In my quest to offend Americans of every stripe, I’m conducting a study to determine the cardinal virtue, or esteemed trait, that particular regions prize. Today we examine the Midwest to discover its key trait and then to evaluate it. The cardinal virtue of the Midwest is calmness. In place of heated passion, cutting cynicism, or airy epicureanism, Midwesterners seem to strive for a certain equilibrium about themselves. Everything is fine; nothing is overwhelming; all is going to be well.... Read more

Have you ever noticed that there are social traits that are especially prized in certain regions of America? In my post-collegiate travels through a considerable range of America, I’ve noticed the existence of a “cardinal virtue” in each major region of the country. Today, we look at the South’s defining cultural trait–not its only trait, of course, but its defining trait as compared to other geographic areas of the country. We look at the advantages and disadvantages of the South’s... Read more

One of the best things that can happen to a person in this life is to have a period of exceptionally difficult labor. In such times, we learn that our limits extend much farther than we thought they did. We are stretched, and our bodies hurt, our minds ache, and our imagination wanders to times of exquisite freedom. I had such a time a few weeks ago, and I can honestly say that I am a bit surprised at what... Read more

Part 2 of this series centers around a second event that we do not often think of in positive terms. Most Christians don’t think of others calling us out on our sin as an experience that reverberates with the goodness of God, but it does. Having our flaws brought to light is an overwhelmingly positive experience. A few months ago, I got a splinter in my foot. It was terribly painful. The only thing that matched, and definitely exceeded, the... Read more

Christians do not simply see God’s goodness in Sunday School lessons and touching devotional lessons. We see God’s goodness in the collective experiences that together comprise our lives. God is not simply good when we feel good about what’s happening to us. We see goodness in times when we feel quite the opposite. Unlike the perpetually optimistic brand of Christianity some espouse, biblical Christianity reads into all of life the sovereign working of God to shape His people and reflect... Read more

The science of Christian cultural engagement is a delicate one. This is true particularly in the realm of music, that art form so dominant in American culture. Traditionally, engagement with the secular sphere tends to center in one of two approaches. First, we have the preaching mindset, in which artists see their responsibility to preach the gospel and susequently make music that expounds the gospel. This type of music can be extremely useful, but typically reaches a certain type of... Read more

WHEW. I’m out of the cave, friends. Before I restart the cultural engagement effort, let me just say thanks for sticking with me. Here are the totals from the last three weeks: Read: over 1000 pagesTyped: over 80 pagesTook: four finalsHad: minimal exercise, bloodshot eyes, and alot of boiled custard (it’s incredible, like drinking vanilla ice cream) The Lord was in it. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers in a busy time. And now, I want to do a brief... Read more

The blog will resume on Saturday. Friends and readers, I am sorry to have fallen off in blogging this last week. I was swallowed by a fish called Hebrew last week. I was spat from its mouth just yesterday, but was immediately re-swallowed by several other predators of the waters, namely, Hermeneutics, Greek, and Ancient & Medieval Philosophy. These fishes inform me that I should be back to land by Friday night, at which point I will commence much celebration... Read more

A few days ago I talked about the need for fathers who discipline their boys. I want to highlight that quality for one more day, because I think that this point is perhaps the most significant of all I’ve covered. After all, the fundamental problem of a boy is his sin nature. He must be corrected, lest he perish forever. Now, someone could counter that he must have love, and I can’t quarrel with that. But my point is this:... Read more

Dads give sons a hero to emulate, a protector to depend upon, and an authority to answer to. The third aspect I’ve chosen to spotlight is this: discipline. The discipliner. Boys are naturally grubby little buggers. They get into stuff, they destroy things, they take things apart, they hit each other, they ridicule girls, and so on. They compete with one another and cheat at it. They resolve disputes with bloody noses. They overstep their bounds aggressively, and do so... Read more