Refining Rhetoric with Robert Bortins

Hosted by Robert Bortins

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263

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Nov 2026

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Refining Rhetoric with CEO Robert Bortins. A podcast where faith, business, politics, and classical education meet. Join us as we use the Classical tools of rhetoric to seek truth in every arena of life.

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November 4, 2026Episode 23919 min

Jimmy Stewart's WWII Diary: What His Daughter Learned About Her Dad

What was Jimmy Stewart really like when the cameras were off — and what did the star of It's a Wonderful Life carry home from World War II? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Kelly Stewart-Harcourt — Jimmy Stewart's daughter, a Stanford graduate with a PhD in zoology from the University of Cambridge, and executive producer of Jimmy , the new Jimmy Stewart movie starring KJ Apa — to talk about the untold chapter of her father's life. Kelly shares what it was like growing up with a dad who never brought his fame home, and the piece of advice he gave his twin daughters before college: always be nice to people. She opens up about the wartime diary her sister found in his bedside table after his death — revealing a man full of doubt who wondered whether he was joining up only because people expected it, who longed to make his father proud, and who wrote that he felt like an actor pretending to be a soldier as cameras followed him to his induction. She explains why Jimmy doesn't glorify war, how KJ Apa channels her dad without doing an impersonation, and how television, not the box office, made It's a Wonderful Life a Christmas tradition. For homeschool families who love history and film, this is a rare look at courage that walks hand in hand with fear. Jimmy opens in theaters November 6 — it's family friendly, with no swearing — so make a plan to see it opening weekend, bring a veteran, and share this episode with a friend. Watch Jimmy in theaters November 6 — tickets and VetTix donations for veterans Watch the trailer for "Jimmy"

October 28, 2026Episode 23836 min

Why History Needs a Biblical Lens: Dr. Amanda Aucoin, Judson College

Which Christian college can you actually trust with your kids' faith — and with how they understand history? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Amanda Aucoin — history professor at Judson College in Wake Forest, North Carolina, PhD in history from the University of Arkansas specializing in U.S.-Soviet cultural relations, and homeschool mom of four sons — to talk about teaching history through a biblical lens without whitewashing the past. Amanda shares how a Russian history class at Ouachita Baptist University led her to research in the former Communist Party archives in Moscow and the National Archives, and what she saw living in Russia in 1998–99, as the post-Soviet "Wild West" brought new religious openness, corruption, and spiritual bankruptcy — and, later, laws against proselytizing. She explains why a biblical view of human nature lets Christians face history's hardest chapters, from Cold War cultural propaganda to the police battalion in Ordinary Men , and why the gospel is the only panacea for the human condition. She also offers practical tips for homeschool moms raising boys who love history — read-aloud biographies, Liberty's Kids , and historic field trips — previews her Women in Church History course featuring Perpetua, Julian of Norwich, Lottie Moon, and Gladys Aylward, and walks through Judson College's growing majors, house system, experience days, and commitment to keeping tuition low. For parents weighing Christian college options and students who want to understand the times, this conversation is a reminder: God began human history, He will end it, and our task is to obey Him in what's right in front of us. Share it with a family asking which colleges they can trust. Visit Judson College (experience days and overnight visits) 📘 Books mentioned: Ordinary Men and Christian Heroes: Then & Now — Gladys Aylward by Janet and Geoff Benge This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Judson College At Judson College, North Carolina's only four-year accredited confessional Christian institution, we equip passionate students with over 25 majors and exceptional faculty to pursue God's calling in ministry, missions, or the workplace. Experience vibrant community through our unique House System while receiving comprehensive scholarships and special SBC church member discounts to make your divine calling affordable. Ready to answer your calling? Apply to Judson College today and step into God's plan for your life.

