N. T. Wright on Gay Marriage

N. T. Wright—hailed by Time as “one of the most formidable figures in Christian thought”—first captured my imagination with the early volumes of his series  Christian Origins and the Question of God. In them, he frames the Christian story precisely as a story, a . . . . Continue Reading »

Piketty’s Apocalyptic Tone

“The past devours the future.” So writes Piketty in his conclusion to Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Because r>g, wealth accumulates faster than the general welfare of society increases. The rich get richer and richer and richer and richer. Inheritance of the tremendous (and tremendously concentrated) wealth becomes more and more important. Democratic values decline. A plutocracy dominates. It’s a “potentially terrifying” prospect. Continue Reading »

The Pontificate of Peter Boghossian

Have you heard of Peter Boghossian’s social cleansing program? Boghossian is the author of a new bagatelle of a book, The Manual for Creating Atheists, endorsed by all the potentates of celebrity atheism, to name just a few: Jerry Coyne (Adam Gopnik’s favorite blogger, according to a recent article of his in the The New Yorker) and the usual suspects Richard Dawkins and Victor Stenger . . . (and so on). Continue Reading »

Piketty’s Un-Democratic Proposal

I’ve finished Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Once again, I want to report the pleasure this book gave. Piketty’s historical approach has helped me achieve a bit more clarity about the economic transformations I’ve experienced in my life time: the end of the middle class myth in America and the rise of a new, globalized economy that richly rewards a meritocratic elite. Continue Reading »

Rest to Work or Work to Rest?

The N.C.A.A. has taken an image-beating in recent years. Angry critics of its alleged exploitation of student athletes have been relentless in their attacks on both the institution and its leadership. Chief among those who bear the liberally dealt blows is Dr. Mark Emmert, president of the N.C.A.A. In a recent article devoted primarily to the psychological toll that the job and its pressures have taken on him, the Times sought to expose something of his complicated character and work. Dr. Emmert, a heavily-compensated, highly capable, would-be reformer, seems simply to be the most prominent face of a incredibly complicated, clumsily democratic, and highly bureaucratic business that exceeds the capacities of any one man. To cope with the stresses of this life, Dr. Emmert compensates in charming fashion: “To help keep calm, Dr. Emmert meditates and visits his home on Whidbey Island in Washington. He has been taking a butchery class.” Continue Reading »