Topics, Issues, Questions & News
Topics, Issues, Questions & News
Topics, Issues, Questions & News
A New Start: Holy Cross College
On July 1, I officially started my new position as Assistant Professor at Holy Cross College (Notre Dame, IN). Holy Cross is a small college and,...
What do you want to be when you grow up?
“What do you want to be when you grown up?” This question is the favorite for primary school programs and end-of-academic year reflection. The...
Snapshots from the Wheaton College classroom
During the 2016-2017 academic year, I had the privilege of being a visiting assistant professor at Wheaton College. The Wheaton English department...
Deeper Magic: Death Starts Working Backwards on Good Friday
The dripping blood our only drink, The bloody flesh our only food: In spite of which we like to think That we are sound, substantial flesh and...
Nunc Dimittis (The Song of Simeon)
Simeon was born on February 2nd, 2014 and died 40 minutes later. My friends were very excited for his birth—they had both lost a parent earlier in...
A Gift Half Understood: The Incarnation
But to apprehend The point of intersection of the timeless With time, is an occupation for the saint - No occupation either, but something given And...
Christmas (and shopping) for others
December 26th, what is Boxing Day in Commonwealth countries is known affectionately in America as the “Day After Christmas,” as in “The Day After...
Now Available! VIJ 43 and My Article on Adam Bede
The Victorians Institute Journal, Volume 43 has just been released, along with my article on George Eliot’s re-historicizing of Jesus in Adam Bede,...
God Has a Plan for Your Life—And It Might Be Horrible!
I hate it when well-meaning people tell me that God has a plan for my life. Why do I hate it, you might ask? Because it is exactly what I’m afraid...
Yes. You are screwing up your kids.
It’s an unavoidable fact of parenting. Whether you are an attachment parent, co-sleeping parent, a free-range parent, a helicopter parent, a...
Workplace Dramas
One of my favorite pass-times is watching TV shows on DVD (or it once was, as now we binge-watch Netflix instead). The series can be so engaging...
A New Role — Visiting Assistant Professor of English
It is with great excitement that I will be taking a position at Wheaton College in the Fall as a Visiting Assistant Professor of English, where I'll...
The Social Economy: Connecting Homeless John to More Work (Pt 3 of 3)
Post #3 of a Three-Post Series: <= Post #1 -- You know where to find me <= Post #2 -- Rocks, a Tent, and a Felony (or Two) My scalp was...
Homeless John comes to Work @ Our House (Pt 2 of 3)
Post #2 of a Three-Post Series:<= Post #1 -- You know where to find me=> Post #3 -- The Social Economy Two days later, the weather turned...
You know where to find me: Meeting Homeless John (Pt 1 of 3)
Post #1 of a Three-Post Series: => Post #2 -- Rocks, a Tent, and a Felony (or Two) => Post #3 -- The Social Economy “If I had some water, I’d...
Graduate School Commencement from The University of Notre Dame
On Saturday 14 May, some of my close friends and I chose to "walk" in recognition of our graduation from the University of Notre Dame. While the day...
Science, Mystery & The Christian Imagination
Philosopher David Hume should be celebrating his 305th birthday about now. He was born on May 7th (which was April 26th before the Calendar Act of...
Standing with Mary on Good Friday
When I was younger, Good Friday inspired me. While I was thankful for Jesus' sacrifice, I viewed it as the heroic act of an individual, independent...
Student Reflection on The Catholic Novel Class
In Fall 2015, I had the opportunity to co-teach a directed reading course for the Theology Department on the Catholic Novel with Dr. Tim O'Malley....
Creation is Good (but my kid’s bible got it wrong!)
A few nights ago, I was reading a popular children’s Bible with my kids. We read through the creation story describing how God made the light,...
Long-Form Fiction : Teaching Multi-Plot Novels, Serial Television, and Writing Screenplays
Over the past ten years, I have really enjoyed watching movies and TV shows in my “down time.” But, increasingly, it is impossible to watch (or,...
Backstory Pt 3-of-3: Practicing Sabbath
My families’ journey to Practicing Sabbath… I watched as my daughter set the table and chose the nicest hand-painted plates. Upon finishing her work she smiled and said, “There, now we’re ready to welcome our special time.”
Backstory Pt 2-of-3: Remember the Sabbath Day, keep it holy…
My children dust, vacuum, clean the bathrooms, and do all the laundering every Friday morning just because they are so committed to PRACTICING SABBATH together. How did this happen?
It all began when my kids started discovered the 10 Commandments, or the 4th one at least.
Backstory Pt 1-of-3: Bats & the Bible (how our family started practicing Sabbath)
“You mean, if all those stupid people…had only…been smart and…listened to God….and done what the Bible said…then I wouldn’t have to stay home? Read the full story of my son discovering that bats aren’t kosher and how that is changing our family rhythms.
Teaching Challenge: Create Lectures that make Students want to Read the Book! Six (short) Video’s on Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale.
So, how does a teacher guide students through at book—through (hopefully) engaging and entertaining videos — in a way that encourages thinking, that is encourages students to read, reflect, and respond rigorously without the classroom?
Focus on the Family or It Takes a Village? Raising Children to Follow Jesus
Francis Chan reportedly told listeners “I hear in a lot of churches they’ve got to meet together again because of our kids… if [the parents] are not equipped, then figure it out and man up.”