The Hippo Lectures: The Catholic Cataline Orations
- by Gracjan Kraszewski
- Product Code: thl
- Availability: In Stock
-
$22.95
The Hippo Lectures is a book of essays that were first given as live audience, public talks. Catholicism being a “both/and” faith, this work is both fiction and non-fiction; speech and story; serious and absurd; broadly maximal and microscopically focused. It’s singular glue, however, is the Catholic Faith. All the essays—whether about the environment, beauty, athletics, beer, sex, economics, film, or American politics, to name but a few—are viewed through a Catholic lens. Now nearly past the first quarter of the 21st century, deep into postmodernity, Catholics need books that take societal challenges head on, resisting the temptations to accommodate error, look the other way, or seek answers in the 13th century. Head on, and using postmodern tools and techniques, as we are meant to use all things, for the glory of God.
This is that book.
Size: 6 x 9
304 pages
ISBN: 978-1-990685-81-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-990685-82-8 (hc)
From Chapter 5 (talk originally given in 2020):
"Saints > Superheroes"
The Hippo Lectures are the culmination of a modern rhetorician’s gifts poured into a series of lectures that, in challenging the errors of our “modern Hippo,” emulate St. Augustine’s rhetorical prowess. Responding to a world that lives in the despair of boredom, founded upon shallow and isolated truth claims, Dr. Kraszewski entrusts his audience with “ever ancient” truths, charitably accompanied by “ever new” commentary wrapped in high-level sarcastic humor—at which you will laugh, but likely aren’t smart enough to retell. The Hippo Lectures awaken the intellect to the virtue of hope, that the Christian life, much like this presentation, is multilayered, eminently palatable, and adventurous when fully engaged. —Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck, Vocations Director (Peoria, IL)
Modern culture often portrays Catholicism as a boring, archaic, and mundane approach to eternal matters. Gracjan Kraszewski, however, reminds us that the Church continues to offer an endlessly profitable and exciting approach to life through the Deposit of Faith. This lecture series should encourage each of us to follow Christ with greater humility, reverence, and boldness. —Dr. Alan Harrelson, Professor of History at Liberty University and Founder of The Pipe Cottage Social Media
Gracjan Kraszewski is the author of five books: the novels The Holdout, Thermonuclear Mirth, the novella, Seraphim and the Dust Plague, a book of essays, The Hippo Lectures, and the Civil War history Catholic Confederates. He earned his PhD in history from Mississippi State University and taught at the University of Illinois. He is currently Director of Intellectual Formation at the St. Augustine Center in Moscow, Idaho, while also teaching at the University of Idaho and in Washington State University’s history department and School of Design + Construction. Played baseball in college, professionally in Europe, and for the Polish National Team. Fluent in English, Polish, and French, he possesses intermediate ability in Russian, Italian, and Spanish.