October 26, 20263 min

Votes, Not Valentines

Should Christians vote when neither party is popular and the top of the ballot leaves a lot to be desired? In this special episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins makes a short, direct case for why Christians should vote — and why it matters that homeschool families and the classically educated show up this election season. A vote, Robert says, is not a Valentine or a love letter; it's a bet on getting more time. Robert acknowledges the frustration many believers feel with candidates who don't align with all of their values, but argues that staying home simply lets other people decide who governs us. He points down the ballot — judges, county commissioners, state senators, and House and Senate seats — where good candidates are running in every state, and explains why control of the House and Senate will decide whether progress on our biggest issues continues or gets bogged down in hearings. His prediction: this will be a turnout election, decided less by who shows up than by who stays home. The assignment is simple: do the research, make a plan to vote, and bring a friend. Vote your faith, vote your conscience — but whatever you do, go vote. Then share this episode with a friend who's thinking about sitting this one out.

October 21, 2026Episode 23737 min

Why Christians Must Tell Better Stories: Aaron Burns on Jimmy

Everyone knows George Bailey — but almost no one knows the war Jimmy Stewart came home from before he played him. In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Aaron Burns — homeschool graduate, founder of Burns & Co. Entertainment, and producer behind Beyond the Mask , War Room , The Forge , and Sony's The Birthright Outlaw and Legacy Peak — to talk about Jimmy , the new Jimmy Stewart movie starring KJ Apa and made with Stewart's daughter, Kelly. Aaron traces Stewart's path from his 1941 Oscar to being rejected by the Army as too skinny, to commanding B-24 bombing runs with the 8th Air Force — 20 official missions, with a flight log marking 13 planes lost on a single run — and home again with PTSD, until the prayer he cried out on the set of It's a Wonderful Life became his own. He also shares how unstructured homeschool summers spent building a log cabin and shooting short films launched his career, how Stephen Kendrick mentored him on War Room , why Poets' Corner and the original meaning of "propaganda" shape his view of the storyteller's role in culture, and what's next with his film on missionary Hudson Taylor. For Christian homeschool families who love history, film, and faith, this is a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to tell stories worth telling. Catch Jimmy in theaters November 6 for Veterans Day weekend, bring a veteran if you can, and share this episode with a friend. Watch Jimmy in theaters November 6 — tickets and VetTix donations for veterans. Watch the trailer for Jimmy

October 14, 2026Episode 23629 min

Ray Moore on Educated for Liberty and the Fight for Our Kids

Is keeping your kids in public school doing more spiritual damage than you realize? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Ray Moore — founder of the Exodus Mandate Project, retired Army chaplain, and executive producer of the documentary Indoctrination — to make the case that Christian education isn't a preference, it's a biblical mandate. Ray lays out the argument from Deuteronomy 6 and the Great Commission, and takes aim at the "salt and light" defense pastors have long used to justify sending children into government schools. He also previews his new documentary Educated for Liberty — featuring David Barton, Michael Farris, Alex Newman, and Leigh Bortins — and flags new state laws, including one just signed in Connecticut, aimed at clamping down on homeschool freedom. After 40+ years of homeschooling his own family, four homeschooled grandchildren, and three decades running Exodus Mandate, Ray isn't just making an argument — he's reporting from the front lines of a fight he believes will decide whether America's Christian foundation survives another 250 years. Watch Educated for Liberty free, then share it with your pastor. Watch Educated for Liberty (free) Exodus Mandate Project

October 7, 2026Episode 23554 min

Why Christians Should Care About Bitcoin (Jordan Bush)

