Latest Posts

Do Presidential Debates Matter Anymore?

The 2024 election campaign has been unprecedented in numerous ways, but one of the less expected ways has been the number of presidential debates between the two candidates. Only one debate has occurred, and for the first time in presidential history, the vice-presidential debate looks to be the last one that will be held before the November election. Continue Reading...

Conclave’s Art Is Great, but Its Doubt Is Dubious

The intersection of religion and politics has always fascinated Hollywood filmmakers, from Becket and A Man for All Seasons to The West Wing. And no wonder. Both religion and politics are two of the biggest commanders of loyalty in their followers, and therefore they wield an enormous amount of power. Continue Reading...

The Life-Giving Suffering of Things

Alfred Lord Tennyson’s dramatic monologue “Ulysses” has for nearly two centuries served as the great cri de coeur of all young men whose lives of mediocrity and utility leave them restless and unsatisfied. Continue Reading...

A Conductor on the Underground Railroad

The Conductor by Caleb Franz conveys the fascinating story of the Reverend John Rankin of Ripley, Ohio, a highly influential figure in the abolitionist cause of the 19th century. Rankin’s story is largely unknown, overshadowed by the more celebrated figures of the antebellum period and the Civil War. Continue Reading...