Fall semester classes started last Monday. And I’m on sabbatical, not returning to the classroom until the day after MLK day in January. I’m sure that my colleagues are probably jealous of those colleagues, such as myself, who are on sabbatical—but I don’t feel guilty about that. I felt the same way each of the last six Augusts about my colleagues who were beginning sabbatical. Unfortunately sabbatical only shows up once every seven years—that means that six out of every... Read more
Several years ago during my four-year stint as chair of the Providence College philosophy department, I found myself sitting at a table with several very concerned parents. It was during one of the summer orientation sessions for incoming freshmen, and these were the parents of students who had indicated interest in majoring in philosophy once their college career began in the fall. The question, expressed in various ways, that all of these parents wanted an answer to was “What the... Read more
The first draft of my first sabbatical book project is completed, minus the introduction and conclusion. As several trusted friends and family members read the draft and provide their insights, I am revisiting any number of essays from the past that I’m sure will inform the introduction to the book in which I will be providing a brief (hopefully) overview of my religious pedigree. One of the less attractive aspects of this upbringing was Bible camp. I was the world’s most... Read more
Last week I posted an essay called “The Problem with Wisdom, Part One,” inspired by a reading from the book of Proverbs that was part of the Sunday lectionary offerings that I read in church as lector recently. The Problem with Wisdom, Part One The focus of the reading that Sunday, and the focus of much of Proverbs is Wisdom, presented as a woman who stands at the gates and has a lot to say. Much of what she has... Read more
It doesn’t seem possible that it has been exactly three years since Marsue Harris, one of the best friends and wisest people I have ever encounteed, passed away. She died in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in August 2020 after a months-long battle with cancer. Jeanne and I spearheaded the organization of a memorial service for her early in 2021; participants signed on, readings were selected, and the date was set. But then a new variant flared up, masks... Read more
A conversation heard behind the scenes: Dude! Did you see what just happened?? How could I?? I’m in charge of the freaking luggage today and am stuck way back here. Why is the crowd always biggest when I have luggage duty? The big guy just got dissed in front of everyone! Are you shitting me? Tell me! He was already in a pissy mood and this woman kept nagging him and bothering him until he finally put her in her... Read more
In much wisdom there is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18 The last time I was lector at church, the reading from the Jewish scriptures was a very cool passage from the book of Proverbs. Wisdom is introduced at the beginning of the reading from chapter 8: “At the crossroads she takes her stand . . . at the entrance of the portals she cries out.” Who is Wisdom, and what does she have to... Read more
I began gathering materials for my main sabbatical book project five years ago. Thanks to being approached to write a different book by a publisher (which was published in 2020), followed by two years of pandemic, I placed the project on hold. As I’ve returned this summer to the work from a few years ago, I’ve enjoyed fully immersing myself in the joys and challenges of more than three decades of teaching. What follows is a reflection that I’m sure... Read more
After a number of years of engaging with social media, primarily Facebook and Twitter (which I left 18 months ago), I have to admit that although these platforms generate a lot of traffic for my blog, I am not a big fan. As I was reading some of my early posts on this blog the other day from several years ago in preparation for a book project, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a close friend that... Read more
Women are not wrong at all when they reject the rules of life that have been introduced into the world, inasmuch as it is the men who have made these without them. Michel de Montaigne, Essais 3.5, “On some verses of Virgil” Not bad for a privileged, wealthy white guy from more than four centuries ago. Regular readers of this blog know of my appreciation of and love for Michel de Montaigne. Simone Weil, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Aristotle, David Hume, Soren Kierkegaard, William... Read more
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