A Year of Classics, 2024–25

Year of Classics Lifelong Learning Logo 2024

St. John’s seminars offer nine profound, rich, and resonant readings taken from the core of the college’s distinctive curriculum. The 2024–25 gathering of readings asks challenging questions. In the community of a discussion-based classroom, we study these texts and confront their questions together. We offer a once-a-month experience in the life of the mind, a true source of reward for the busy executive, stimulation for the artist, engagement for a parent, and all of these for those who are at work building our world on strong foundations.

2024–25 Theme: Mirth, Merriment, and Mockery

To laugh is an essential part of the human experience. But what makes us laugh, and why? From the silly to the sarcastic, humor takes many forms, and a laugh can express anything from unfettered joy to calculated malice. The rich complexity of humor will be our theme in these seminars as we read works of literature, drama, and philosophy that will make us laugh, and guide us in exploring the role of comedy in the human condition.

Online Seminars

Meet virtually via Zoom

Online Seminar Schedule Seminar Reading List
In-Person Seminars

Meet in person in Annapolis, Maryland; Washington, DC; or Santa Fe, New Mexico

In-Person Seminar Schedule Seminar Reading List

For registration inquiries, please email classics(at)sjc.edu.

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Saturday, September 14, 2024, Annapolis Campus

A Day of Classics

Curious? Try a seminar. A Day of Classics is a seminar program designed for the serious reader, looking to engage with others on intellectual topics. Learn about the discussion-based seminar process and see if it is the academic outlet that you have been seeking.

Find program details and a link to register here.

To be contacted when program updates become available, join the mailing list or email classics(at)sjc.edu.

What Participants Are Saying About Year of Classics