Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this inspiring Homeschool Conversations episode, I sit down with award-winning author, professor, and speaker Dr. Carolyn Weber (best known for her memoir Surprised by Oxford) to explore how stories shape our hearts, minds, and faith.
Dr. Weber shares her personal journey from a childhood surrounded by books and storytelling, to becoming a voracious reader and later encountering Christ while studying at Oxford University. She explains how reading the Bible from cover to cove (initially for its literary value alone) unexpectedly transformed her life and reshaped her understanding of all literature.
We cover:
- How family storytelling and access to books cultivate a lifelong love for reading.
- Why the Bible is both the greatest work of literature and the living Word of God.
- Practical advice for approaching any new book with patience, humility, and openness.
- Encouragement for homeschool parents to model a reading life and inspire curiosity.
- Why joy is contagious in education, and how to make literature relevant to your children’s lives.
- The value of reading representative texts from different historical periods to understand the “conversation” between authors over time.
- Dr. Weber’s critique of rigid perfect book lists and her call to read “with a flame, not a fire hose.”
- How writing a memoir for God changed her as deeply as reading has.
- Her top tip for turning around a homeschool day: go outside and reconnect through nature.
Throughout this rich discussion, Dr. Weber weaves in memorable stories, from reading Jane Eyre by foghorn light to seeing her own teenage sons enjoy Jane Eyre and survival tales in their own unique ways. She also offers examples of books that shaped her and advice for readers looking to reclaim their own literary life.
Whether you are a homeschooling parent, an educator, or simply someone who loves great books and deep conversation, this interview will encourage you to read with patience, humility, and delight...and to see literature as part of a greater story that points us to God.
📚 If you’re looking for encouragement to raise readers, deepen your faith through literature, and approach the great books with joy rather than pressure—this conversation is for you.
🔔 Subscribe for more interviews and homeschooling inspiration.
📖 Find show notes at humilityanddoxology.com/faith-story-literary-life-carolyn-weber
Thank you to Podcast Season Sponsor Berean Builders. Click here for homeschool science your kids will love: bereanbuilders.com/ecomm
While you’re here, would you take a minute to leave a rating and review in your podcast app? Send me a screenshot of your review and I’ll send you a $15 gift certificate to my shop! Just email me your review screenshot at Amy@HumilityandDoxology.com
Join Made2Homeschool for exclusive content and community: HumilityandDoxology.com/M2H made2homeschool.com/a/2147529243/KNcPGL3t
FREE Homeschool Planner Calendar: humilityanddoxology.com/free-homeschool-planner-calendar
FREE Homeschool Planning Guide: humilityanddoxology.com/homeschool-planning-guide
Year of Memory Work: humilityanddoxology.com/year-of-memory-work
Follow Humility and Doxology Online:
Blog humilityanddoxology.com/
Facebook facebook.com/HumilityAndDoxology
Instagram instagram.com/humilityanddoxology
YouTube: YouTube.com/humilityanddoxology
Amy’s Favorites: humilityanddoxology.com/favorites
#homeschooling #classicaleducation #homeschoolpodcast #literarylife
This podcast and description contains affiliate links.
Carolyn Weber interview, Surprised by Oxford, reading the Bible as literature, homeschooling encouragement, raising readers, faith and literature, Christian homeschool, great books, classical education, Christian reading life
In this inspiring Homeschool Conversations episode, I sit down with award-winning author, professor, and speaker Dr. Carolyn Weber (best known for her memoir Surprised by Oxford) to explore how stories shape our hearts, minds, and faith.
Dr. Weber shares her personal journey from a childhood surrounded by books and storytelling, to becoming a voracious reader and later encountering Christ while studying at Oxford University. She explains how reading the Bible from cover to cove (initially for its literary value alone) unexpectedly transformed her life and reshaped her understanding of all literature.
We cover:
- How family storytelling and access to books cultivate a lifelong love for reading.
- Why the Bible is both the greatest work of literature and the living Word of God.
- Practical advice for approaching any new book with patience, humility, and openness.
- Encouragement for homeschool parents to model a reading life and inspire curiosity.
- Why joy is contagious in education, and how to make literature relevant to your children’s lives.
- The value of reading representative texts from different historical periods to understand the “conversation” between authors over time.
- Dr. Weber’s critique of rigid perfect book lists and her call to read “with a flame, not a fire hose.”
- How writing a memoir for God changed her as deeply as reading has.
- Her top tip for turning around a homeschool day: go outside and reconnect through nature.
Throughout this rich discussion, Dr. Weber weaves in memorable stories, from reading Jane Eyre by foghorn light to seeing her own teenage sons enjoy Jane Eyre and survival tales in their own unique ways. She also offers examples of books that shaped her and advice for readers looking to reclaim their own literary life.
Whether you are a homeschooling parent, an educator, or simply someone who loves great books and deep conversation, this interview will encourage you to read with patience, humility, and delight...and to see literature as part of a greater story that points us to God.
📚 If you’re looking for encouragement to raise readers, deepen your faith through literature, and approach the great books with joy rather than pressure—this conversation is for you.
🔔 Subscribe for more interviews and homeschooling inspiration.
📖 Find show notes at humilityanddoxology.com/faith-story-literary-life-carolyn-weber
Thank you to Podcast Season Sponsor Berean Builders. Click here for homeschool science your kids will love: bereanbuilders.com/ecomm
While you’re here, would you take a minute to leave a rating and review in your podcast app? Send me a screenshot of your review and I’ll send you a $15 gift certificate to my shop! Just email me your review screenshot at Amy@HumilityandDoxology.com
Join Made2Homeschool for exclusive content and community: HumilityandDoxology.com/M2H made2homeschool.com/a/2147529243/KNcPGL3t
FREE Homeschool Planner Calendar: humilityanddoxology.com/free-homeschool-planner-calendar
FREE Homeschool Planning Guide: humilityanddoxology.com/homeschool-planning-guide
Year of Memory Work: humilityanddoxology.com/year-of-memory-work
Follow Humility and Doxology Online:
Blog humilityanddoxology.com/
Facebook facebook.com/HumilityAndDoxology
Instagram instagram.com/humilityanddoxology
YouTube: YouTube.com/humilityanddoxology
Amy’s Favorites: humilityanddoxology.com/favorites
#homeschooling #classicaleducation #homeschoolpodcast #literarylife
This podcast and description contains affiliate links.
Carolyn Weber interview, Surprised by Oxford, reading the Bible as literature, homeschooling encouragement, raising readers, faith and literature, Christian homeschool, great books, classical education, Christian reading life
