PLEASE NOTE: The 2021 CiRCE National Conference has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 22nd - Saturday, July 24th after being postponed in 2020 due to COVID -19.
WHY THIS THEME?
What does it mean to glorify God in a lesson, classroom, or school? Is Glory something that we ought to seek? Is it something we ought to teach our students to seek? To what degree should we heap glory on our students? What does it mean that humans long for glory? And what does Christ's glory mean for how we think about education?
These questions (and others like them) will be the foundation of our contemplation at the 2020 CiRCE Institute national conference on the purpose, essence, and practice of Christian classical education.
The conference has sold out. We will have cancelations throughout the year so use the button below to get your name on the waitlist!
Refunds & Cancellations
Cancellations and refund requests must be made by email to help@circeinstitute.com. Refund requests received between January 1st and April 1st, 2021 will receive a 50-percent refund, minus the cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted after May 1st unless your seat can be replaced by someone on the waiting list, in which case we will refund 50% of the registration. Please note that seats pre-ordered at the 2019 conference do NOT qualify for refunds. Please allow 30 days for a refund to be processed, to allow us to find someone on the waitlist to take the seat.
DUE TO THE LENGTH OF THE WAITING LIST, WE DO NOT PERMIT THE SALE OR TRANSFER OF TICKETS. WE APOLOGIZE FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE.
Confirmed Speakers
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Andrew Kern
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John Hodges
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Justin Jackson
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Karen Swallow Prior
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Jessica Hooten Wilson
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Wes Callihan
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Christine Perrin
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Christopher Perrin
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Joshua Gibbs
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James Daniels
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James Matthew Wilson
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Greg Wilbur
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Matthew Bianco
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Sarah-Jane Bentley
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Daniel Coupland
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Heidi White
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Jennifer Dow
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Brian Phillips
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Peter Vande Brake
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Tim McIntosh
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Sean Johnson
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Martin Cothran
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Renee Mathis
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Michael "Buck" Holler
The Francis Marion Hotel
Address: 387 King St, Charleston, SC 29403
The historic Francis Marion Hotel, named for the Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox,” has a long tradition of gracious service, elegant accommodations, and hosting splendid banquets and events dating back to its opening in 1924. Built by local investors at a cost of $1.5 million from plans by noted New York architect W.L. Stoddard, the Francis Marion was the largest and grandest hotel in the Carolinas. The 1920s was the Golden Age of railroads, radio and grand hotels, and the Charleston Renaissance was in full bloom and the Francis Marion Hotel was “the place to be”.
Meticulously restored in 1996 with a $12 million National Trust for Historic Preservation award winning restoration, the Francis Marion Hotel now combines 1920’s style and grace with 21st Century comfort and convenience in the heart of historic Charleston on Marion Square. Rising 12 stories, many of the Hotel’s 235 guestrooms and suites offer spectacular views of Charleston’s historic harbor, church steeples and legendary King Street. The Francis Marion Hotel, with its central downtown location, is an easy walk to the antebellum homes, magnificent gardens, antique shops and boutiques, and world-class restaurants.
Click here to learn more about the hotel.
Please click here to book your hotel room in our block at the discounted rate! Use code CIRCE20.
Anthony Esolen: Recipient of the 2020 Russell Kirk Paideia Prize
The CiRCE Institute proudly announces that noted author, teacher, and translator, Dr. Anthony Esolen, is the recipient of the 2020 Russell Kirk Paideia Prize, presented annually to someone who has dedicated his or her life to the cultivation of wisdom and virtue. Past winners have included Wendell Berry, Stratford Caldecott, Eva Brann, Ralph Wood, Louise Cowan, Peter Kreeft, David Hicks, Cindy Rollins, and George Grant.
Dr. Esolen is the author of, among other books, Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child, Ironies of Faith: The Laughter at the Heart of Christian Literature, and Life Under Compulsion: Ten Ways to Destroy the Humanity of Your Child. And his translation of Dante's Divine Comedy for Modern Library Classics is a beloved contemporary classic. His writing has appeared in numerous journals and magazines, including Modern Age, First Things, Crisis, and Touchstone, for which he is a senior editor. He has taught at Furman University and Providence College, and today teaches and is writer-in-residence at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts.
Please join us on Friday, July 18, as we celebrate the work of this dedicated preserver of the Western Tradition during the annual Russell Kirk Paideia Prize-giving banquet. Note: Registration for the conference does include a seat at this banquet.
Schedule
Details, including session titles, are forthcoming. These times may be subject to change.
Wednesday, July 15
9 am - 4 pm: Pre-conference. Topic coming soon.
7 - 9 pm: Registration & welcome reception
Thursday, July 16
8:30 am: Opening Panel
10:00 am: Opening Plenary Session (Andrew Kern)
11:45 am: Breakout Session A
12:45 pm: Lunch
2:15 pm: Breakout Session B
3:45 pm: Plenary B
Friday, July 17
8:30 am: Plenary Session C
10:15 am: Plenary Session D
12:00 pm: Breakout Session C
1:00 pm: Lunch
2:30 pm: Breakout Session D
4:00 pm: Breakout Session E
7:00 pm: 2020 Paideia Prize Banquet
Saturday, July 18
8:30 am: Plenary Session E
10:00 am: Q&A Panel
11:30 am: Plenary Session F
12:30 pm: Closing Remarks (Andrew Kern)
FAQs
I’ve already registered for the conference, do I need to register for the banquet also?
No. The banquet registration is included in the standard conference registration.
Will recordings of the sessions be available after the conference?
Absolutely. Nearly all of the sessions will be available to purchase as downloadable mp3s or in CD format a few weeks after the event.
Are meals included in the registration fees?
Lunches Thursday and Friday are included, as is the Friday evening banquet. The Wednesday evening reception includes heavy hors d'oeuvres.
What time does the conference end?
The conference will end at lunch time on Saturday, July 18th.
What is the cancellation policy?
Refund requests received by January 1st, 2020 will be honored in full, minus a $20 cancellation fee per person. Cancellations received between Janaury 1st and April 1st, 2020 will receive a 50-percent refund, minus the cancellation fee. No refunds will be granted after May 1st unless your seat can be replaced by someone on the waiting list, in which case we will refund 50% of the registration. Please note that seats pre-ordered at the 2019 conference do NOT qualify for refunds. Cancellations and refund requests must be made by email: help@circeinstitute.com.
I saw the word “colloquy” on your schedule page. What does it mean?
A “colloquy” is a session that is designed to be discussion-based. Each colloquy is moderated by one of our speakers whose job is to kindle the conversation and maintain the session’s civility. Because of the Socratic nature of these sessions, they are limited to twelve per colloquy. There are two colloquies and 5 workshops per break out period.
How many sessions does the conference have?
There are typically 2 plenaries each day, the Friday night banquet, the Thursday “Great Conversation” panel (formerly the Poetic Knowledge Panel), approximately 35 total workshops, and 14 total colloquies.
What time does the conference begin?
The conference begins at 7:00 pm on Wednesday July 15th with a welcome reception and meet-and-greet. Food is provided. The sessions begin Thursday morning, July 16th, at 8:30 am.
Do you allow the transfer of tickets?
Due to the length of our wait-list we do not allow the transfer of tickes, except under extreme circumstances. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you have any questions about this policy please email us at david (at) circeinstitute.com