Not long ago, I finished reading Samuel Goldman’s insightful (and already widely-discussed) new book After Nationalism; Being American in an Age of Division. Goldman’s book is a thoughtful extended essay on the idea of nationalism (as distinct from “patriotism” or simple love for one’s homeland); for Goldman, nationalism entails that if the motto e pluribus unum—one out of many—is indeed meaningful, the unum must be some intelligible unifying principle or other. And with that in mind, Goldman proceeds to trace... Read more

Since moving to the suburbs a little over a year ago, I’ve grown increasingly fond of breaking out my Weber propane grill and cooking up some hamburgers or steaks (yes, I know I’m a stereotype incarnate). I like doing this for my family, but it’s even more enjoyable when guests are involved. There’s something about the fusion of technique (how long do I need to toast these buns?), companionship (who should we invite over?) and encounter with nature (the feel... Read more

At the risk of stating the obvious, as a general rule I tend to think it’s prudent to evaluate contemporary controversies in light of analogous prior situations. The cultural challenges associated with human nature, after all, do tend to recur. And so for instance, whenever I read arguments for “Benedict Option” approaches to cultural retrenchment that don’t seriously reckon with American evangelicalism’s decades-long efforts to build out a comprehensive parallel polis, complete with its own schools and arts and publishing... Read more