OBU’s Lamppost 2026 Literary Conference is beneficial for anyone teaching the Great Books, whether that be in a school, in a co-op, or in your own home. We want to equip you to share with your students the Truth, Beauty, and Goodness found in the great texts of the Western tradition.

This year’s conference theme is “Take Up and Read” which comes from Augustine’s classic Confessions, a book with much to say about reading. Augustine’s life was dramatically changed when he picked up Paul’s epistle to the Romans in the garden one day, but his life was touched by his reading even before that. Virgil awakened the young Augustine to the beauty of language. Later, Cicero’s Hortensius awakened him to the pursuit of wisdom. Lamppost 2026 will explore the way Great Books can change our lives and shift our priorities.