Our nation’s political discourse has become increasingly toxic in the past two decades. Consider the uncivil and even caustic demeanor of many radio show hosts, cable TV pundits, and opinion writers. Think about the degrading and demeaning language used in the comment strings of media sites, Twitter feeds, and Facebook pages. Consider the bipartisan nature of the incivility. [ Read More ]
Recently, I undertook a rereading of The Essential Russell Kirk. Among the many treasures I rediscovered was his essay, “Ten Exemplary Conservatives,” a sketch of ten conservatives Kirk admired. By “conservative,” he did not mean committed to some ideology but rather persons who exhibited a “longing for order and permanence, in the person and in [ Read More ]
Here are twelve books I recommend for persons who wish to gain a better understanding of religious liberty and the threats against it. I will describe each book and then rank its level of difficulty on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most difficult. A Level 1 book is one you could give [ Read More ]
Moral accountability is absolutely vital for individuals and societies. For an individual or society to flourish, it must have the integrity and humility examine itself morally. War is no exception. In a democratic republic such as ours, not only our military and political leaders but also the general public must participate actively and intelligently in [ Read More ]
Here are ten books I recommend for people who wish to understand the idolatrous nature of Marxism and its corrosive effects on individuals and societies. Although Marx intended to liberate society and alleviate its suffering, his ideological framework unfortunately and necessarily suppresses society, induces poverty, and supplants religion. Marxism is not primarily an economic theory. [ Read More ]
Controversy erupted this week after Virginia’s Democratic governor, Ralph Northam, not only defended a late-term abortion bill but also insinuated that babies could be left to die after birth. Many Republicans, including President Donald Trump and Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse, made public statements about the moral repugnance of Northam’s remarks. Through a spokesperson, Northam, a former pediatric doctor, said his [ Read More ]
Raymond Aron is by no means the only intellectual who has argued that Marxism offers itself as a replacement for Christianity, but he is one of most the fascinating persons to have done so. For that reason, this post will provide a concise summary of two chapters of his book, The Opium of the Intellectuals, [ Read More ]
Recently, I hosted a one-day seminar on socialism at my home in Raleigh, facilitated by Romanian public intellectual Mihail Neamtu. The seminar is part of my ongoing research into authoritarian and totalitarian temptations in Western societies. For the seminar, we read portions of Romanian historian Mircea Eliade’s The Myth of the Eternal Return, French philosopher [ Read More ]
One of the pleasant surprises that has arisen from the political turmoil our nation experiences is a spike in the number of young Christians who take an interest in public theology. They may not always use the phrase “public theology,” but they are asking intelligent questions about issues at the intersection of Christianity, politics, and [ Read More ]
With the start of a new year, and with the newly passed U.S. Senate resolutions ending U.S. support for the war in Yemen, American Christians should pause to reflect upon a genuinely Christian approach to war and peace. No Christian—and for that matter, no “soldier worth his salt” (as General Schwarzkopf put it)—should be “pro-war.” We [ Read More ]