Loving wisdom can be hard work or you can dodge anyone who might change your mind, dodge the arguments, and super-saturate in materials that support what you wish is true. ”Come on man.” ESPN has a segment called “Come on man. . .” There we see football players who should do something, but inexplicably do not. Imagine running for the end zone, then looking back, and so getting caught, the football knocked out of your arms: the coach turning salty... Read more
The tyrant, or simply the establishment, promises you treats if you lie. As a member of the press you lie, covering (say) for a massacre of indigenous people for the folks back East, and so you stay in good standing with the people whose approval you crave. You get the job you want. After all, if you tell the truth about Comrade Stalin and his mass murder of Ukrainians, then you will not get the critical interview with Stalin that... Read more
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit! Nothing but “fullness” thy longing can meet; ’Tis the enduement for life and for service; Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet. “I will pour water on him that is thirsty, I will pour floods upon the dry ground; Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing; While ye are seeking Me, I will be found.” This is the conclusions of an old hymn that brought me comfort as... Read more
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage? Weary of earth joys, so false, so untrue? Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing? List to the promise, a message for you! “I will pour water on him that is thirsty, I will pour floods upon the dry ground; Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing; While ye are seeking Me, I will be found.” This old hymn is not written for the professional skeptic, but... Read more
Ho! every one that is thirsty in spirit, Ho! every one that is weary and sad; Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus, All that you’re longing for: come and be glad! “I will pour water on him that is thirsty, I will pour floods upon the dry ground; Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing; While ye are seeking Me, I will be found.” This old hymn came back to me today. I recollect sitting... Read more
Every day the College and the School begin with seven pulls on the rope of The Bell: Charlie Arms’ Bell. The Bell rang out joyously as we returned from lockdown, sounds the start of lunch or a party and marks day’s end. At solemn times we remember heroic souls. We rang it four times for the Birmingham Four. On 9/11, we pause and pray and ring the bell eleven times. That we recall brave souls is fitting for The Bell. The... Read more
Reading Plato There must be somebody who loves Plato the first time they read him, but I was not that man. I read Republic and the entire book seemed needlessly complicated, full of obscure arguments, and Socrates talking to horrible students. The problem was I . . . of course. Plato is beyond my judgments! Pause a minute and consider how obvious that truth is. Plato helped found philosophy and much of what we believe is either something he discovered... Read more
Once, a fairly longtime ago, I was walking with Papaw Earl. He was telling me about his life as we walked to a farm where he found Nana and also made a start. He looked over at a house that he had built, brought his bride, but through chicanery lost, and did not say a word of complaint. I knew the backstory and so I asked him about the loss. He smiled and said something, I am not sure what,... Read more
Is there value to discussion when you already hold to the truth?* The classical model of Orthodox education assumes this is so: catechism for the Church, dialogue for the school. If we are wrong, we wish to know so, but if we are right, then honest wrestling with great thinkers will deepen our true opinion into godly Faith. By God’s good grace, we may come to knowledge. Meanwhile, honest interaction will (at least) provide a forum for showing our true beliefs... Read more
Games are brilliant. Every year at Christmastide I try to play through some adventure that tells a story and lets me experience some of that story by the choices I make. My favorites so far are the three Bioshocks, though I am enjoying Knights of the Old Republic. I am not (exactly) on the cutting edge of contemporary gaming! This is great good fun as my adult children and I have gone on King’s Quests and solved many Sherlock Holmes mysteries.... Read more
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