The Love of Learning is an open invitation to a lively conversation on the nature and practice of the liberal arts. Artfully facilitated by Margarita A. Mooney and inspired by the personal and practical experiences of its interlocutors, the book explores the key figures and ideas which have lent shape and substance to the liberal arts tradition. In these seven dialogues, Mooney speaks with: Robert P. George on the importance of tradition in education; William Damon on the place of moral exemplars in the development of a transformative pedagogy; Elizabeth Corey on the holistic foundations of a liberal arts education; Timothy P. O’Malley on the contemplative aspect of experiential education; Carlo Lancellotti on the influence of the Benedictine tradition on scientific inquiry; George Harne on the proper incorporation of the fine arts and worship into a curriculum; and Roosevelt Montás on the transcendent nature of the Great Books. An enriching, enlivening read, The Love of Learning testifies to the enduring power of a liberal arts education and its capacity to make its students more human and civilization more humane. "The impediments to a liberating education in our day and age are many, but Margarita Mooney has recast our challenges as tremendous opportunities for a revival of a genuinely humanizing education. The Love of Learning is not merely a case for restoration; it is a deeply enriching exemplification of what such a restoration looks like. Through engaging dialogue and serious and civil reflections on timely and timeless questions, Mooney and her impressive collection of collaborators provide a rich and lasting feast for those involved already in the work of reviving liberal education, as well as an appealing invitation for all others to join us in such efforts." -Jonathan J. Sanford, President, University of Dallas "As a long-time advocate and practitioner of liberal arts education, I believe that liberal learning is in essence about cultivating a conversation with the great books and with other learners. Presented as a series of pedagogical dialogues between scholars, this book is not merely a conversation about the liberal arts, it exemplifies the liberal arts as conversation. The book also exemplifies that one can never exhaust the list of great books--I ordered several new books I learned about from these dialogues. The book's study questions and guides for further reading will be useful to students and educators at all levels as well as life-long learners of many backgrounds." -James Bernard Murphy, Professor of Government, Dartmouth College "Margarita Mooney has given readers a great gift in this series of dialogues. They have the potential to stir a new or renewed desire for learning, give sage counsel about pursuing a liberal education (no matter whether one is in school or not), and model the sorts of conversations that ideally are both a part and a fruit of such an education. Moreover, the book is not just a dialogue between Mooney and her interlocuters or between the reader and the contributors; the volume magnanimously engages with thinkers and theories that stand against the liberal arts tradition, taking them seriously in a refreshing manner that allows for frank rejection of errors without rancor and assimilation of insights with gratitude." -Benjamin V. Beier, Associate Professor of Education, Hillsdale College "In response to our polarized era, Margarita Mooney leads us through a series of foundational debates about the human condition, which frame the importance of a liberal arts education in new ways. To be clear, these are debates, and the civil, erudite discussions outlined in The Love of Learning, provide us with the comforting sense that we can, indeed, deliberate these issues intelligently and in good faith." -Pete Peterson, Dean, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University "Two of the most important things in life are never ceasing to learn and finding out how to pass on to others the most important things you've learned. Through highly engaging dialogues with some of our age's best teachers, Margarita Mooney's new book inspires and informs us how to do both with enthusiasm and effectiveness." -Father Roger J. Landry, Catholic Priest and Author "A deeply encouraging and accessible book that explains why the liberal arts are vital for genuine education, and why studying them is not only invaluable, but fun!" -Eric Metaxas, #1 New York Times bestselling author and host of the nationally syndicated Eric Metaxas Radio Show Margarita A. Mooney is an Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring meaning and purpose in education through the classical liberal arts. Her articles have appeared in such outlets as First Things , Scientific American , Hedgehog Review , Real Clear Policy , Public Discourse , Church Life Journal , and The Chronic