes

37:20

394 - The World War II Consensus is Breaking Down

The Symbolic World ·

2025/05/16

Several years ago, I coined the phrase “watch the fool,” because in a world turned upside down, the fool can strangely point to what’s coming and in some ways play a role in restoring order —for good or for ill. For April 2025’s patron video, now opened up to the public, I reflect on how Kanye West has continued to play this role. He is not a prophet in the traditional sense, but a kind of tuning fork, embodying the contradictions and transformations unfolding in our culture before they happen. This

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41:21

393 - Wheels Within Wheels: The Universe as a Symbol

The Symbolic World ·

2025/05/13

In this excerpt from the second lecture of the Symbolism Masterclass, I take you deeper than ever into one of the most powerful and mysterious patterns that underlies the cosmos. We explore the strange vision of Ezekiel, the meaning of the cosmic wheel, and how seemingly distant symbols—from pyramids to Christmas trees—are revealing the same fundamental structure.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/6wYPgrniyWoJoin us live for the rest of the Symbolism Masterclass. You will get access to all the

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95:44

392 - Richard Rohlin - Universal History: Symbols...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/05/06

In this episode, Richard Rohlin and I continue our discussion of The Voyage of St. Brendan, focusing on some of the stranger episodes in the story. We look at encounters with sea creatures, a sea giantess, and the figure of a Hermit in paradise. Along the way, we reflect on what these images might reveal about death, resurrection, the role of the saints, and how the spiritual world connects to our own. It's a conversation that opens up layers of meaning in a text that’s easy to overlook.Original

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16:33

391 - The Controversy over "Christ is King"

The Symbolic World ·

2025/04/29

A few weeks ago, a study came out criticizing the use of the phrase "Christ is King"—and it stirred up a lot of strong reactions, including my own. In this video, I take you through the symbolism, history, and deeper meaning behind this expression, and I share why I believe its resurgence today is both important and complicated. I’ll also reflect on how identity naturally includes and excludes—and why that's not something we should fear.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/_9_PWSOgK5wThe study in

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116:39

390 - Genesis: Symbolism in the Creation Story

The Symbolic World ·

2025/04/23

This is a talk I did a few years ago for the Jung Society of Montreal. In it I explore the creation story in Genesis not just as myth, but as a fractal map of how identity, being, and purpose function. In breaking down the symbolism I also make a case for why intelligence isn’t an accident, why rituals matter, and why participation of intelligent beings is foundational to reality. In the Q&A section we touch on group identity, exclusion, dreams, and the meaning of the Last Judgment among other

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57:10

389 - Joe Allen - Transhumanism and the War Against...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/04/16

In this conversation, I sit down with Joe Allen to dig into the strange and unsettling territory where transhumanism and politics collide. We explore how politics is shaping the trajectory of technological development—and how, in turn, emerging tech like AI begins to shape us. We talk about the deeper philosophical and spiritual undercurrents of transhumanism: the ego behind the machines, the myth of the disembodied mind, and the subtle seductions that come with promises of power and control. From

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50:01

388 - Mary Harrington - Identity After Postmodernism

The Symbolic World ·

2025/04/07

In this conversation with Mary Harrington, we explore how identity has evolved from the ancient idea of the soul to the concept of self and today how we talk and think about identity. We dive into how technology and AI shape this shift and why bringing back the soul might help us tackle modern challenges. We argue that purpose and hierarchy clarify identity in today’s mess of competing selves. We explore how swapping deep reading for digital scrolling shifts consciousness, how memes steer thought,

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41:51

387 - Severance: When Hierarchy Breaks Down

The Symbolic World ·

2025/04/02

In this episode I break down the meaning and symbolism in the 2022 show Severance starring Adam Scott. Let me know in the comments on YouTube if you want more content like this.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/4RgQ0Q4pgHA=====SYMBOLISM MASTERCLASSJoin me this April for the Symbolism Masterclass, a 6-week deep dive into the essentials of symbolic thinking. Over 18 immersive hours, I'll guide you through the framework behind everything I've explored in 500+ videos—from heaven and earth to dragons,

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29:33

386 - Snow White (2025) Is a Disaster, But...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/26

This is my review of Disney's recent Snow White live-action remake. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/gk2koS8Eomg===========With all this attention on Snow White right now, we want to make sure that we're mostly celebrating this powerful story in our culture. So to do so, we're offering for the very last time a limited edition box set of our own Snow White story, Snow White and the Widow Queen. It's a leather bound book signed by me, in a beautifully designed and bejeweled box with a free sticker

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66:06

385 - Peter Leithart - The Bible As a Way of Seeing

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/22

In this conversation I interview Peter Leithart, an American author, minister, and theologian, who serves as president of Theopolis Institute for Biblical, Liturgical, & Cultural Studies in Birmingham, Alabama. We discuss the origins, mission, and theological insights of Theopolis Institute and the influence of James B. Jordan, who wrote the influential book titled “Through New Eyes”. We further discuss the significance of biblical typology, and the transformative power of liturgy and sacraments

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100:47

384 - Gregg Hurwitz - Why We Tell Stories (Ralston...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/15

