This year I have been thinking often about exemplars – figures in history, or fiction, seen as admirable or exemplary in some way. The main reason for this is that I have been moonlighting as the assistant for an Oxford-based discussion group called Ethics through Fiction and Film, which has Read more
We now come to the conclusion of our series on Herman Dooyeweerd’s In the Twilight of Western Thought. It is in this final chapter (8) that the full weight of Dooyeweerd’s critique of historicism specifically and Christian attempts to engage in unbiblical scholarship is revealed. The conclusion of Dooyeweerd’s argument is Read more
This Friday sees the launch of a series of lunchtime webinars about a topic that affects all of us: sustainable food systems. From farm to fork, what does it mean for our food to be sustainably produced, processed, distributed and consumed? As consumers, what kinds of products and ingredients are Read more
So far in our journey through Herman Dooyeweerd’s book In the Twilight of Western Thought, we have explored key concepts related to the development of a distinctly Christian philosophy. But, because Dooyeweerd intends to develop a philosophy that is radically (literally, from the root) Christian, the question he comes to in chapters Read more
As we enter May and begin to feel summer approach, academics around the UK are gearing up for a season of marking student exams, essays and coursework. This year, however, we are also nervously awaiting some results of our own: May 12 marks the date on which the results of Read more
Easter is mysterious. This isn’t a conclusion many come to in our culture today: from a secular point of view, it constitutes only a pleasant, mostly child-oriented spring festival, while even the Christians who continue to celebrate the religious aspect tend to present it primarily as a celebration in the Read more
Walking into a classroom at one of the top universities in the world after 12 years out of education was a daunting yet exhilarating experience on many levels. Will I be the oldest on my course? Will I know how to write in English at this level? How will I Read more
We’re continuing our discussion of Herman Dooyeweerd’s little book, In the Twilight of Western Thought. In this month’s post, I’d like to do two things: 1) summarize Dooyeweerd’s explanation of the historical mode of human existence and 2) use his explanation to suggest some reflections for what’s going on currently in our Read more
One of the fruitful ideas I keep returning to in my life and scholarship is how stories or narratives or dramas shape us. They form our imaginations and – even when we’re not conscious of it – they influence how we live. The Scottish philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre (1929- ) says Read more
Sustainability is the watchword of our time. I wonder if it is the most widely shared ethic in today’s world; certainly it is seems to pop up frequently in the aspirations of people and organisations in the English-speaking world. From farming to investing and from industry to government, sustainable living Read more