beautiful, inspiring!
Source: Rising Tide Foundation
Education as the Cause of Political Freedom – The Brethren of the Common Life
25 Aug 2025
We all know that human society is littered with dark ages, renaissances, fallen empires, and brilliant revolutionary bursts of progress, increased liberty and creative freedom. But what is the ‘secret sauce’ that allows a fallen society to rise and generate such powerful artistic, scientific and political minds capable of leading humanity into greater harmony with Natural Law? In this week’s Rising Tide Foundation lecture, educator Alex Getachew introduces the incredible Brethren of Common Life which emerged in the 13th century as the most potent educational movement in history generating a philosophy and curriculum of teaching that was driven by the Platonic-Augustinian ideal of awakening genius from within the souls of youth. As Alex demonstrates, this movement stood in stark contrast to the asphyxiating scholasticism which presumed students to be nothing more than blank slates to be written upon by elites.
If you were confused how such great minds as Petrach, Gerard de Groot, Nicholas of Cusa, Thomas More, Leonardo DaVinci or Erasmus emerged as universal geniuses OR how the Italian renaissance, and American Revolution were made possible, then watch this lecture