If you haven’t seen “She’s Funny That Way,” and you probably haven’t, then you’re in for both a treat and a retreat into the world of Old Hollywood farce in the spirit of Sturges and Lubitsch. Read More… Peter Bogdanovich has died, America’s only famous chronicler of Old Hollywood, a young friend of Orson Welles and an admirer of John Ford, and a director in his own turn of celebrated dramas like The Last Picture Show (1971), ing-of-age story about...

The pervasive crisis of meaning contemporary Americans experience is directly related to a loss of moral agency and legitimate authority. That crisis manifests itself in ideological fervor, grasps at power and wealth, and immersion in mob activities that occasion in violence. Is there any hope for moral cohesion short of a Third Great Awakening? Read More… Political theorists have engaged in much debate concerning the “quarrel between the ancients and the moderns,” such quarrel evidence of the opposing claims of...

The most popular film on Netflix right now is either a successor to Dr. Strangelove or a self-righteous and overly obvious attempt to shame the average American. But it does have a lot more of Leonardo DiCaprio than you’ve seen before. Read More… The techno-gossip that passes for objective knowledge these days assures us that the Netflix movie Don’t Look Up was watched extensively—more than 321.5 million hours streamed. Does that mean about 150 million people around the world watched...

The topic of reparations is often a nonstarter for many conservatives, but it shouldn’t be. There are classical liberal alternatives to simple government payouts that can begin to repay black Americans still suffering from the repercussions of Jim Crow racism. Read More… Today we mostly associate the idea of reparations for America’s black population with left-wing politics, and that’s no surprise. Only Democratic candidates for president, such as Marianne Williamson, mention reparations as part of their political platform. However, the...

The arch Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin died this day in 1924. Myths abound about his beliefs. They’re not what you think. They’re worse. Read More… “I broke sharply with all questions of religion,” said Vladimir Lenin, with typical vituperation. “I took off my cross and threw it in the rubbish bin.” Such was a metaphor for the dark turn made by Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, who came to be known by an alias, “Lenin.” He was born April 22, 1870, in...

Whether Boris Johnson in the U.K. or Pelosi, Newsome, Whitmer, and Lightfoot in the U.S., political elites tend to think the rules are only for the little people. What we need is a return to the true citizen legislator. Read More… Each morning’s headlines in the British press bring new details of parties happening inside Boris Johnson’s government while the rest of the United Kingdom and much of the world was locked down in isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic...

The following is an edited-for-length version of the lecture delivered by the Rev. Dr. Juhana Pohjola, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland, as part of the 2021 American Lecture Tour sponsored by the International Lutheran Council. Read More… On April 29, 2021, the prosecutor general of Finland decided to bring charges against me and Member of Parliament Mrs. Päivi Räsänen. We will be summoned to the Helsinki district court for the court session on January 24, 2022....

The severe ideological divide that makes even debate impossible can only be bridged by a return to civility in dispute. Strong opinions civilly expressed is the best first step. Read More… One of the sadder deaths in 2021 was that of former Kansas senator Bob Dole. Wounded war-hero and long-serving politician, Dole was widely respected from people across the political spectrum not only for his skills but also for his willingness to try and work across divides to mon objectives....

The Hong Kong of old is quickly descending into a Beijing-controlled client state, with recent elections ensuring CCP-loyal functionaries enjoy top legislative positions. Read More… The People’s Republic of China (PRC) pletingthe destruction ofthe old Hong Kong. The last vestiges of free expression and democratic choice are disappearing. On January 4, the media site Citizen News closed due to the deteriorating legal environment. Theorganization explained: “We all love this place, deeply. Regrettably, what was ahead of us is not just...

If you thought good and evil were superstitious binaries that will one day be married, a new theatrical adaptation of Lewis’ parable will have you pining for a divorce. Read More… Humans are incredibly skilled at rationalizing sin. We prefer to gloss over sin rather than face it. And for good reason! To grapple with the true weight of our sin is a heavy burden indeed. And even when we do recognize sin, we are more likely to note the...