On seeing history through the eyes of a seven year old, as she reads American Girl books for the first time. Read more
On seeing history through the eyes of a seven year old, as she reads American Girl books for the first time. Read more
Who is Josef Kleutgen (1811-1883)? The name is not a household name, except in my household! I’ve recently completed a book manuscript—The Pope and the Professor: Pius IX, Ignaz von Döllinger, and the Quandary of the Modern Age—and Kleutgen figures quite prominently in it. He was arguably the ablest student of Thomas Aquinas in the nineteenth century and the principal influence behind Dei Filius, a dogmatic constitution on the relationship between faith and reason, promulgated at Vatican I (1869-70). This... Read more
This is from my Anxious Bench archives. I originally posted it December 2, 2015. But it seems still relevant and useful, so enjoy it for Xmas 2016 too. I literally stumbled across St. Bride’s church in London this summer. Walking down Fleet Street toward St. Paul’s Cathedral, I was considering eating at Ye Olde Chesire Cheese when I looked up and saw the wedding cake spire designed by Christopher Wren. It wasn’t until I saw the sign “The Printer’s Church”... Read more
Over the past few months, I have posted quite a few items on the subject of possible pagan survivals into medieval and even modern societies, as indeed has my Baylor colleague Beth Barr. I stand by everything I have written in those pieces – but I really have some questions that remain open. They are actually good questions to ask around the time of Christmas, and the Winter Solstice. My basic point here: with the best intentions in the world,... Read more
Tis the season. Christmas music is everywhere. I’m not a complete Grinch when it comes to Christmas music, but really… “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”? So much wrong with this… I do sing Rudolf and Frosty with my kids, and I actually enjoy listening to my daughter pound out carol after carol from her beginning piano Christmas book. I especially love hearing her exclaim over the beauty of traditional lyrics for the first time. As a historian, I suppose it makes... Read more
In the far west of England, almost to Wales, the medieval spire of St. Alkmund’s parish church reaches high above the old city of Shrewsbury. One “vane” of A.E. Housman’s immortal line: “High the vanes of Shrewsbury gleam islanded in Severn stream.” Although a modern town of 72,000, Shrewsbury still looks very medieval. More than 600 of its buildings are listed as sites of historic interest, and a significant number of these are 15th and 16th century–giving Shrewsbury its distinctive... Read more
Under National Socialism, Christmas in Germany featured a mix of de-Christianized traditions, neopagan rituals, and gendered stereotypes. Read more
I dearly love Mel Brooks as a comedian, but I do have some quarrels with him as a historian. In explaining that remark, I’ll return to the point I made recently about teaching European history to Americans, and some of the basic and quite counter-intuitive ideas you need to get across at a very early stage. In the 1983 film To Be Or Not To Be, Mel Brooks plays a Polish vaudeville star in the months leading up to the... Read more
Why historians and biographers must often tell stories imaginatively, on the basis of relatively little evidence. Read more
I have often taught courses focused on Europe, or in which Europe plays a substantial role (for instance, about the Second World War). Through the years, I have identified common themes where students need some help and additional explanation, and I usually introduce these in my first couple of sessions. I offer some of the lessons I have learned here. If they might be useful for you, please feel free to borrow them. One of the hardest points for Americans... Read more
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