What if the same currency collapse that gutted Venezuela's middle class is already unfolding, more slowly, in the United States? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins talks with Jordan Bush — founder of Thank God for Bitcoin and head of development for TGFB Initiatives at Brilliance Labs — about the biblical case for sound money and why Christians can no longer treat currency as a morally neutral, "just politics" issue. Jordan draws on his seven years as a church-planting missionary in Uruguay, where he watched Venezuelan refugees lose everything to hyperinflation, to explain what fiat currency actually is, why every historically great civilization was built on scarce money, and how currency debasement quietly functions as a tax on the poor and a subsidy for debt-driven governments — including our own $41+ trillion in U.S. debt. He also unpacks his books Thank God for Bitcoin , The Orange Umbrella , and The Gospel According to Bitcoin , and makes the case for Bitcoin as one practical, Christian response to a broken monetary system. This isn't a get-rich-quick pitch — it's a call to think biblically about money, debt, and stewardship in a culture running on borrowed time. 📘 Get Thank God for Bitcoin (2nd edition, hardcover/softcover) 📘 The Orange Umbrella — a Bitcoin book that never says "Bitcoin" 📘 The Gospel According to Bitcoin 🎟️ TGFB Conference (Nashville, next July) 💛 Support Brilliance Labs' Christian nonprofit work (tax-deductible) This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by HSLDA Homeschooling gives you the freedom to direct your child's education and tailor it to their unique needs and abilities. At HSLDA, we passionately advocate for your right to homeschool and provide unwavering support along the way. From personalized legal support for your family to exclusive articles, webinars, and downloads, plus discounts from major companies, HSLDA is there to help you with every step of the journey. Learn more about joining HSLDA. * *CC family members can save $15 off their annual membership. Find your HSLDA discount code on the CC Member Advantage list in CC Connected.

September 30, 2026Episode 23437 min

Tim Knotts on Corruption, Taxes & the Fight for Homeschool Freedom in Connecticut

Connecticut just made history — becoming the first state in over 70 years to make homeschooling harder, despite 98.5% of public testimony opposing the bill. In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins talks with Timothy Knotts, director of Classical Conversations' Challenge Development Program, homeschool dad of four, lawyer, and longtime Windsor, CT resident, about what actually happened with that law — and why he decided to do something about it. Tim shares why he's now running for Connecticut's 2nd Senate District on a platform of local control, affordability, parental rights in education, and government transparency. He digs into the culture of waste and corruption in Hartford (including a former state budget official who fled to Greece after a bribery conviction), Connecticut's sky-high tax burden, and why he became the first Republican in over 20 years to qualify for the state's Citizen Election Program in his district. He also gets honest about running as an underdog in one of the bluest districts in the country — and why he's doing it anyway. Whether you're a homeschool family watching your own state's legislature, or just want to see what it looks like when someone decides to stop complaining and actually run, this conversation is a reminder that showing up for what's right matters — win or lose. Tune in, and if you're in Connecticut, find out how you can help. Tim Knotts for Senate website: https://timknottsforsenate.com/ This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Classical Conversations Plus Online Learning Seminars "CC Dads" is a 6-week online seminar exploring how fathers can take an active role, whether or not they are the main homeschool teacher in their home. Facilitated by Joseph Tokar, a homeschool dad who encourages fathers to be present as leaders, supporters, and encouragers in their God-given role, this seminar walks through six sessions grounded in Scripture on encouraging mothers, teaching sons and daughters, and finding a father's place in the classical education his family is already living out. To learn more about the CC Plus Online Learning Seminars or to begin your journey of pursuing your next season of learning, go to https://ccnetwork.app/OnlineLearningSeminars and register today. Courses begin October 1, 2026.

September 23, 2026Episode 23331 min

Homeschool Entrepreneur Jacob Kite on Faith, Tech & Truth

He was selling Christmas albums before he could drive — now he's building a blockchain-powered alternative to Instagram. In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Classical Conversations graduate and entrepreneur Jacob Kite to talk about faith, freedom, and building companies in a culture that's lost its bearings. Jacob walks through his winding entrepreneurial path — from a childhood Christmas album that funded his first "aha" moment at a CC Entrepreneur Day, to city youth councils, to studying stocks and crypto at 14. He unpacks his two current ventures: Activitree, a new-age social platform built on blockchain and AI meant to break Big Tech's monopoly on content, creators, and manipulation; and Pocket Truth AI, an app designed to put the Constitution and Bill of Rights literally in young people's pockets so they know their rights before they ever need them. Along the way, he opens up about lawsuits, cofounder fallouts, and what he calls "eating glass and staring into an abyss" — and how his classical Christian homeschool education gave him the confidence and the mental toolkit to keep building anyway. Whether you're a homeschool parent wondering what classical education actually prepares kids for, or you just want to hear a 19-year-old talk about taking on Big Tech with a Bible in one hand and a business plan in the other — this conversation delivers. Tune in for a look at what it means to build with purpose in a post-truth world. Connect with Jacob Kite (all platforms + projects): https://jacobgkite.com/ This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by the 2027 CC Family Cruise featuring the National Memory Master Competition, the National Number Knockout Competition, & the National Commencement. The CC Family Cruise is setting sail May 2-8th, 2027, departing from Galveston, Texas, and your whole family is invited! Onboard, you can enjoy CC Signature events and exclusive perks like group dining, merchandise, events, onboard credit, and time with Leigh and Robert Bortins. Space is filling up quickly, so visit classicalconversations.com/cruise to start your booking today!

