Christendom College Lectures

Author and Professor Dr. Susan Hanssen delivered a lecture examining the history of education in America and Henry Adam’s perception of it. Henry Adams voiced concerned over the choices the nation would face, and spoke of the special importance of young woman in the future of America.

Show Notes

Author and Professor Dr. Susan Hanssen delivered a lecture entitled “Henry Adams on the Sanity or Suicide of America” to the students and faculty of Christendom College on February 27. The lecture examined the history of education in America and Henry Adam’s perception of it.
Henry Adams voiced concerned over the choices the nation would face, and spoke of the special importance of young woman in the future of America.  

Hanssen, an associate professor of history at the University of Dallas, received her doctorate from Rice University in Houston, Texas. She was the 2010-2011 Garwood Fellow at the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, where she prepared her forthcoming book on The Education of Henry Adams and the role of education in maintaining cultural identity in America.

What is Christendom College Lectures?

At Christendom College, we believe education is more than gaining knowledge—it’s about pursuing true wisdom. As a Catholic liberal arts college, our mission is to guide students on the path to Christian wisdom, grounded in the love and contemplation of both natural and divinely revealed truth. This journey doesn’t happen in the classroom alone. Through vibrant campus life, community events, and spiritual opportunities, students are encouraged to cultivate the moral virtues and habits of Christian living. These virtues prepare them to properly order the material and spiritual goods of life, equipping them for a higher purpose. To enrich this formation, the college regularly hosts speakers who inspire and challenge our students to grow in mind, heart, and soul. We invite you to be part of this journey by joining us for these thought-provoking lectures. These talks provide a chance to engage with the ideas shaping our students and to explore how faith and reason together lead to truth. Come listen, learn, and grow with us.