IN THIS PAPER, we argue that a Christian analysis of The Emperor's Club, a recent movie about a classics teacher at an American prep school, provides insight into why teaching virtue within a distorted historical narrative and tradition can be destructive for both the teacher and the student. It reveals the limits of teaching character within both a classical worldview bound by fate and a modern worldview that exalts individual control. Moreover, for Christian educators who need to place our teaching in our own narrative while also being aware of the corrupting aspects of other narratives, an Augustinian critique of the film reminds us of the need for grace-filled teaching.
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