brief daily snapshots from the conflicted arena of the modern culture wars, broadly defined
Pivot Points: Chapter 22
Gratitude for a Life
Pivot Points: Chapter 21
A Professional Grief Observed
Pivot Points: Chapter 20
The Big Shock
Pivot Points: Chapter 19
What Trumps Trump?
Pivot Points: Chapter 18
Good Times in Asheville and Austin
Pivot Points: Chapter 17
Christian or Conservative?
Pivot Points: Chapter 16
Journalism or Public Relations?
Pivot Points: Chapter 15
Seeing the World and Enjoying *World*
Pivot Points: Chapter 14
Washington Disappointment
Pivot Points: Chapter 13
Second Time Around
Pivot Points: Chapter 12
Marvin Appleseed
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 11)
Republican Revolution
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 10)
Research, Writing, Editing, Uniting?
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 9)
Good Times in Texas
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 8)
Better Things for Better Living
Victoria Amelina’s final book: Looking at Women, Looking at War
The poet who became a war crimes investigator.
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 7)
Today I Am a Married Man
âFor Wheatonâ: Come, Let Us Reason Together
An open letter to Eric Teetsel, the original signer of âFor Wheatonâ
The academic journal Ohio History has ceased publication
It began in 1887.
Reconstructing Gaza
The fate of the Bibas family shows there is no real “deal” one can make with Hamas.
An open letter to the signers of the “For Wheaton” letter
A Wheaton professor weighs in.
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 6)
Communism to Theism
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 4)
Career to Careening
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 3)
Philosophy to Journalism
Listening to Lincoln on Presidentsâ Day
“In these early days of Trump’s second term, one recognizes the catastrophic consequences of unpunished lawlessness.”
Glorious ruins: on fragility of magazines and other institutions
If little magazines are a public good, how do we ensure their continued existence?
Blessing of Unicorns: Looking back, part I
Looking back with gratitude
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Chapter 2)
Atheism to radicalism
Beyond the fourth branch: reconsidering civil service independence
Civil service is operating too much like a fourth branch. That’s a problem.
ICE raids on churches–my thoughts in Christianity Today
Regardless of your stance on immigration, ICE arrests at churches are an act of disrespect that we should oppose.
Interview: Anne Perez on Understanding Zionism
“Zionism has never been and is not one thing.”
Pivot Points: Adventures on the Road to Christian Contentment (Introduction and Chapter 1)
Over the next twenty-two weeks, you can read a chapter from Marvin Olasky’s memoir every Thursday.
Interview: Thomas S. Kidd on ‘Christian History: From the Reformation to the Present’
“I wanted to center the book on the history of Christianity as believed and lived by everyday pastors, Christians, and churches.”
Interview: Jesse Covington, Bryan T. McGraw, and Micah Watson on Hopeful Realism
Micah Watson: “weâre convinced God calls us to love our neighbors and that can–and at times should–include loving our neighbors through politics.”
Current winter books week is here!
All books, all week.
Blessing of Unicorns: the antisocial century, the airport piano tuner, the only Jewish resident in OĹwiÄcim, and more
Rounding up the antisocial century, the airport piano tuner, the only Jewish resident in OĹwiÄcim, Reading Genesis, and family and parenting.
Christians Reading Classics is coming this fall–and a brief Arena break this week
How might Christians read Greco-Roman literature as Christians?
It’s complicated: Malcolm Gladwell
If it was baseball, Malcolm Gladwell would be a really reliable hitter.
Blessing of Unicorns: Elon’s salute, childlessness, free press, hopeful realism, Odesa, opera, and CA fires
A Blessing of Unicorns upon your day!
Kids at the inauguration and in other public spaces
Including kids and families in public events is good.
Today is 52nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade: my reflections in Mere Orthodoxy
To hate the vulnerableâand wish their destructionâhas become so normalized in our society as to go without notice.
January 6th pardons
Almost all the 1500+ rioters have been pardoned by President Trump. What should we make of this?
The centenary of Lenin’s death–plus one
A forgotten centenary.
Chimes of freedom: On ‘A Complete Unknown’
For good storytelling, and good storytelling about storytelling, go see A Complete Unknown.
Blessing of Unicorns: Snow, secularist violence, winter poetry, Commonplace launch, and the love of family reading
One Unicorn could be just a figment of your imagination. Herd several together, and you get a Blessing of Unicorns upon your day.
Generation Beta beats: the ultimate labor playlist for moms-to-be
Labor and delivery needs a soundtrack–here are some suggestions for Gen Beta moms!
Roundup: reviews of Musa al-Gharbi’s ‘We Have Never Been Woke’
We may yet run a review at Current, but for the moment, a roundup of representative coverage elsewhere.
Diversity and David
Preaching on David reveals the difficulty of handling diversity in the church
It’s okay to say “soccer”
The history of the term should reassure us.
Blessing of Unicorns: home, neighborhood, AI, and more
This weekâs Unicorns consider the love of home, kids doing chores in the neighborhood, the anti-human and anti-God arrogance of AI, and a lore more!
Right coding: who owns Homer anyway?
The right coding of Homer or the classics is really not helpful for anyone.
Pretty boy Luigi
The story of “Pretty Boy Floyd” has parallels to the recent story of Luigi Mangione.
Reaping the whirlwind
Viereck saw this coming.
Blessing of Unicorns: the first of 2025!
