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March 2016

March 25, 2016

A Common Criminal

During the Providence Friars’ recent exciting basketball season, Jeanne and I frequently watched a replay of...

March 20, 2016

Blessed Is He Who Comes

Rodney Delasanta was one of best teachers and colleagues I ever had the privilege of...

February 2016

February 05, 2016

Robbed by the Kiss Cam

“Wow, Vance!” my colleague exclaimed as he saw my office in our new philosophy department...

January 2016

January 13, 2016

Fake It ‘Til You Make It

I spend a lot of time thinking and writing about God. That’s a strange thing...

December 2015

December 31, 2015

The Best and the Worst: A Wish for the New Year

Love does not say “I ought to love”—it loves. Pity does not say “It is...

December 26, 2015

Remembering a Friend

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

December 22, 2015

The Strong, Silent Type

In my religious tradition, we didn’t do saints. We did do Christmas pageants—big time. I...

October 2015

October 07, 2015

Confessions of an Ocean-Hater

As I'm reviewing various posts for a current large writing project, I came across a...

September 2015

September 28, 2015

It’s the Message, Stupid!

As he shepherded Bill Clinton’s successful run for the Presidency in the early 90s, James...

September 23, 2015

Her Children Rise Up

I learned something interesting about giraffes from one of my colleagues the other day. He...

August 2015

August 17, 2015

Love That Will Not Let Me Go

One of the required performances for a professor returning from sabbatical is a public talk...

July 2015

July 06, 2015

Achieving Disagreement–in real time

God is in favor of same sex marriage because God placed a rainbow in the...

July 01, 2015

Face to Face with the Universe

A recent edition of Harper’s Magazine includes a fascinating essay by physicist and novelist Alan Lightman entitled...

June 2015

June 24, 2015

There are More Things In Heaven and Earth . . .

Not long ago I received the following email out of the blue: “My name is ___ and...

June 19, 2015

Border Crossing

As a youth growing up in northeastern Vermont, a trip to Canada was pretty much...

June 17, 2015

My Best Friends

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

June 12, 2015

Hats Off!

In 1831, Robert Schumann published his very first review, in the form of an imaginary...

April 2015

April 11, 2015

My Leading Man

As the director of a large interdisciplinary program required of all students during their first...

March 2015

March 06, 2015

Retiring Undefeated

Prominently displayed in the office I occupy as director of the Development of Western Civilization...

February 2015

February 11, 2015

Haunted by Humans

A bit over a year ago I read Herman Koch's novel The Dinner during Christmas break....

December 2014

December 10, 2014

Loving Your Life

I recently finished re-reading Stephanie Saldana’s 2010 book The Bread of Angels, a book that...

November 2014

November 19, 2014

Celebrating Life

I recently submitted two grant proposals related to my sabbatical that will begin next July....

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...

September 2014

September 08, 2014

Family Values?

I was angry with my father for a lot of reasons over the years, some...

August 2014

August 06, 2014

Humility and Wonder

Last Sunday's gospel focused on one of Jesus' signature miracles--the feeding of the five thousand....

July 2014

July 27, 2014

Love Will Win

Picture the favorite vehicle that you have ever owned. Did it look like this? Or...

July 25, 2014

Auras and Cats

In a world of partial color blindness, I have to make do with the colors...

July 18, 2014

Master of the Horse

Unlike many academics, I greatly enjoy commencement exercises. After experiencing three of my own (BA,...

June 2014

June 09, 2014

The Little Red-Haired Girl

Today is my lovely Jeanne's birthday--please join me in celebrating my favorite person's natal day!...

February 2014

February 14, 2014

Buster and Donna

Jeanne and I are the living embodiments of the old adage that “opposites attract.” Quickly....

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