(Recorded Course) The Path to Rome by Hilaire Belloc with Joseph Pearce

Join Professor Pearce and author Hilaire Belloc on the contemplative pilgrimage and voyage of discovery found in “The Path of Rome”. In its pages you will find the Europe of the Faith which was, and is, the heart of Christendom.

How to get the most out of The Path to Rome by Hilaire Belloc with Joseph Pearce:

  • First, read the course materials below before the first class meeting.

  • Then have a notebook ready and available for class notes each live session.

  • Read assignments before class meetings

  • Watch that week’s recording if you need to revisit information from our live session.

  • Do the assignments, quizzes, and any extra work assigned for that week.

  • Once the course is completed to the parent's and professor’s satisfaction, there is a Certificate of Completion at the end to be filled in for your records.

Total classes: 6

Duration: 55 minutes per class

Prerequisite: The ability to engage with the course text.

Suggested grade level: 9th to 12th grade

Suggested credit: ½ semester Literature or Theology

Instructor: Joseph Pearce

Instructor Email: joseph.pearce@augustineinstitute.org 

Course description: Hilaire Belloc is one of the most important authors of the 20th century. Professor Pearce will lead the class through the text of Belloc’s classic work, The Path to Rome. Students will follow in the footsteps of the author on his pilgrimage to Rome, on foot through Europe at the turn of the 20th century. G.K. Chesterton wrote, "The Path to Rome is the product of the actual and genuine buoyancy and thoughtfulness of a rich intellect.... He will be a lucky man who can escape from that world of freezing folly into the flaming and reverberating folly of The Path to Rome."

Course outline:

Week 1 – Introduction and Pages 1-80

Week 2 – Pages 81-160

Week 3 – Pages 161-240

Week 4 – Pages 241-320

Week 5 – Pages 321-400

Week 6 – Pages 401-448

Course materials: The Path to Rome by Hilaire Belloc (Ignatius Press) ISBN number: 978-0898709209 (https://www.ignatius.com/The-Path-to-Rome-P3283.aspx)

Homework: Read the assigned work before each class (see the course outline). Review and take the weekly quiz. Quizzes are auto-graded by the computer for immediate feedback. Expect to spend approximately 2 hours per week outside of class on coursework.