Yesterday on his blog, John Fea highlighted the chart that sociologist Ryan Burge had generated from the study done by FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) about colleges with the highest percentage of students who had been homeschooled. First, […]
Archives for 2023
LONG FORM: Discharging a Debt
The persisting relevance of Dorothy L. Sayers—and the author’s persisting gratitude
If you were homeschooled, there is a good a chance you attend either Liberty University or Hillsdale College
Here is Ryan Burge, the religion and politics numbers guy, referencing a study at TheFire.org, the website of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression: More from Burge here.
Commonplace Book #283
American theorists sought for some element of fraternity some suggestion of bonds uniting man and man. Yet the Enlightenment doctrines made the object of that search difficult to attain. Reason, conceived as the “servant of the passions,” could not unite […]
Episode 117: “The Idea of Fraternity in America”
What is fraternity? Our guest in this episode of The Way of Improvement Leads Home Podcast, political scientist Susan McWilliams Barndt, discusses her father’s 1973 magnum opus The Idea of Fraternity in America. We talk about the work of Wilson Carey […]
Evangelical roundup for September 25, 2023
What is happening in Evangelical land? 65% of evangelicals in two-adult households donate to charity. Rich Mullins: Evangelical court jester. Russell Moore finds a model in Mitt Romney. The number of evangelicals in Spain is growing. Former Buffalo Bills quaterback […]
The Danger of Making Impeachment a Partisan Tool
Oh, the impeachments that might have been!
Healing stories
There’s an episode of Northern Exposure, when Leonard the shaman comes to town to gather some stories. In his own practice, he often uses “healing stories,” so he wants to know what kinds of stories are in use in Western […]
Sunday night odds and ends
A few things online that caught my attention this week: The academy v. Betty Friedan David French on Trump and the pro-life movement. Will $500 million save local journalism? What is the Crick? Flannery O’Connor’s childhood caretaker. Joe Posnanski: Sportwriter […]
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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 […]