I recently had the privilege to visit Ralston College where I had a wonderful discussion with Gregg Hurwitz about meaning, art, and the future of culture. We also gave advice to the young students at Ralston College about navigating the life of an artist.RALSTON COLLEGE: A revival and reinvention of the traditional university. A fellowship for anyone, anywhere who seeks the truth with courage.While the review of applications for the 2025-26 year of their fully-funded Master's in the Humanities

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74:37

383 - John Vervaeke and Chris Mastropietro -...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/09

In this conversation with John Vervaeke and Christopher Mastropietro we discuss their collaborative work on the 'Awakening from the Meaning Crisis' project, exploring the dynamics of their partnership, the impact of their ideas on contemporary discourse, and the challenges of making complex concepts accessible. They delve into the importance of narrative in understanding philosophical ideas, the role of dialogical reasoning in writing, and the surprising effects of their video series on academic

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35:47

382 - The Resurrection of Logos (Reupload)

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/06

The world is changing rapidly, and the transformation we’re witnessing—especially within the Church—has been astonishing. Across America, Orthodox churches are growing at an unprecedented rate, and cultural shifts that once seemed impossible are now unfolding before our eyes. For this week's video, we revisit my very first public event with Jordan Peterson, at The Resurrection of Logos event, which took place at the University of Toronto in March 2017. At the time, many of the ideas we now take for

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64:04

381 - James Orr - Christianity Beyond Civilization

The Symbolic World ·

2025/03/02

I had a wonderful discussion with James Orr. Dr Orr is Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion at the Faculty of Divinity at the University of Cambridge. He was also one of the panel members for the Daily Wire Plus Exodus and Gospels seminars, which we discuss in this video. We also talk about our difference approaches and perspectives on Scripture, the current cultural shift and Christianity becoming more mainstream, the risk of instrumentalizing Christianity, Paul Kingsnorth's talk "Against

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28:21

380 - Alien Intelligence: Stargate, UFOs, AI,...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/02/26

This is a repost of the patron video for January 2025. Given the recent announcement about project Stargate I delved into modernity's quest for forbidden knowledge and how it relates to today's obsession with UFOs, AI, psychedelics, and even transgenderism.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/h79SINKwmjA===========NEW COURSE: The Symbolic World Goes to Middle-EarthJoin us for an in-depth study of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Legendarium, where we'll explore his masterful use of medieval literary genres, Christian

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19:08

379 - You’re Not That Different From Your Political...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/02/20

For the past few decades we have heard from the new atheists just how horrible religion is, that religion is responsible for all these terrible things like the inquisition and witch burnings - but what if I told you that there are patterns or structures behind this kind of behaviour that are simply human, and are not unique to religious people, nor to your ideological or political opponents, but exist fundamentally in all identities.YouTube version: https://youtu.be/SQSDCcFKSrQ==================The

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48:24

378 - Richard Rohlin - Tolkien and Universal History

The Symbolic World ·

2025/02/07

In this episode Richard Rohlin goes solo to give us an introduction about JRR Tolkien's vision for Universal History. Later this month he will be teaching a course on this topic.Register now for the Tolkien and Universal History course by Richard Rohlin on The Symbolic World website: https://www.thesymbolicworld.com/courses/tolkien-and-universal-historyCost: $150Discount: 10% off for all Symbolic World patrons at the Involved tier or higher. Apply your unique discount code at checkout.Live classes:

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50:49

377 - Annie Crawford - The Breakthrough of Myth

The Symbolic World ·

2025/02/07

In this conversation, Jonathan Pageau and Annie Crawford delve into C.S. Lewis's work, particularly focusing on 'Till We Have Faces.' They explore the significance of this book in understanding Lewis's thought, its mythic elements, and the interplay between paganism and Christian themes. The discussion also touches on the evolution of Lewis's writing style, the role of myth and fairy tales, and the complex themes of mimetic desire and sacrifice present in the narrative. The symbolism of the veil is

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73:59

376 - Fr. Stephen De Young - St. Paul the Pharisee

The Symbolic World ·

2025/01/19

Fr. Stephen De Young is back on the podcast to discuss his latest book, St. Paul the Pharisee. St. Paul is at the core of many modern misunderstandings about Christianity; Fr. Stephen presents how we can understand St. Paul’s writings within the context of who he was, when he lived, and who he was addressing in his epistles, ultimately bringing us closer to the vision Christ Himself gave us.-Buy Fr. Stephen’s book on the Ancient Faith Store - Saint Paul the Pharisee: Jewish Apostle to All Nations:

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59:18

375 - Paul Kingsnorth - Western Civilization Is...

The Symbolic World ·

2025/01/12

Paul Kingsnorth gave a provocative talk for First Things' Erasmus Lecture of 2024, titled "Against Christian Civilization". In this episode, we discuss the essence of his argument, delving into the fundamental tensions between Christianity and civilization. How does faith interact with culture? What is the Biblical narrative around cities and governance? Are we misusing Christianity as a tool for cultural preservation over pursuing true spiritual transformation? Is Western Civilization as we know it

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412 results

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