The Classical Mind

Fr. Wesley Walker, Dr. Junius Johnson

theclassicalmind@substack.com

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Booking Overview

The Classical Mind is a recurring, academically minded conversation series on major “Great Books,” anchored in classic texts and close reading. It’s a strong fit for PR outreach to scholars, educators, and curriculum leaders who can speak clearly about literature, philosophy, and history of ideas in a public-facing way.

Metrics

Episodes: 53

Frequency: Monthly

Rating: 4.9/5.0

Estimated listeners: 1k-10k

Gender skew: Male

Location: USA

Contact Information

theclassicalmind@substack.com

For verified host and producer emails, sign up to view.

Host

Fr. Wesley Walker - Catholic priest and co-host of The Classical Mind, where he explores foundational works of Western literature and thought through structured conversation and close reading for a general audience.

Dr. Junius Johnson - Doctoral-level scholar and co-host of The Classical Mind, leading conversations on major classical texts and themes, with an emphasis on interpretation, intellectual history, and the moral/spiritua...

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

medium
Typical Credentials:  
Scholars and educators with demonstrated expertise in Great Books/canonical literature, classical education, grammar/rhetoric, theology/philosophy, and/or curriculum design (often with institutional affiliation or published work).
Required Achievements:  
Authorship or academic credentialing in literature/philosophy/theology, Leadership or program involvement in classical education/Great Books institutions, Curriculum development with named products/programs, Published essays/books related to reading, rhetoric, grammar, or classical pedagogy

Recent Guest Discussions

Dr. Jonathan Juilfs - Dante’s Commedia, Paradiso; Medieval Ideas Of Capacity And Divine Alignment; Use Of Philosophy/reading Context To Interpret The Third Canticle

Heidi White - Dante’s Purgatorio; Moral/structural Architecture Of Mount Purgatory; Ordo Amoris (order Of Love) And The Capital Vices

Buck Holler - Circe Institute’s “tapestry” Writing/grammar Curriculum; Unity Of Grammar And Literature; Bridging Elementary Study To Advanced Composition Using Full Texts And Stories

Recent Topics

Classics, Literature, Philosophy, Education, Curriculum

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on
The Classical Mind
:

The Importance of Being Earnest with Dr. Grace Hamman

June 09, 2026

Welcome to another episode of The Classical Mind, the podcast where we explore the great books of the Western tradition! In this episode, hosts Father Wesley Walker and Dr. Junius Johnson are thrilled to welcome a special guest, Dr. Grace Hamman. Dr. Hamman holds a PhD from Duke University, focuses on late medieval poetry and contemplative writing, and hosts the Old Books with Grace podcast. Together, they dive into a delightful and deep discussion about Oscar Wilde’s brilliant drawing-room c...

Paradiso with Dr. Jonathan Juilfs

May 12, 2026

In this concluding chapter of our journey through Dante’s Commedia, Dr. Junius Johnson and Fr. Wesley Walker are joined by Dr. Jonathan Juilfs to explore the radiant heights of Paradiso. The conversation centers on the idea that the third canticle is not a boring landscape of static perfection, but rather the very “point” of the entire project grounded in the medieval understanding of capacity and divine alignment. Endnotes: * Dr. Juilfs: * The Pearl* The Consolation of Philosophy by Boethius...

Purgatorio with Heidi White

April 28, 2026

In this episode of The Classical Mind, Fr. Wesley Walker and Dr. Junius Johnson welcome back Heidi White to explore the middle canticle of Dante’s Divine Comedy, the Purgatorio. Is Purgatory “cosmic extra innings” or a “cosmic decontamination chamber” for the saved? How do Inferno and Purgatorio differ? Give a listen as Heidi, Junius, and Wesley discuss the moral and structural architecture of Mount Purgatory, specifically the “Order of Love” (ordo amoris) that governs the seven terraces and ...

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