St. John’s community seminars explore fundamental questions of the human condition through open discussion of great, timeless texts. Moderated by faculty members, called tutors, participants build dialogue together as they share their love of wisdom. No previous knowledge of author, text, or subject is needed. The seminar is exploratory.
Some find their seminars form a small, friendly republic, or seem at their best to be making music together, as if an American jazz improvisation group. Conversation rises to pursue the timeless questions of the good, the true, and the beautiful, inclusive of all views and free from rigidity, dogma, or doctrine.
We offer a range of seminars:
You are invited to join us for as many of these seminars as you wish and as your schedule permits. You need not have a previous connection with St. John’s College, although those who do are wholeheartedly welcome.
Explore a single theme through a variety of readings. Sessions available online and in the Annapolis area.
This winter, read and discuss great books鈥攐nline鈥攏o travel required. Choose from this year鈥檚 catalog of texts or topics. Weeklong daily seminars: January 2鈥�6 and January 9鈥�13, 2023.
Every summer, people from across the country鈥攙arying widely in age, academic and professional backgrounds鈥攇ather in Santa Fe to read and discuss timeless literary, philosophical, and artistic works.
At St. John’s, members of the faculty are called tutors. A tutor opens the seminar conversation by asking a question based on the reading. From then on, the tutor keeps the conversation moving, clarifies issues when necessary, and raises questions helpful to the conversation.
Seminars are made up of 12 to 18 participants, including one or two tutors.
Read the assigned text in advance. No previous knowledge of the subject or author is required. Outside research is not expected. It is your own ideas that are important in the seminar. If you have time to reread the text, you will find that more ideas present themselves and that ideas from your first reading become clearer.
A 75 percent refund is provided should you cancel by the deadline stated for each program and no refund is available after the deadline.
Please see the seminar program page for more details on policies.
Should we need to postpone a seminar, you will be notified by email and the seminar will be rescheduled.
We reserve the right to cancel a seminar due to low enrollment.
Email Community Programs
60 College Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401
