Author Archive
Articles by John D. Carlson

Essay
Losing Our Civil Religion
Trump’s unbridled rhetorical rampage has stripped the presidency of its moral ambition and authority.
By John D. Carlson
Essay
The Democratic Virtue of Losing
Easter, which began yesterday and extends until Pentecost, provides an occasion for Christians to meditate on the consummate paradox at the heart of their faith. …
By John D. Carlson
Essay
In Remembrance: Reading the Christmas Letters of Jean Bethke Elshtain (1941-2013)
This time of year is, for many, a season of hopefulness—of anticipation and celebration of joyous things to come. Yet, as the cards and letters …
By John D. Carlson
Essay
A Moral Guide to Obama’s Foreign Policy
Three years ago today, President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize. The awkward contexts of 2009 that accompanied, if not overshadowed, the award and his …
By John D. Carlson