The main character of Wendell Berry's A Place on Earth, as in many of his novels, is the fictional town of Port William, Kentucky. While Berry is a masterful storyteller, the narrative is less important than the relationships that the characters have with each other, with the town and surrounding farmland they inhabit, and with the land itself. Berry continually returns to the question of what effect a character has on the people, town, and land around him. When a character is introduced, Berry will often describe … [Read more...] about Stewardship, Membership, and Voting: Reflections on Wendell Berry’s A Place on Earth
wendell berry
Where Is God When It Rains?
As I write this, several million homes are without power on the East Coast due to Hurricane Sandy. Except for natural disasters like this one, it's easy to forget our connection to the weather, nature, and the rest of Creation. Even for those in the midst of the hurricane, modern comforts —like Netflix, which experienced a boost in online streaming in the areas affected by severe weather —help take the edge off of the danger outside. In the most recent episode of Mars Hill Audio, Norman Wirzba discusses his new book … [Read more...] about Where Is God When It Rains?
Week in Review: Show Me the Money
What are you reading, watching, thinking about this week? As usual, here's a few which have been on our mind. Let us know your thoughts on any/all of them. If you have items you'd like us to consider for the top five, add them in the comments or send them to Tom or Mike. 1. Who pays for higher education, in the U.S. and around the world? Scott Jaschik interviews (by email) the authors of Financing Higher Education Worldwide (D. Bruce Johnstone & Pamela N. Marcucci. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010) in … [Read more...] about Week in Review: Show Me the Money
What’s the purpose of a university?
Here's Wendell Berry's answer: The thing being made in a university is humanity. Given the current influence of universities, this is merely inevitable. But what universities, at least the public-supported ones, are mandated to make or to help to make is human beings in the fullest sense of those words —not just trained workers or knowledgeable citizens but responsible heirs and members of human culture. If the proper work of the university is only to equip people to fulfill private ambitions, then how do we justify … [Read more...] about What’s the purpose of a university?