Audio ecologist Gordon Hempton defines silence as “the complete absence of all audible mechanical vibrations, leaving only the sounds of nature at her most natural. Silence is the presence of everything, undisturbed.” This natural silence, though, is becoming increasingly rare— . . . . Continue Reading »
In the Boston Globe this weekend, the economist Peter Leeson argues that trial by ordeal—testing guilt by, say, forcing the hand of the accused into a vat of boiling water to see whether it burned—was a pretty effective way of judgment. It’s a wild, and goofy, and interesting . . . . Continue Reading »
Don’t tell me I am an alarmist about human exceptionalism. The Swiss—who have already declared the intrinsic dignity of individual plants—are now going to vote whether to permit animals to sue in court. From the story:Switzerland will hold a referendum next month on . . . . Continue Reading »
According to polls, the UK is becoming ever more assisted suicide friendly. From the story:The public’s support for a change in the law on assisted suicide and euthanasia was uncovered by the YouGov poll following a succession of high profile court cases. Three quarters of those polled said . . . . Continue Reading »
Lots has been said in memory of McInerny, who, of course, died last Friday. He wrote well over 100 books of all kinds. He was a theologian, philosopher, novelist, poet, and then and now a saint. He showed that a talented and industrious man can both be endlessly profound and make a huge amount of . . . . Continue Reading »
Georgetown Wins! Georgetown Wins! Georgetown Wins! Um, sorry about that. But if you suffered through the Hoyas’ collapse last year, you understand why a basketball victory over Duke might seem, to even the most distant alumnus, something to cheer. And, man, did the Georgetown school the Blue . . . . Continue Reading »
Speaking of the Weekly Standard , I should point as well to the fine bit of reporting done by my friend Claudia Anderson , who went out to visit the Center for Afghanistan Studies at—of all places—the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Sitting in on classes and interviewing teachers and . . . . Continue Reading »
In the midst of all the national attention paid to the death of J.D. Salinger , there slipped away with less notice than it should have received the death of another novelist—the author of 60 books and perhaps the most under-appreciated literary talent of the century: Louis Auchincloss, who . . . . Continue Reading »
The Scriptures Appointed for Septuagesima Introit: Psalm 18:1–2a, 27, 32, 49; antiphon: Ps. 18:5–6Psalter: Psalm 95:1-9 (antiphon: v. 6)Old Testament: Exodus 17:1–7Gradual: Ps. 9:9–10, 18–19aEpistle: 1 Corinthians 9:24—10:5Verse: Ps. 130:1–4Gospel: Matthew . . . . Continue Reading »
Here’s an interesting analysis of a “problem”that is, in truth, a crisis. Thanks to Justin Taylor for this post. David Nienhuis, a professor at Seattle Pacific University, has a helpful piece in the Modern Reformation on the problem of evangelical students “familiar” . . . . Continue Reading »
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