The recent re-election of Donald Trump feels like a direct assault on a social vision of justice and shalom. I tell of my despair and a sense of bereavement.

November 5 is no ordinary election in the USA. Donald Trump’s malignant narcissism and committed fascism make him a double threat to America and the world.

Why should Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving? To celebrate the sources of goodness in our lives, I suggest, and to resist generalized resentment.

Recently Ruby and I went tent camping in late summer sunlight. I reflect on the experience and resolve to live into the future with gratitude and affection.

Donald Trump and his supporters want to install a new imperial presidency. I examine what this means and how it threatens the future of constitutional democracy.

Right-wing extremists and the U.S. Supreme Court are attacking the administrative state. What is the administrative state? And why has it become their target?

The singing of Canadian and American national anthems at hockey’s Stanley Cup finals makes me wonder: What is genuine patriotism, and why does it matter?

Forrest’s Requiem for the Living is a collective prayer for healing and rest. I describe my recent experience of singing it and discuss how it is put together.

Measha, our sweet and beautiful cat, died on May 10, 2023. One year later I tell her story and remember with gratitude how she quietly blessed our lives.

Do certain emotional needs attract voters to support fascist politics? I explore this, referring to Theodor Adorno’s research on The Authoritarian Personality.

Jim Wallis calls white Christian nationalism a false religion. I reflect on what this means for the future of multiracial political democracy in America.

Why do so many white evangelical voters in America support former President Donald Trump? I reflect on this and issue a call for personal-political conversion.

Morten Lauridsen’s “Sure on This Shining Night” is a choral gem. I discuss its poetic and musical meaning and share how it resonates in my own experience.

You can be married without being legally married. So why bother with legal marriage? I respond to this by reflecting on why governments enact marriage laws.

SUNY Press has published my book on Adorno, Heidegger, and the Politics of Truth. Here I explore its roots in my other writings on Adorno and the idea of truth.

Why should people bother to get married? Citing Axel Honneth, I offer a philosophical account of companionate marriage that emphasizes trust and recognition.

Joyce Recker and I were married 47 years ago on a snowy Saturday in Toronto. In celebration, I share my reflections on what marriage is and why it matters.

Recently a choir I sing with performed Lauridsen’s “O Magnum Mysterium.” I explore this music and reflect on the mystery of divine love amid human suffering.

Why are politics and religion a volatile mix? Partly because religious beliefs have been politicized. We need to reconsider the politics of religious discourse.

How should we think about the ways religions fuel political conflicts? I propose a new view of religion and show both secularism and fundamentalism are flawed.