The events at the Capitol on January 6 were deeply disturbing, to say the least. Among much else, they have been described as an “Attack Against Multicultural Democracy,” “A Christian Insurrection,” “White Supremacy in Action,” and “The End of the Road for American Exceptionalism.” As is his wont, Dan Rather summarized how many of us […]
A Guide to Loving Your Conspiracy Theorist
And so, in conclusion, FDR knew about Pearl Harbor, and he allowed the attack to happen so that America would get involved in World War II. He has the blood of American patriots on his hands. I still remember the silent cringe in that classroom 16 years ago as we witnessed a classmate self-destruct in […]
Parallel Universes, Politics, and Love
Parallel universes — the semi-serious idea that there are multiple, co-existing and self-contained dimensions of reality — make for fun thought experiments (e.g., is there a universe in which I’m a good dancer?) and are a staple for comic book writers running out of ideas. I’m also starting to think that they provide a useful […]
Storming the Capitol in the Name of Jesus
The images from yesterday were unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Amid the certification of election votes, a mob descended upon the Capitol Building, broke through the barricades, and vandalized the place where laws are written. Congress was immediately disbanded and ushered into undisclosed safe rooms. Doors were barricaded, guns were drawn, tear gas fired. Seeing […]
Count Your Midlife Blessings (At Your Own Risk)
It’s not often that people my age ask me why they might want to go to church. Perhaps this is because mid-life tends not to be a time when people are looking for one more thing to do. They’re definitely not looking for one more thing to feel bad about not doing. But occasionally, after […]
Legislating Morality: The Political Enthusiasm of Christians
This post comes to us from Johnny Walker: Most Christians work with the assumption that their faith in Christ must have some consequence for their political lives. For many this assumption is left more or less uninterrogated and runs its course with only minimal reflection, but for some the political character of the Gospel, once […]
Asking Our Kids to Save the World
I recently went to Barnes & Noble to buy a birthday present for my daughter’s friend. I walked into the children’s section, passing one table about elections, another about climate change, another about racial justice, another about women’s rights. It took awhile to find the picture book section. Don’t get me wrong: All of these […]
Politics and the Hidden God
The 19th-century political theorist Ludwig von Rochau invented the term Realpolitik to describe his program for unifying Germany, at the time a gaggle of squabbling nation-states. Drawing lessons from the failure of the French Revolution, Rochau argued that idealism and passion simply aren’t enough: successful political actors must know when to cut deals and make […]
Was Enoughness on the Ballot? A Few Words on Post-Election Disgust and Magnanimity
The Political Dimension of Life Remains Tremendously Important. But the Psychospiritual Dimension Trumps It (!) Every Time.
On Cities Unseen: Living in the Homelessness of Grace
We are Settled until We are Unsettled, Home and Yet Not. It’s a Weird Way to Live.
