Liberty University English Programs

10/06/2026

09/30/2026

"Professor Song (Joseph) Cho's article on the theme of the Promised Land in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird has just been accepted for publication in the journal ANQ: A Quarterly Journal of Short Articles, Notes, and Reviews (Routledge)."

09/24/2026

And thou, Melkor, shalt see that no theme may be played that hath not its uttermost source in me... he that attempteth this shall prove but mine instrument in the devising of things more wonderful, which he himself hath not imagined.
—Eru Iluvatar, The Silmarillion.

The Silmarillion is J. R. R. Tolkien’s story of how Middle-earth, the setting for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, came into being and of the great legends often alluded to in his other works. In it, we see Eru Iluvatar create Middle-earth with song in concert with the angels, here called the Ainur. Melkor tries to weave in his own theme, which is in discord with Iluvatar’s. It is after this moment that the above quote is spoken.

The entirety of the book hinges on the result of Melkor’s rebellion. Melkor, soon to be Morgoth, has sought the way of pride, and it results in all the sorrows of the world, for he is ever against Iluvatar and his designs, but always he fails and is brought to ruin. Nevertheless, he causes much sorrow along the way, but the sorrow is not the end of the matter. The Silmarillion is told as if from the mouth of a bard in Middle-earth telling the great epics of the past, and in those epics is joy and meaning born of the deeds in the midst of sorrow. In the end, Melkor’s rebellion adds to the beauty and splendor of Middle-earth, and as he is clearly Satan, the same may be said for our world.

09/21/2026

What a wonderful CFAW weekend!

The Department of Humanities-English, History, and Modern Languages-was delighted to meet so many prospective students and their families during College for a Weekend!

We enjoyed getting to know future Flames, sharing more about our programs, answering questions, and giving students a glimpse into the opportunities waiting for them at Liberty University.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by, connected with our faculty and staff, and spent part of your CFAW experience with the Department of Humanities. We loved meeting you and hope to see many of you again as future Flames!

English • History • Modern Languages
Department of Humanities | Liberty University

09/17/2026

What is really original about all of this — and this really is your own exclusive property, much to my horror — is that you condone the shedding of blood on the grounds of conscience.
— Dmitri Prokofich Razumikhin, Crime and Punishment, pg. 313.

Conscience runs like blood all the way through the body of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel Crime and Punishment. It is the impetus for axing an old pawnbroker to death, and it is that which draws a confession from the murderer. Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov is but a poor former student who murders a bitter, spiteful old woman ostensibly for her money, but it is not as simple as that. The novel is a murder mystery carried not by the question ‘whodunnit?’ but ‘whydunnit?’ As Raskolnikov himself does not seem to know the answer, it has been the subject of much literary interpretation, but conscience is undoubtedly part of the reason.

Raskolnikov grew bitter with his crushing poverty, grew bitter with the injustice he saw everywhere, and deemed he must take action against it. He sought to see if he dared to take a step to better man by stepping over the co**se of a rich pawnbroker for her money so he might use it to do good. All throughout the novel, the times Raskolnikov grows the most bitter are when he is the most helpless, and his best deeds are always in providing for others. He wants to provide for others; he wants to make things better, and he wishes to have the power to do so. His conscience was warped and twisted to fit his pride and desire to be lord, master, and provider to all people, and his inability to be that man ate at him until he fell and sought the means to become what he deemed he must be. He fell and committed the sin of Satan, the sin of pride, and he found himself utterly unequal to the consequences. The conscience which had been abused to drive him to the deed now rent his mind asunder for having done it. In the end, he became yet more helpless and servile until he repented and suffered the Punishment of his Crime.

07/15/2026

Congratulations to Dr. Joseph Cho! His article titled "Allusions to John the Baptist in Willa Cather's O Pioneers!" has been accepted for publication in the journal Willa Cather Review. It is scheduled to appear later this year.

06/09/2026

Modern Grammar is a course that emphasizes the nature, structure, and modifications of the English language, with an emphasis on traditional, structural, and generative-transformational grammars. Join the waitlist for this Fall 2026 residential course with Dr. Bruce Bell!

06/08/2026

This residential course, taught by Dr. Dow, is a survey of English Literature from its beginning to 1660. Works studied include Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Othello, The Canterbury Tales, and more. Additionally, this course will focus on integrating theoretical and applied knowledge within the context of a Christian worldview. Register now for Fall 2026!

05/26/2026

Congratulations and THANK YOU to Mrs. Carolyn Towles for 48 years of service to Liberty University! 🔥💙❤️💙

05/20/2026

Interested in writing that motivates and inspires? This course focuses on the structure and purpose of inspirational writing and gives students hands‑on experience creating their own impactful work. Register for this course today with Mrs. Tankersley!