Category: Interesting

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George F. Will Offers a “Nones” Perspective on “Religion and the American Republic”

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George F. Will pens a typically insightful essay in the most recent issue of National Affairs: “Religion and the American Republic.” The unique “angle” on this essay is Will’s identification with the 20 percent of Americans who are religiously unaffiliated, i.e., the “nones.” From his conclusion: Alexis de Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America just two generations after the American founding — two generations after Madison identified tyranny of the majority as the distinctively worst political outcome that democracy could produce. Tocqueville had a different answer to the question of what kind of despotism democratic nations should fear most. His warning is justly famous and more pertinent … Continue reading George F. Will Offers a “Nones” Perspective on “Religion and the American Republic”

Interesting, Theology2 Comments

“The Horrible Decree” by Charles Wesley

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Charles Wesley was a prolific hymnist, with approximately 9000 hymns and sacred poems to his name. Among my favorites are “And Can It Be?” and “O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing!” Welsey–along with his brother John–were also a theological polemicist, however, who wrote his polemics into his songs. One of his most blunt anti-Calvinist hymns is “The Horrible Decree,” which refers to the Calvinist doctrine of limited atonement. Here’s the text of the hymn, not exactly in honor of Calvin’s birthday, but apropos of it nonetheless. [1] Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove, And art thou griev’d in me, That sinners … Continue reading “The Horrible Decree” by Charles Wesley

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President Reagan’s Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day at Point-du-Hoc: June 6, 1984

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Here’s the text of the speech: We’re here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history. We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. … Continue reading President Reagan’s Address at the Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day at Point-du-Hoc: June 6, 1984

America, InterestingLeave a comment

Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

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On this Memorial Day, which began as a commemoration of the Civil War, I am posting the most profound meditation on that war ever written, in hope that we always remember its lessons about war, partisanship, and the divine will. Fellow-Countrymen: At this second appearing to take the oath of the Presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years, during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on … Continue reading Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address