Joseph Bottum

Jordan Hylden defends Rowan Williams this morning: “Archbishop Williams has given us both a substantively theological read of the present moment and a sound and hopeful way forward for the Anglican Communion.” . . . . Continue Reading »

A good quick roundup of the escalating clash between religious freedom and the gay movement: “The goal overtly is to ostracize, to make pariahs of people of traditional faith.” . . . . Continue Reading »

Speaking of McLeansboro, I recommend these examples of local boosterism in 1900 and local boosterism today:vs.Sometimes, off in the distance, I hear Robinson Jeffers mumbling, “shine, perishing republic.” . . . . Continue Reading »

You all are reading Sally Thomas, over at the Icons & Curiosities blog, aren’t you? Here she is —setting up a thought about Mary Magdelene: As I was waking up this morning, swimming into consciousness and daylight, something came to me, and it seemed illustrative: something I did when I . . . . Continue Reading »

A postcard from turn-of-the-century McLeansboro, Illinois:Do these designs say anything about the denominations? I’d like to say yes, but I can’t quite see it.Rating: 50 out of . . . . Continue Reading »

“You’re (Probably) a Federal Criminal”: A disturbing essay by Judge Alex Kozinski and Misha Tseytlin in a book called In the Name of Justice . The conclusion? After all the drug laws and business laws and wildlife laws and disposal-of-substances laws, one would be hard-pressed not . . . . Continue Reading »

Last December, an Orthodox church was built in a day in Moscow—and another in Kiev and another in Minsk, all to celebrate the anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in Russia.Or maybe it was even faster. Here’s how to build a church in 30 seconds: Rating: 65 out of . . . . Continue Reading »

The New York Times’ obituary for the 27-year-old artist Dash Snow: Mr. Walls distinguished Mr. Snow from working-class addicts like William S. Burroughs, Herbert Huncke—and himself. “It was like his money never ran out,” Mr. Walls said. “When it came to doing drugs, he . . . . Continue Reading »

From the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, a nice silver rosary:Not show-stopping, but simple and clean, made by Vezzosi . . . . Continue Reading »

In noting the Fredrikson Stallard Brush #1, I somehow missed the Fredrikson Stallard Brush #2—a clothes-brush, to match the #1 scrub-brush:Ah, me. Fredrikson-Stallard seems to be not a real household-goods company but a would-be hipster design house, which explains something. Or . . . . Continue Reading »