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America's Descent into Third World Politics
Trump is winning, fair and square, in spite of many well-known defects, offering proof that authoritarianism can be seductive even in America.
Pope Francis Is an Example of How to Ignore Culture Wars
One of the qualities I most admire in Pope Francis is that he seems intent on ignoring the Culture War Handbook which so dominates U.S. politics today. In Argentina, when the country was experiencing great conflict and brutality, he sided with neither the Marxism of the left nor the restorationist a...
Trump's Dangerous Vaccination Rhetoric
With vaccines, Trump has identified yet another sore spot, a place of vulnerability and exposure. By adroitly pressing that spot — by probing a genuine fear with bravado and with reckless disregard for evidence and truth — he is getting what he wants, which is attention, including more ...
No Church-Stamped Permission Slips for Abusing Societal Rule of Law
In retrospect, 'Well done, Jimmy Carter'
A common view is that Jimmy Carter was a failure as president. Elected in 1976, his presidency was marked by high inflation, slow economic growth, long lines at gas pumps, uncertainty about America's direction and a long, humiliating imprisonment of American hostages by Iranian radicals. He was deep...
American Values in the Age of Hyper-Partisanship
In a wide-ranging and free-wheeling discussion, Village Square board member Bill Mattox and David Blankenhorn focus on not just on problems (like hyper-partisanship) but also on solutions (like how to build stronger communities).
Avoid 'selective empathy' and 'feel into' both sides
Today we typically use the word "empathy" to mean the capacity to identify deeply and emotionally with another person's situation and feelings. Discussing the related concept of sympathy in 1759, the great economist and moral philosopher Adam Smith wrote that "it is by changing places in fancy with ...
We need to cultivate wisdom — individually and socially
Wisdom is hard to define succinctly, in part because it's not one trait so much as the blending of a number of traits. For me, wisdom might be best understood as the use of reason to make and encourage good decisions. Researchers Paul Baltes and Jacqui Smith describe everyday wisdom as "good judgmen...
Marriage today is still good for children, wealth and civil society
That marriage is a good thing for individuals and society can no longer be assumed. Yes, most Americans still aspire to marry and do marry. But recent research shows that growing numbers of Americans, especially younger ones, are either uncertain about marriage or express mistrust of the institution...
Christian education program provides biblical knowledge for young students
America is as beautiful as its many anthems
What's so remarkable about America is that we're a nation based largely on ideals. What makes us one people is not our language, our ethnicity, our family backgrounds or our religious creeds. Our essential unifying bond is a set of civic beliefs – which is why anyone can become an American. ...
Think tanks should think, not act as fundraisers
To me, two changes are needed. The first is more disclosure. If you're a think tank engaging with U.S. policymakers, and you've accepted money from a foreign government with a vested interest in the matter, you should be required prominently to disclose that relationship – even if you and yo...
Creating art to influence politics is misguided
One result, admittedly, is a larger number of conservative authors, personalities, and analysts. But the larger result for the subculture (and today's liberal subculture has the same problem) is life in the echo chamber. All you hear are things you already believe. Genuine questioning – the ...
Polarized thinking is no way to run a democracy
Why is our public discussion so dominated by rancor and divisiveness? Why do our politicians increasingly resemble silly children throwing food at each other? Why do our "news" programs on TV so often consist of people dealing out abuse and accusations? There are many likely causes of what a recent ...
Gen X Faith and Culture: A Conversation With Bill McGarvey
Religion Runs in the Family
"...the quality of the relationship between the child and the parent affects the success or lack of success in transmission. Warm, affirming parents, especially fathers, tend to be the most successful. For example, we followed a very religious father who comes from a long line of Mormon patriarchs, ...
The Hope of Youth Ministry
Kenda Creasy Dean, professor of youth, church and culture at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of many books including "Almost Christian" talks with Amy about how to think about – among other things – how young people in our culture end up believing above all that "God is nic...
Gen X Faith and Culture – with Bill McGarvey
Bill McGarvey – accomplished singer songwriter, editor of busted halo.com for six years, and presently columnist for America Magazine – writes and sings about the intersection of culture and faith from a Catholic perspective with a heart for the spiritual seeker. Get to know Bill and his...
Why Teach Philanthropy — and how?
Americans appear uniquely to value civil society responses to social problems, contributing generously through philanthropic means of their time, talent, and especially, treasure. As observers since de Tocqueville have discovered, when Americans identify a concern their instinct seems to be to form ...
Why Teach Philanthropy — and how?
Americans appear uniquely to value civil society responses to social problems, contributing generously through philanthropic means of their time, talent, and especially, treasure. As observers since de Tocqueville have discovered, when Americans identify a concern their instinct seems to be to form ...