Jimmy Carter tributes, reflection questions for recapping last year and planning for this new year, the writing life, John Wilson’s list of favorite nonfiction books of 2024, intensive parenting, family policy, and a response to ProPublica’s irresponsible blaming of pregnant women’s deaths on abortion bans.
Ideas in Progress interview: Agnes Howard on family history and the experiences of everyday life
Few topics seem as appropriate for discussing at the very beginning of a new year as family–the people who shape…
Why, hello there, 2025!
This is a place for ideas.
Almost all things must pass
Reminders from Boethius for the end of year.
The story of 2024 in Current features
Documenting the year that is coming to an end through Current essays.
My children’s favorite book of 2024 is…
Cheeky penguins win the day–and year.
Reads of the year for the HIP (Harried Intellectual Parent): 2024
What are HIPs (Harried Intellectual Parents) reading this year?
Ebenezer Scrooge and the shanty band
A shanty band singing about Scrooge reminds us of the things a community ought to believe at Christmastime.
Some of our favorite things III: Current writers and editors reflect on 2024 (conclusion)
Current writers and editors conclude their reflections on favorite things from 2024! (And check out Part I and Part II) *** Jay…
Interview: Robert Edwards on John Chrysostom’s Consolation to Stagirius
What one Church Father’s advice to a suffering monk can teach us now.
Our favorite essays of 2024 from other little magazines
More of our favorite things!
Some of our favorite things II: Current writers and editors reflect on 2024
The beauty that made 2024 for us
Some of our favorite things I: Current writers and editors reflect on 2024
These are a few of our favorite things from 2024.
Mistaken anger and mistaken identities
Anger is the kind of seasoning that needs to be used sparingly.
Interview: Timothy Larsen on Twelve Classic Christmas Stories
Timothy Larsen brings (more) Christmas (books) cheer!
Interview: David Anthony Basham on Paul, the Temple, and Building a Metaphor
Like Jesus, everyone has their âPaul.â
Other (other) Christmas movies
There are many more great Christmas movies, if you just think outside the box.
“The After Virtue cabinet”
“Who will watch the watchmen themselves?”
Farewell for now
The 2025 circus will be fascinating to watch, and this is my note to Current readers that Iâll now be at a different vantage point.
2024 in 25 Current book reviews
What’s the measure of this year? A story in Current book reviews.
Blessing of Unicorns: education, hope, Gladiator II, and homemakers
One Unicorn could be just a figment of your imagination. Herd several together, and you get a Blessing of Unicorns…
Julie Durbin invites students to “A Way of Pilgrimage in the World.”
What students need to learn is more than just informationâa what. What they need is a how and with whomâa way of pilgrimage in the world.
Wreckers
The temptation to be a Wrecker is strong. Augustine reminds us a better way.
Is âThe Mediaâ in the room with us now?
Stop saying “media”!
No, accreditation requirements wonât save the humanities
Gutting the humanities in declining institutions never stops the decline–but leaders still try.
Interview: John McCabe on Dietrich Bonhoeffer–The Last Eight Days
John McCabe’s new book focuses on Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s final eight days.
Thanksgiving with Harold and the Purple Crayon
Harold reminds us, ultimately, that there is much wonder and joy in imagining our favorite things and dreaming of them with wild and reckless abandon.
Review: Christian anti-liberals
Who needs religious pluralism?
Current writer and novelist, Fred Durbin, featured in USA Today
Fred Durbin is part of the typewriter revolution!
Belated book suggestions
Jon Schaff recommends two new books: Miles Smith, Religion and Republic; and Luke Burgis, Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life
To go or not to go: graduate school
Graduate school in the humanities is a gamble.
Blessing of Unicorns: Putin bearing gifts, AI and seeking truth, J.D. Vanceâs mom, and books
And just like that, weâre less than a week removed from Thanksgiving. This roundup will take next week off while…
Book gifts for kids for this Christmas season
Not all sweet traditions involve candy–some involve books.
A new era for humanities and social science PhD programs?
BU is suspending admission into humanities and social science PhD programs for next year. What does this mean?
America as an act of faith
The United States of America began as an act of faith. It still is.
You had to be there
A universally popular song and the Olympics are probably the two most powerful unifying forces that exist in American culture.
Blessing of Unicorns: Monkeys on the loose, a lesser-known Inkling, Davy Crockett, and more
What makes a Unicorn-worthy story? Monkeys on the loose, for one.
Footnotes!
The love of footnotes is a well ordered love.
Donât call it a realignment: Thoughts on the 2024 election
Sit down, buckle up, and get ready for another wild ride.
“60 Minutes” investigates “mysterious Russian death syndrome”
Cecilia Vega asks: “Is Russia pursuing Putin foes abroad, going after critics and defectors on Western soil?”
How the 2024 election will change American politics
Trump has just done what Reagan did in 1980 â but the magnitude of the realignment will depend on what Trump does next.
Blessing of Unicorns: Python hunters, writer-welder, Chesterton, and swapping babies (but you get âem back)
There are pythons in Florida–and python hunters too.
Post-election reading list: books to encourage and discourage
A short, idiosyncratic, and utterly eclectic post-election reading list of books that might encourage or discourage.
Historical stories Iâd like to see as films
Hollywood needs more history.
Good citizens under a bad emperor
The âemperorâ for the next four years will be bad. We, the citizens, however, donât have to be.