This essay is a letter that has been written for children whose grandmother died last year, at the age of 67. Dear children, This last March marked the one-year anniversary of the death of my mother (and your grandmother). I ask myself: how shall I remember her life and grieve her passing? Every human being … Continue reading What Would Grandma Say?

In his excellent book on Maritain, The Philosopher In Society, James V. Schall comments on Maritain's theoretical critique of Niccolo Machiavelli. The Florentine master of immorality, Maritain observed, charms and seduces us. Why, or with what teaching, does Machiavelli seduce us? It is not so much when men ought to do, but what they do … Continue reading Hitler’s Reading of Machiavelli

My family has a Christmas tradition of giving books, which sometimes contain wisdom therein. These books are not all necessarily *recommended* but they have inspired good thinking about race, politics, faith, human nature, and the good life. Up From Slavery, by Booker T Washington. Two ideas stand out. First are his thoughts on emancipation. We … Continue reading What I’m Reading Now

My dissertation is (apparently) available for public consumption. The work forms the backbone for a book monograph on St. Augustine and the relevance of his teaching on the fall for political life and the common good. But in the meantime, all the current chapters are being revised and new ones added. So, consider this the … Continue reading Dissertation out

In this blog, I present short reflections, tidbits of scholarship and inquiry, and passing thoughts. I shall strive to be serious-minded, that is, meditating on enduring political and social questions. And yet, I shall strive for a light touch. Everyone hates a blog that takes itself too seriously. My goal is to give my readers … Continue reading My Purpose

I teach at Holy Cross College, a place that aims to form each student as a “Scholar, Citizen, Leader, and Disciple.” Several of these core objectives of Holy Cross College relate to my research, but let’s think about leadership for a moment. When my students and I talk about leadership, we want to discover what … Continue reading The Love of Glory