David Brooks, with his clear eye, is one of those writers with a knack for capturing a cultural moment in print. BoBos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There (2001) was a standout achievement for the year it appeared, describing the culturally dominant new man that arose in the decade after the project to produce homo...

　　In November, Spirit Airlines filed for bankruptcy. Was this because it was a particularly ill-managed company? No, Spirit Airlines went bankrupt because the United States is no longer a truly capitalist country. It is instead a country with a predatory economy in which productive capital is formally under the legal ownership of private investors but de facto controlled by government...

　　Love Like Jesus 　　By Brent Rinehart 　　“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her”- Ephesians 5:25 　　I could tell from the smile on my wife’s face, there had been an amazing encounter. She was beaming. She proceeded to tell me about her impromptu visit to a roadside produce stand to buy tomatoes and...

　　A Prayer of Healing for the Brokenhearted This Christmas 　　By Alisha Headley 　　Bible Reading: 　　“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy...

　　The French-Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) is often dismissed by conservatives on account of the influence of his Social Contract in helping to inspire the French Revolution and its attendant horrors. But far from being an advocate of violent revolution (though he thought it inevitable), let alone anarchy or terror, Rousseau was a thoughtful critic of the excesses of the...

　　For the first time in many years, Puerto Rico became a notable political topic during this year’s presidential election cycle. This attention stemmed from controversial “jokes” made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe who referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” during a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden. Regardless of the intended humour, which was poorly received by...

　　A Christmas Prayer for the Merry...and Not So Merry 　　But the angel reassured them. 'Don't be afraid!' he said. 'I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior — yes, the Messiah, the Lord — has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!' Luke 2:10-11 (NLT)Father God, 　　We thank You and praise...

　　What Does it Mean to Offer God a “Sacrifice of Praise”? (Hebrews 13:15) 　　By Debbie McDaniel 　　Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. – Hebrews 13:15 　　We have so much to praise God for every day, there's great power in giving honor to Him. The Bible...

　　Mary Beard’s excellent new book, Emperor of Rome, begins with a timeline of Roman emperors from Julius Caesar to Alexander Severus that gives each emperor’s years of reign, a quick fact or two, and often, his manner of death. But these three pages are the last time that Beard presents her readers with anything like a forced march through Roman...

　　Weekend, December 14, 2024 　　At the Name of Jesus 　　That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. (Philippians 2:10 NLT) 　　Juliet asked Romeo, “What’s in a name?” And then she answered her own question: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would...

　　On September 25, 1789, the United States Congress proposed twelve amendments to the states for ratification. A little over two years later, on December 15, 1791, Virginia became the 11th state to ratify ten of those proposals, thus making them part of the Constitution. In the immediate years that followed, every December 15, Americans celebrated the passage of the Bill...

　　Tender Words in the Wilderness 　　By Deidre Braley 　　Bible Reading 　　Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. – Hosea 2:14 　　In the book of Hosea, the Lord rebukes Israel for her idolatry—namely for chasing after other gods and forgetting her first love, and for forgetting that it was God who...