In case you haven’t heard, Pope Francis is in critical condition. I know that there are many people around the world who do not agree with the way Pope Francis has applied his Christian faith to social, cultural, and political […]
Martin Marty, RIP
One of the twentieth-century’s greatest and most prolific American church historians has died. Here is Martin Marty’s obituary: Martin E. Marty (February 5, 1928 – February 25, 2025) Martin Emil Marty (97), religious historian and retired University of Chicago Divinity […]
The Wheaton College-Russell Vought controversy continues with the satirical website, “Faux Wheaton”
Not yet familiar with the Wheaton College-Russell Vought controversy? Check there are links to our coverage here. Check it out here. A taste: To the creators and signatories of For Wheaton: THANK YOU!​ This has been a long time coming. […]
Trump’s revolution of “common sense”
Over at The New York Times, Carlos Lozada brings some historical context to Trump’s view of “common sense.” Here is a small taste: In a recent social-media post, Trump quoted a line attributed to Napoleon (but likely adapted from a 1970 […]
There’s some wild stuff going on right now on conservative evangelical social media
Some MAGA evangelicals are mad at the Philadelphia Eagles: Let’s start off with some facts The Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have not rejected an invitation to the White House. But that did not stop many conservative evangelicals, looking for […]
“By presenting their expertise as part of a political fight, academics were not only squandering their credibility. They were asking to be treated like political adversaries.”
I am not a regular reader of Megan McArdle’s writing, but her recent piece on academia at The Washington Post has a strong ring of truth to it. Here is a taste: The Trump administration is not just trying to […]
“Unbelievable”
Ken Dryden was a great hockey goalie. He was also a Canadian politician. But I will always think of him as the guy in the ABC booth with Al Michaels during US Hockey Team’s win over the Soviet Union in […]
Song of the day
RIP, Roberta Flack
Juan Soto goes yard
Here we go! Let’s Go Mets: More here.
The “Born to Run” conference
Here is the Asbury Park Press: The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in West Long Branch has issued a call for papers and panel abstracts for an academic conference devoted to the “life, work […]
Patrimonialism
Jonathan Roach argues that “patrimonialism” is the “one word that describes Trump.” Here is a taste of his piece at The Atlantic: Even those who expected the worst from his reelection (I among them) expected more rationality. Today, it is […]
Are you reading Orange Blossom Ordinary?
The Orange Blossom Special was a passenger train that ran from Penn Station in New York City to Miami, Florida between 1925 and 1953. Here’s Johnny Cash: Palm Beach Atlantic University historian and Current contributing editor Elizabeth Stice evokes the […]
Sunday night odds and ends
A few things online that caught my attention this week: David Levering Lewis searches for his family history The bulldozer Freedom and prayer Refrigeration Ross Douthat on why he is a Christian Marjoleine Kars reviews Lynn Hunt, The Revolutionary Self: […]
Bernie Sanders heads to the heartland for the “fight oligarchy” tour
So far he has been in Iowa City and Omaha. Here is Julia Conley at Common Dreams: After addressing more than 3,400 Nebraska residents in Omaha Friday evening, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday made his second stop on his National Tour to Fight […]
CURRENT takes Grove City, Pennsylvania by storm!
The gathering was planned several months ago as a Current strategy session. It became a celebration of four years of intellectual labor together. Most of our editorial staff and contributing editors met in Grove City, Pennsylvania this weekend. The occasion […]
The McManis Professor of Christian Thought at Wheaton College responds to recent criticisms of the school
In case you missed it, a Wheaton College graduate took a shot at his alma mater last week in the pages of the conservative journal First Things. We covered it here and here. Today Timothy Larsen, the McManis Professor of […]
David Brooks: “How the Elite rigged Society”
A lot to think about here:
Commonplace Book #344
…truth is holy. It is one of God’s fundamental rules for human community. Without truth the community will fall into chaos and hell, into civil war and international wars. It is only on the basis of unconditional truth, of truth […]
“What would it take for public intellectuals to serve as beacons of understanding rather than mere opinion leaders?”
University of Texas historian Steven Mintz writes: “Imagine a public discourse where intellectuals don’t just take sides but challenge the assumptions underlying each perspective. He asks “what would it take for public intellectuals to serve as beacons of understanding rather […]
Commonplace Book #343
Out of our faith in gold, we build ourselves the golden calf: Mammonism, capitalism, profit economy. And out of our drive toward power and violence and our faith in them, we develop militarism and imperialism. We revere the flag as […]