Dr. Grant Horner, professor of English and director of the classical liberal arts program at The Master’s University, spoke on the life and works of cornerstone English poet John Milton in a recent webinar.

During the talk, which was hosted by an organization called Classical Learning Test, Horner reviewed select works of Milton’s, such as “Sonnet 19,” “Areopagitica,” and “Paradise Lost.” Throughout, Horner offered tastes of why Milton’s work continues to have such a powerful legacy.

“Over the years, I began to appreciate Milton more and more, and I’ve now built a large part of my scholarly career over him,” Horner said by way of introduction. “So I’m going to give you a little bit of background about who Milton is and try — to use Milton’s words — to frame you with the study of learning. I want you to be on fire about this great, magnificent, Christian, theological, Puritan poet. I want you to be as excited about him as I am.”

Horner is TMU’s resident expert on Milton, having studied his life and context extensively and written a book on the author titled “John Milton, Classical Learning, and the Progress of Virtue.” Horner also teaches a course on Milton in TMU’s English department.

Classical Learning Test, which invited Horner to speak, is an organization that designs educational assessments according to principles of classical education.

To learn more about classical liberal arts at TMU, visit the program’s homepage.