I’m currently reading Shankar Vendantam’s Useful Delusions; one of his continuing points throughout the book is that human beings depend on stories as much as on data and facts in order to orient themselves to and understand the world in which we find ourselves. Vendantam writes that Science itself . . . relies on stories. The frames and metaphors we use to understand the world shape the scientific discoveries we make; they even shape what we see . . . Darwin’s... Read more
After participating in a frustrating “discussion” on Twitter the other day (is there any other kind of discussion on Twitter?), I posted the following on my Facebook page: Here’s a dynamic I don’t understand. A person asks for my qualifications that justify my saying what I am saying. I briefly provide those qualifications. I am in short order accused of being arrogant and thinking that I am better than everyone. I expected that I would get a number of interesting... Read more
I recently had the opportunity to have a face-to-face conversation with the new Provost at my college. For those unaware of what a Provost is or does, the Provost is the top academic officer at a college or university. She or he is, or at least attempts to be, the liaison and bridge between the faculty and the administration. It a very tough and often thankless job. I had the opportunity for many reasons to interact with our previous Provost,... Read more
August is this blog’s anniversary month! It’s hard to believe that it has been nine years since I reluctantly decided to try blogging as a vehicle for the short essays that I had been writing ever since a transformational sabbatical in early 2009. I told Jeanne that I would do it only until it became “just another damn thing that I have to do.” Life is too full of such things already. I am grateful for everyone who has, regularly... Read more
During Tuesday’s initial hearing of the Congressional select committee tasked with investigating the January 6th insurrection, Capitol police officer Harry Dunn described in detail the racial epithets that members of the mob hurled at him and other Black officers that day. “Is this America?” Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Cal) asked him. Dunn replied The fact that we had our race attacked and just because of the way we look, you know … To answer your question, frankly, I guess it is... Read more
After getting sucked into an discussion on Twitter a few days ago in which it was clear that most of the participants did not know the difference between communism, socialism, fascism, oligarchy, tyranny, democracy, and a hole in the ground, I was reminded of the importance of being informed about a topic before jumping into a discussion about it. I also was reminded that I will be spending some time with Karl Marx and a bunch of Honors sophomores this... Read more
The summer Sunday gospel readings annually are full of Jesus’ greatest hits–this year is no exception. This Sunday’s reading contains John’s account of two of Jesus’ most notable miracles–feeding the five thousand and walking on water. The feeding of the five thousand is the only pre-resurrection miracle that is recorded in all four of the canonical gospels; Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee is in all of the gospels except Luke (maybe Luke wasn’t there?). What makes the walking... Read more
Who gets to call themselves “Christian”? A few months ago on this blog, I suggested that Christianity might be thought of as a large circus tent, within which dozens of various groups stake out various areas, fortify these areas with doctrines of exclusivity, then claim that only those within those narrow boundaries are real Christians. Living On the Edges of the Christian Circus Tent I ran into this phenomenon just the other day. In the middle of a mostly unfruitful... Read more
In “Slander,” from her latest collection of essays, What Are We Doing Here?, Marilynne Robinson writes that when she applied for the faculty position at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa where she spent her teaching career until her retirement in 2016, the job description said that candidates should be able to teach the Bible as literature. And so she did—something that I also have the privilege of doing as a professor at Providence College. She notes, though,... Read more
I have the privilege of giving the sermone at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pawtuxet, RI this morning. Here’s what I will say. If you are able, everyone stand up! Really—good to get a bit of exercise at the beginning of a sermon! If you suspect or know for sure that you are an extrovert, sit down. Now, if you suspect or know that you are an introvert, sit down. Those of you still standing are part of the balanced few.... Read more
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