I have a colleague and friend with whom I share a lot in common. Eric and I are both “Johnnies,” graduates of the St. John’s College Great Books curriculum (he graduated a few years before I did back in the 1970s). We share the same scholarly interests; he was an outside reader on one of my books, as I was on one of his a few years later. And we are both hardcore Protestants. Eric is an ordained Presbyterian minister who... Read more
I begin with a couple of stories. Story #1: There has been vigorous debate on my campus for years concerning what the real goals of the Development of Western Civilization program that I directed for four years, and have taught in for twenty-five years, are. Although my own ideas have evolved over the years, I’ve always been clear about what the goals are not. For more than fifteen years, I’ve been telling students to never treat this course as a... Read more
After a number of years of engaging with social media, primarily Facebook and Twitter, 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, I was reminded of a conversation I had with a close friend that explains why. This conversation took place shortly after a natural disaster that was... Read more
When does a person get to use the title “Doctor” in front of their name? Easy–When she or he has earned it. According to the gospel accounts, Jesus had little regard for traditional honorifics, titles, or the ways in which we construct human pecking orders. He criticized the Pharisees for their concern about externals rather than the heart, promised that in the kingdom of heaven “the last shall be first,” and criticized his disciples as they jockeyed for position in... Read more
Two weeks ago, I gave the First Sunday of Advent sermon at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pawtuxet, RI. The church’s priest-in-charge, my good friend Mitch, introduced me by saying “We are pleased to welcome to the Trinity pulpit this morning our own Advent prophet, Dr. Vance Morgan.” This was, without a doubt, the first time I have ever been introduced as a prophet, and it knocked me off my game for a few seconds. Because I know something about prophets.... Read more
We seek retreats for ourselves in country places, on beaches and mountains . . . but that is altogether unenlightened when it is possible at any hour you please to find a retreat within yourself. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations Most people think of Advent within a religious context, the annual month-long season of introspection, inwardness, quietness, and hope that anticipates the Nativity and the Incarnation. But there is secular value to Advent as well, particularly in the middle of pre-Christmas insanity surrounding shopping,... Read more
I have taught philosophy in Catholic higher education for thirty years as a non-Catholic. Although I have become accustomed to any number of Catholic commitments and beliefs that are far outside the parameters of the Protestant Christianity in which I was raised, few of these beliefs are more “out there” than the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. I have found that many—perhaps most—of my predominantly Catholic students believe, incorrectly, that the doctrine applies to virgin birth of Jesus. Even I... Read more
The great but incredibly difficult German philosopher Immanuel Kant, in a rare moment of clarity, wrote that all important human questions can be boiled down to these three: WHAT CAN I KNOW? WHAT OUGHT I TO DO? and WHAT MAY I HOPE FOR? The Advent and Christmas seasons focus on the last of these three questions. A major figure in the season’s stories is John the Baptist, Jesus’ cousin who is front and center both in this Sunday’s and next Sunday’s gospel. John once sent his... Read more
As President-elect Biden rolls out his National Security choices, his economic strategy team, his communications staff, and various Cabinet picks, I can feel the heart rates of millions of my fellow American lowering as we also remember what deep breaths feel like. Competence. Experience. Lifelong commitment to service. On Facebook, I posted With Biden’s first reported cabinet picks, we are moving from “so much winning” to “so much competence.” I’m not sure I’ll be able to handle it. I’ll be... Read more
Michael Flynn got one. Rudy Giuliani is fishing for one. Donald Trump may grant them to his children, his son-in-law, and even try to grant one to himself before the Pardonpalooza is over. Last July, shortly after Trump pardoned Roger Stone, I posted an essay here exploring the relationship between pardoning and forgiveness. It seemse appropriate to repost it today. With Donald Trump’s commutation of Roger Stone’s prison sentence last week, we are reminded once again that this President uses... Read more
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In