Published on: January 6th, 2023

Director of Academic Programs Dr. Matthew Mehan Presents at Faith and Freedom Somers Seminar on Classical Politics and Literature

Download Press Release

HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College’s Blake Center for Faith and Freedom in Somers, Connecticut, hosted a Somers Seminar titled “Classical Politics & Political Literature” on Dec. 9 and 10. More than 40 people attended the seminar.

The gathering featured three lectures spread over two days and included a reception, dinner, and lunch. Matthew Mehan, assistant professor of government and director of academic programs for Hillsdale College in DC, presented all three lectures, which were on “The Roman Influences on the Founding Fathers,” Sophocles’s “Antigone,” and Cicero’s “On Duties.”

 Mehan discussed the importance of Cicero’s teachings on natural law to the American Founders. “Our Founders knew the names, lives, and lessons of the ancient Romans because they were taught them, from an early age,” Mehan said. “They sought a republican form of government, similar in many ways to Rome’s own republic, one that emphasized civic friendship, rule of law, shared and thus divided power, and virtue strong enough to be a good, self-governing citizen and true friend.”

 The Blake Center opened in 2020 after a generous donation by S. Presley and Helen Blake. It offers programs and events focused on Christianity, its relationship to Western and American thought, and the questions of faith and reason that have been at the heart of Christianity from the beginning.

“Dr. Mehan’s lectures were profound and energizing. I think everyone here came away with a strong sense of the riches of Western thought and their influence on history,” said Labin Duke, executive director of the Blake Center for Faith and Freedom. “We look forward to hosting more events like these in the coming year.”

View photos from the seminar here.

Get more information on upcoming events at the Blake Center here.

About Hillsdale in D.C.

Hillsdale in D.C. is an extension of the teaching mission of Hillsdale College to Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to teach the Constitution and the principles that give it meaning. Through the study of original source documents from American history—and of older books that formed the education of America’s founders—it seeks to inspire students, teachers, citizens, and policymakers to return the America’s principles to their central place in the political life of the nation.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 5.7 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.