September 16, 2026Episode 23236 min

How One Homeschool Dad Built a Christian College in Oxford

Timothy Edwards spent nine years teaching in Idaho, taught himself out of the UK's university system entirely, and then went and built his own Christian college a stone's throw from Oxford. What could go wrong? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins sits down with Dr. Timothy Edwards — founder and first principal of Selden College, a new classical Christian liberal arts college in Oxford, England. Timothy holds a PhD from Oxford, an MA from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and spent nine years as Dean and Fellow of Theology at New St. Andrews College in Idaho before moving home to plant something new. He and Robert trace his path from a PE-teacher-in-training's senior thesis on Britain's burgeoning Christian school movement, to homeschooling his own six children, to finally founding Selden — and why he built it to bypass the UK's A-level system entirely in favor of a bespoke entrance exam and interview. The conversation gets into the details that make this more than an origin story: why Selden's first cohort spent two weeks walking the actual sites of biblical Israel as part of their coursework, and why Hebrew — a language built on ambiguity rather than rigid grammatical forms — changes the way you encounter Scripture compared to reading it in translation. Timothy also makes the case that Christian higher education isn't just a shelter from a hostile culture but a good in its own right, worth building for its own sake. For homeschool families wondering what a genuinely classical, Christian college pathway looks like — and what it could mean for programs like Classical Conversations that run all the way to 18 — this one's worth the full listen. Give it a listen and see what it takes to build something lasting out of nothing but conviction and prayer. Learn more about Selden College: https://seldencollege.org This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by Samaritan's Purse — Operation Christmas Child. The mission of Operation Christmas Child is to demonstrate God's love in a tangible way to children in need around the world. Your homeschool community can be part of this global mission by packing gift-filled shoeboxes full of quality toys, school supplies, and personal care items that are sent to children in over 100 countries. Through this project, Samaritan's Purse partners with the local church worldwide to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make disciples of the nations. Make Operation Christmas Child part of your school year leading up to National Collection Week, November 16–23. Learn more about how you can join this ministry at https://samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

September 9, 2026Episode 23136 min

Originalism, Religious Freedom & AI: Abraham Hamilton III

What does the Bible have to do with how judges read the Constitution — and why should Christian parents be worried about AI chatbots raising their kids? In this episode of Refining Rhetoric , host Robert Bortins talks with Abraham Hamilton III — lawyer, homeschool dad of six, and General Counsel for the American Family Association — about biblical hermeneutics, constitutional originalism, and the fight for religious freedom in America. Abe unpacks why the Founders expected lawyers to understand Scripture, how the "living Constitution" mindset severed law from its original meaning, and what Europe's collapse into censorship should warn American Christians about. He also gets personal — sharing why Ephesians 6:4 convicted him and his wife to start homeschooling 15 years ago, and how AFA is pushing back on AI's growing influence over kids. Whether you're wrestling with how faith should inform civic life or just want a homeschool dad's take on keeping your kids safe online, this conversation is packed with conviction, clarity, and a challenge to be wise, not woke. Follow Abraham Hamilton III: @HamiltonCorner (X, Instagram, Facebook) Listen to The Hamilton Corner podcast: wherever you get your podcasts Watch on AFA Streaming: https://www.afa.net/ American Family Radio: https://www.afr.net/