Veritatis Splendor
Our Speakers Series will return in the 2025-26 school with six new speakers.
Mr. James McCrery II
Renewing the Classical Tradition: Architecture as Cultural Recovery
Tuesday, January 27, 2026 in the Summit Park Gymnasium
Renewing the Classical Tradition: Architecture as Cultural Recovery
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What does is mean to “build classically” in the modern world?
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How does architecture embody and transmit culture?
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In what sense can architecture contribute to cultural renewal?
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How does a classical building support the moral and intellectual formation of students?
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What responsibilities come with building in the classical tradition today?
About the Speaker
James McCrery II is the founder and principal of McCrery Architects and an internationally recognized leader in classical and traditional architecture. Mr. McCrery earned his Master of Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Architecture degrees from the Ohio State University. Mr. McCrery is a member of the American Institute of Architects, a founding board member of the National Civic Art Society, and a past president of the Society for Catholic Liturgy. He is also serving as one of the seven members of the United States Commission of Fine Arts and has recently been appointed by the President as lead architect for the new White House State Ballroom. His work reflects a deep commitment to beauty, tradition, and the enduring principles of the classical architectural canon. Learn more about Mr. McCrery and McCrery Architects here.
About the Veritatis Splendor Speakers Series
Through the Veritatis Splendor Speakers Series (Latin for “Splendor of Truth”), CLASSICAL will be inviting nationally recognized speakers to address thought-provoking topics related to our mission of promoting moral character and civic virtue through a content-rich education in the classical liberal arts and sciences. The aim of the speaker series is not merely to deepen the knowledge and involvement of CLASSICAL’s immediate school community, but also to educate and engage the community at large.
2025-26 Veritatis Splendor Speakers
September 30, 2025 – Dr. Stephen Smith
Previous Veritatis Splendor Speakers
Christopher Rufo – Restoring Integrity to Public Education
Dr. Wilfred McClay – Recovering the Great American Story
Dr. Jordan Wales – Artificial Intelligence, the Human Person, and Education
Dr. Dwight Lindley – A Christmas Carol to Re-Enchant the World
Dr. David Whalen – Character and Virtue: Learning to Love What’s Right
Dr. Stephen Smith – Love and Fire: Education of Soul in Dante’s Divine Comedy
Dr. Leonard Sax – Tik Tok Ate My Daughter, and My Son Won’t Stop Playing Video Games
Dr. Larry Arnn – The Renaissance of American Classical Education
Dr. Jeffrey Lehman – Quadrivial Pursuits: Why Classical Education Needs the Quadrivium
Dr. Stephen Smith – Why Everyone Should Study Shakespeare
Mr. Andrew Zwerneman – The Confidence of Culture: Seeing What the West Frees us to See
Mr. Patrick Whalen – The Role of the Body in Education
Dr. Daniel Coupland – Education and the Cultivation of the Moral Imagination
Mr. Antonin Scalia – What My Grandfather Taught Me About the Constitution
Location: Summit Park Symposium Room –10200 Reed Hartman Hwy, Cincinnati, OH 45242