Lectures and Seminars
Conducted by Dr. Paul Cleveland:

To arrange for Dr. Cleveland to speak to your group, or if you would like more information, email us at:  info@boundarystone.net

"Understanding the Modern Culture Wars" (can be offered as a series or as a single lecture topic from the following list of lectures): "Understanding the Modern Culture Wars: An Overview" In this lecture I explain what is at issue in the culture wars. In particular, I explore the fundamental presuppositions that separate Christians and secularists and discuss in a general way how these differences give rise to various battle fronts. "The Battle for Human Minds: The Problem of Naturalism in the Modern Age" In this lecture I explain the problem of modern day science and its abandonment of the anchor of biblical theology. I discuss why this abandonment has resulted in the culture wars that currently plague our society and explain the fundamental watershed issues that Christians must fight if they wish to successfully impact our civilization. "The Battle for Human Hearts: The Rise of Romanticism"  The notion of truth in the modern age has been banished from the university campus. This happened as a response to the Enlightenment movement of the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Understanding the nature of the Enlightenment thinkers, especially as they expressed themselves in Romanticism, is useful negotiating the relativistic waters of our day. In particular, much insight can be gained into the modern day social reform efforts to show how these efforts fall far short of Christian charity. "The Battle for Political Control" As naturalists rejected God, they replaced Him with the notion that the heaven on earth could be had by adopting the right political structures. In this effort, they made the collective more important than the individual person. As a result, the person was always to be made subservient to the state. In this lecture I explain why this is the case based upon the naturalist assumption and explain why collectivism is always at odds with sound biblical doctrine. I argue that from a biblical point of view, self-government is always the best form of government and that the institution we call government exists only for a limited purpose in society.  “The Battle for Economic Control”  During the nineteenth century, the concept of naturalism reduced the value of the individual person to zero and promoted the value of the collective. Since this time, social reformers have pushed for socialism in various forms and fashions. Among the institutions attacked by the naturalists was the free market. Increasingly, the economy has come under the sway of the political elites who have used their positions of power to lord it over the average person and to destroy his ability to provide for himself and his family. In this session I explore the nature of economic human action and consider ways of countering the collectivism of our age.

"Justice, Mercy and Economics"  In this lecture I explore the concepts of economic justice and mercy from a biblical perspective and explain why a free market economy provides the context for the proper expression of both. I discuss how it happened that the majority of the people of the United States of America departed from a sound conception of these terms and embraced a view that is certain to lead to the nation’s destruction. Finally, I explain the process of decay that results from embracing policies that redistribute income and wealth.

"Obstacles, Diversity and Trade: Why Economics Matters"  One of the often forgotten factors which is important to understanding history is economics. The struggle of people throughout time to feed, clothe and house themselves means that issues of economics are immensely important in explaining the circumstances of history. To ignore the principles of economics in one’s assessment of historical events is to embrace half a picture as if it were whole. In this session I explore the important fundamentals of economics and how they relate to understanding history.

"A Brief History and the Inevitable Consequences of Income Taxation in America" As originally formulated, the U.S. Constitution did not allow for the imposition of an income tax. In this lecture I explain the move to adopt the 16th Amendment and examine how the income tax has changed over time. I then examine the consequences to our nation that have resulted from this change in policy.

"Virtue and the Free Market" In this lecture I examine why it is that the free market is an important framework for the promotion of human virtue.

To arrange for Dr. Cleveland to speak to your group, or if you would like more information, email us at:  info@boundarystone.net

Excellent Resource!

Understanding the
Modern Culture Wars:
The Essentials of
Western Civilization
by Dr. Paul A. Cleveland

"Paul Cleveland has done a wonderful job of charting the course of Western culture over the millennia... This book on history is the way I have longed to see one written... Understanding the Modern Culture Wars is an outstanding book, and well worth reading."

Patch Blakey, Executive Director of the Association of Classical & Christian Schools, CLASSIS, November, 2003, p. 4.

"In Understanding the Modern Culture Wars Paul Cleveland has offered a penetrating analysis of the key epochs of Western Civilization. His deft handling of difficult historical issues and his ability to make sense of the historical landscape, make this book a pleasure to read. He has synthesized where others have dichotomized. I highly recommend it."

Larry A. Taunton, Fixed Point Ministries and former European History Teacher, Birmingham, AL