Click that red MEMBERSHIP button:
Archives for September 2023
Commonplace Book #282
The Revolution of 1689 put matters on a different basis. James II had been New England’s unambiguous foe, an enemy to provincial autonomy and a Roman Catholic. Pardonably, the clergy could not resist the temptation to regard the Glorious Revolution […]
Should Wheaton College have expunged the name of its third president from the campus library?
Last week we called your attention to Wheaton College’s 122-page report on its history of race. In response to the findings of that report, Wheaton College announced that it would be changing the name of its library. It is no […]
What is going on at Westmont College?
Soong-Chan Rah is the Robert Munger Professor of Evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical seminary in Pasadena, California. Here is a recent post from his Substack page: Despite all the craziness in the Evangelical world, I have retained my […]
Jemar Tisby responds to Boston University’s investigation of Ibram X. Kendi’s antiracist center
I am not sure if Jemar Tisby will like this comparison, but I think it is fair to say that most evangelicals see him–for good or for bad–as the Christian version of Ibram X. Kendi. Kendi wrote Stamped from the […]
Commonplace book #281
Americans, especially young Americans, cannot find their country in the land about them. Often, in fact, they cannot find the land, hidden as it is by the cancer-growth of concrete and the slow poisoning of air and water. Wealth accumulates, […]
Ibram X. Kendi responds to Boston University’s investigation into his antiracist center
Get up to speed here. Here is Abby Patkin at Boston.Com: Following news of mass layoffs and an official inquiry into Ibram X. Kendi’s Center for Antiracist Research at Boston University, the famed author is pushing back on allegations of mismanagement from current […]
A blessing of unicorns: Higher ed, Homeric deodorant, competitive sleeping, and the peace of an uncluttered room
Many unicorns band together to form a blessing for your Saturday. In a nod to the conclusion of Current’s two-week forum on higher education, there are more recommendations on this topic than usual. But first, Homeric deodorant… *** Giving every […]
Hamline University’s president is rebuked for an “inaccurate” and “harmful” approach to academic freedom. She responds by inviting Eric Dyson and Robin DiAngelo to campus.
I think they call this “doubling down.” Here is Mark Berkson at The Chronicle of Higher Education: On September 12, Hamline University held a forum on academic freedom. The forum was presented as a response to the incident that occurred last year […]
Old television clip of the day
This video is for the senator of my home state:
Who auditioned for A League of Their Own?
A League of Their Own is one of my favorite baseball movies. I’ve watched it dozens of time–mostly with my daughters. “Marla Hooch–what a hitter!”: If I get some free time I want to read Erin Carlson’s NO CRYING IN […]
Republicans are not the only people getting indicted
He allegedly took bribes in gold bars. Here is The New York Times: Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey has been charged in a federal corruption indictment, the authorities said on Friday. The indictment against Mr. Menendez, a 69-year-old Democrat […]
Can they impeach Joe Biden for being a “sex symbol”?
Here is Heidi Przybla at Politico: House Oversight Chair James Comer, who is investigating President Joe Biden for what Republicans call potentially impeachable offenses, was given unrestricted access Thursday to a batch of his emails from his time as vice […]
Yascha Mounk on identity politics
Mounk, a defender of liberal values and a political scientist at Johns Hopkins, is the author of Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time. Jonathan Kay interviews him at Quilette. Here is a taste: Jonathan Kay: […]
Tim Scott to autoworkers: “You strike, you’re fired”
Tim Scott is trying to invoke the ghost of Ronald Reagan. But the United Auto Workers are having none of it. Here is Daniel Boguslaw at Intercept: AFTER INVOKING THE legacy of Ronald Reagan to suggest that striking United Auto Workers members should […]
What is popular this week at Current?
Here are the most popular features of the week at Current: Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home blog: Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Arena blog:
The pumpkinification of autumn: recipes edition
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the pumpkinification of autumn—this annual season, peculiar to the United States, that lasts precisely from midnight on September 1st to approximately sunset on Thanksgiving Day, and that requires pumpkin (or, at least, […]
What I Didn’t Know About School Shootings
Six months after Nashville, a follow-up report
Song of the day
NT Wright on the difference between “hope” and “optimism”
Back when Barack Obama was running as the candidate of “hope and change” he was really running as the candidate of “optimism.” Here New Testament scholar NT Wright: