Honestly, Why Should I Listen to This Book?
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May 23, 2025
Category: Announcements
Let's be honest: if I plopped a pile of books in front of you and invited you to choose one to read, you probably wouldn't choose one with an arcane subject like "philosophy," even if it was preceded by the word "consolation." I mean, eight syllables for just two words? And the author is definitely not a 20th-century American: Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius. Your brain may have sprained its ankle already, just reading that!
So when we at Biblearc say to you, "Please read this book," even before you crack open its pages, we have a lot of obstacles to overcome! But we strongly believe that you should read this book, and that your heart will be warmed by this book. Here are three reasons why you should click on this link and embark on a journey of studying suffering, satisfaction, and God's sovereignty with me.
1. Because it is one of the most influential books in history
If I had a time machine, and I invited you to step inside and go wherever you wanted to in the past, and you chose any European country from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, you could ask any educated person about this book and see their eyes light up. Lady Philosophy was a beloved mentor to millions, helping them wrestle with perennial human problems and understand God's truth. She helped form generation after generation of the Western world into a biblical shape. But modern culture's ignorance of her basic teachings about God, ourselves, and happiness has deformed us into emotional and spiritual cripples. She has a cure for our ennui, if we will only listen.
2. Because it can be difficult to read on your own
Reading an old book like this on your own can be like embarking on a 10-mile hike, mostly uphill. And you've forgotten your water bottle. And your phone, with the map on it, just died. But an experienced guide can help you get all the way to the glorious view at the end!
Our audiobook of the Consolation is a modernization of a good but antiquated translation. We tried to remove as many obstacles to understanding in the text itself as possible. But there are still steep sections, and for that, we've recorded 10 discussions of the text: two pastors helping you understand what the text means, and why it matters for us today.
You can also take our self-paced course on the Consolation, with even more helps, personal interaction with a coach, and video clips from previous class discussions.
3. Because it is easier to read than you think
I know, I know—I just said that this book can be difficult! But the thing about the greatest books is that they are great because they are widely loved—not just by bespectacled, withered academics sitting in drafty towers, but by laborers turning pages with calloused hands. C.S. Lewis said that it is much more enjoyable to read Plato than to read a commentary on Plato, and he was exactly right. I would echo his words and point to the Consolation as an example: reading it is much easier, and more enjoyable, than reading a commentary on it. This book had the impact it did because it confidently addressed vital, practical issues of life. It gave thoughtful, joy-producing answers to the everyday men and women who read it. And it has done so for 1,500 years!
Now that you're convinced, click on this link and make your way over to our Apple Podcast page, or our Spotify page, or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. We'll be releasing the five sections of this book one week at a time, starting on June 1. You'll have plenty of time to listen while you're driving the family across the country on your summer vacation! Why not listen to something different?