Insightful take on & overview of postliberalism as a political movement with many parts (factions?) from Prof PJ Kelly LSE 🇺🇦 -although I don’t think what he calls “common good absolutism” fits within postliberalism blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpol…

Stood with colleagues & students outside the Divinity School to watch the partial eclipse (80%). Have to say alongside the beauty of the phenomenon & uncanny light, the event was memorable for the high quality eclipse themed banter which included a number of medieval mystic refs

Dogwood season in North Carolina. Their blossoming is always a moment of sheer delight for me.

I find all talk of “Christian nationalism” muddled & saying little more that “I don’t like.” I’ll write something on why the term is counterproductive & itself antidemocratic but in the meantime this excellent piece by Brad East is a v good critique christianitytoday.com/ct/2024/march-…

Full blossom season here at Duke. Always a source of wonder.

In these times when so many Christians are drawn to anti-democratic movements & authoritarian leaders it’s important to understand what democracy is, its biblical basis, & why a commitment to democracy is a confessional matter. This piece does just that saet.ac.uk/Christianity/D…

I’m beginning work on a georgic political theology-from Virgil’s The Georgics a genre focused both on tilling the soil & the ordinary ways we make a life, incl. family & motherhood. This wonderful review of two books by Emily Raboteau speaks its concerns nybooks.com/articles/2024/…

Good post just advertised in Theology, Philosophy, & Ethics at Edinburgh University jobs.ac.uk/job/DFR998/lec…

Terrific critique in the guise of a book review of the cult of authenticity & what the author Tyler Austin Harper calls ‘therapeutic libertarianism’ with its hidden class assumptions. Also, always good to see Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism discussed theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…

Out now! Bretherton's A Primer in Christian Ethics | An introduction to Christian ethics that provides a new critical and constructive framework for Christian moral and political deliberation.
Find out more: ☑️ cup.org/49ocwkT
#ethics

Good review and overview of Jon Cruddas important new book ‘A Century of Labour’ which argues for the recovery of the associational, ethical and small ‘d’ democratic aspects of Labour’s political tradition jacobin.com/2024/01/labour… @Jacobin Blue Labour

“Real hope does not evade the tragic, overlook suffering, or repress injustice by fixating on a future object or time. It faces head on the world as it is but refuses to be governed by it. To put this another way, hope refuses the tyranny of the present.”
Luke Bretherton

Fascinating (and inspiring) example of an person-centred, place based form of Christian neighbour love that provides a constructive response to homelessness - while flawed and fragile it is one that does not make the best the enemy of the good nytimes.com/2024/01/08/hea…

I’m tempted to pitch my new “Primer in Christian Ethics: Christ and the Struggle to Live Well” as the authentic alternative to @Jordanbpeterson Stoic/Jungian version of Christianity 😁 In any case, here is a flier that gives 20% off

Very good overview of the rise of the dechurched believing but not belonging Christians for whom Evangelicalism is an identity. For them party politics not creedal belief drives their faith. nytimes.com/2024/01/08/us/…

Read this over the holidays. Excellent (esp the chapter on toleration and hospitality) Luke Bretherton