The Gospel of Juneteenth

Although bad news travels fast, good news often takes the scenic route. That appears to have been especially true during the Civil War. Although Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation became official on the first day of January 1863, word didn’t arrive in Texas until June 19, 1865. On that . . . . Continue Reading »

Truth and Fiction in Iran

It’s hard to see through the dust clouds and make sense of the present turmoil inside Iran, but a number of data points are worth considering. This is NOT an incipient color revolution, a democrats vs. dictators, moderates vs. neanderthals, good guys vs. bad guys contest. It is a nasty fight . . . . Continue Reading »

West Responds to Barr

Last week, Stephen Barr and I had a discussion about a column by Discovery Institute fellow John West on the “new theistic evolutionists.” (See: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , Part 4 ) Today, West added the last entry to his three post series responding to Barr: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 . . . . . Continue Reading »

Rights as Socially Justified Desires

Today, Public Discourse features an article by First Things board member David Novak titled “Why We Should Oppose Same-Sex Marriage”: By calling attention to the traditional origins and character of marriage, I am not arguing from or even for the authority of tradition. Instead, I am . . . . Continue Reading »

I&C On the Road: Blue Ridge Parkway

We’ve had heavy rain in North Carolina this week and also, in the high country, dense fog. My mother, the children, and I discovered the latter while driving the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which rides the spine of the southern Appalachians, just below the Virginia state line. . . . . Continue Reading »