Not sure what to get the kids you know and/or parent for Christmas this year? This gift guide is for you!
The Arena
A grim anniversary: John Brown’s execution
Brown’s legacy is complicated, to say the least. Men of the time who whole-heartedly approved his hanging just as sincerely revered his memory.
Useful fiction, practical literature?
War and literature weren’t only paired in the past, they co-exist in the present and may even be presently collaborating for the future.
A Blessing of Unicorns: a weekly roundup
This week’s links roundup from the Arena blog at Current features the contest for Latin word of the year, Advent, and the many tragedies of war.
Henry Kissinger: a lover of power and stability
Kissinger believed in only two things: power and stability. In his view, they were both intertwined.
An ode to soup
There is nothing simple about soup, if we think about it.
The philosophical assumptions behind historical criticism of the Gospels
This piece is re-posted from the Anxious Bench, where it ran on 11/28/2023. Twenty-one percent of white mainline Protestants do not believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, a Pew research survey found. By contrast, only 1 percent of white evangelical […]
Song/poem of the day: Snow Is Falling
We woke up to a thin layer of snow on the ground and more fluff gently falling from heavens above to the earth below. It makes the Russian-Jewish depths of my heart so nostalgically happy and reminds me of this […]
What’s wrong with cultural Christianity, anyway?
The problem with cultural Christianity is that it is more concerned with the kingdoms of this earth than with care of souls.
American dogs
Our tastes in dog breeds have followed a trend of rising sophistication in certain respects.
A blessing of unicorns: a weekly roundup
This roundup is extra-long and a good bit of it is about orienting our loves and our reading towards the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Thanksgiving: mixing the flavors of civil religion, war, and commerce
Forget Squanto. Our current Thanksgiving has its roots in war and commerce.
Rosalynn Carter’s political partnership
Rosalynn Carter modeled a rare third option: a joint political partnership in which her public service and policy work would be inseparably linked with her husband’s.
The art of living: Tivadar Soros
This is the first in what I hope will be an occasional series about people who seemed to know something about living.
A Blessing of Unicorns: a weekly roundup
What is a unicorn? It is my four-year-old daughter’s favorite animal, the one most likely to adorn her clothing these days. And the availability of unicorn-printed dresses, pants, socks, sweaters, and more all around suggests that this is not just […]
Post-Christian views on humanity: zoophilia, pet psychics, and the decline of marriage
Peter Singer’s endorsement of zoophilia is a manifestation of a post-Christian view of humanity.
Why Christians should think about the Roman Empire daily
This post is cross-posted from the Anxious Bench, where it ran on 11/15/2023. I remember the first time I read the New Testament book of Acts. It was the spring semester of my first year of college, and I was […]
Review: In contemporary Russia, a culture of death predominates
Anna Starobinets’ tragic memoir makes it clear: in contemporary Russia, a culture of death predominates.
Liberal education isn’t selling this year
Recent events seem to cry out for a massive revival of liberal education. Will we listen?
Too heavy to fly
What if some of the “things” keeping us from soaring on the wings of passion to near perfection are just actual things? What if stuff is what weighs us down?