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July 2024

July 14, 2024

The Head of John the Baptist

Today is the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost; the gospel reading from Mark tells the story...

January 2024

January 28, 2024

Enneagrams, Personality Tests, and the Virtues of Elitism

A bit over a year ago at my brother-in-law’s wake, I spent several minutes chatting...

January 07, 2024

When Things Got Real Between John the Baptist and Jesus

The gospel lectionary reading for the First Sunday of Epiphay traditionally is one version of...

December 2022

December 15, 2022

How to Get Along with People Who Aren’t Like You

As I begin to prepare for my next book project, a memoir on the teaching...

December 10, 2022

Things are Getting Real: A Conversation Between Jesus and John the Baptist

In a second season episode of “The Chosen,” a multi-year cinematic treatment of the life...

October 2022

October 06, 2022

What it is Like to Be a Snob

A bit over a week ago at my brother-in-law’s wake, I spent several minutes chatting...

August 2021

August 19, 2021

The Hypocrisy of Philosophers

I admit it--I am not always kind or politically correct on social media (especially Twitter)....

July 2021

July 18, 2021

Of Introverts and Sheep

 I have the privilege of giving the sermone at Trinity Episcopal Church in Pawtuxet, RI...

July 10, 2021

Getting Real: A Conversation Between Jesus and John the Baptist

In a recent episode of “The Chosen,” a multi-year cinematic treatment of the life of...

November 2020

November 10, 2020

Hope: The Thing with Feathers

During his first speech as the new President-elect last Saturday evening, Joe Biden quoted lines...

August 2020

August 06, 2020

Silence is Not Always Golden: Class Participation in a Pandemic

Classes start on my college campus three weeks from this coming Monday. Let’s just say...

April 2020

April 07, 2020

God is a Question. What is the Answer?

In my General Ethics course, we just completed a unit called “Does God have anything...

March 2020

March 26, 2020

Loving Yourself During Coronavirus Seclusion (and Lent)

It has not been lost on many persons familiar with the Christian liturgical calendar that...

March 06, 2019

On My Birthday, Here Are Some Things That I Know Are True

Today is my birthday, so I ask for your indulgence. Our culture tends to assume...

February 2019

February 14, 2019

Grownup Love: A Post for Valentine’s Day

Not long ago, Jeanne and I had dinner with Beverley and Ed, two Long Island...

March 2018

March 06, 2018

A Few Things That I Know To Be True

Today is my birthday, so I ask for your indulgence. Our culture tends to assume...

February 2018

February 13, 2018

Lent is for Lovers

This year, for the first time since 1945, Ash Wednesday and Valentine's Day fall on...

January 2018

January 21, 2018

Dunkin’ Donuts and Sacred Spaces

I currently am working my way slowly through Walter Isaacson’s wonderful biography of Leonardo da...

February 2017

February 14, 2017

Valentine’s Day for the Mature

Human love in the purest forms we can know it, wife and husband, parent and...

July 2016

July 01, 2016

Even Introverts Get Lonely

One of the most important reasons that Jeanne and I have been able to stay...

June 2016

June 19, 2016

What I inherited from Mad Eagle

On this Father's Day, I'm remembering my Dad with whom I had a complicated relationship...

April 2016

April 06, 2016

Are Philosophers Hypocrites? (Or are they just normal human beings?)

Last Saturday I said something less than complimentary on social media site about a fellow sports...

February 2016

February 03, 2016

The Wisdom of Mister Carson

  As those who love Masterpiece Theater and great television know, "Downton Abbey" is in...

December 2015

December 26, 2015

Remembering a Friend

“Happy Stoning Day!” Brother John said as he greeted me below the choir stalls after...

December 04, 2015

This or That?

I got into an interesting conversation the other day with someone who insisted that on...

November 2015

November 18, 2015

Jesus is Riding a Dinosaur, and other observations

The next time someone says something like “These are $130 headphones that I bought for...

June 2015

June 17, 2015

My Best Friends

I sat down in my usual aisle seat on one of my infrequent airplane flights...

May 2015

May 13, 2015

Resembling the Picture

Another academic year is in the books, and as I will gladly be shifting into...

May 11, 2015

There It Is

I did something a couple of weeks ago that I have not done in four years—present...

October 2014

October 24, 2014

I Am Not Your Friend

If it’s Friday, it’s time to think once again about interactions between various constituencies in...

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