Monthly Archives: May 2022

On Putting Powerful Tools in Unskilled Hands: Two Egregious Tendencies in Contemporary Poetry

Posted on May 30, 2022 by Bob Shepherd

NB: Several of the examples I use in this essay come from various essays by Randall Jarrell that I read years ago in my own wayward youth. If this were a scholarly piece, I would track those down and footnote … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Teaching Literature and Writing | 11 Comments

Why Is Christianity So Weird?

Posted on May 15, 2022 by Bob Shepherd

Imagine for a moment that you have never heard of Christianity. Seriously. Try this. A little thought experiment. A missionary comes to you and says, “Here’s the deal. There’s this all-powerful guy in the sky, and he created everything, including the … Continue reading →

Posted in Metaphysics, Philosophy, Religion | 20 Comments

On the Dobbs Decision: It Can Happen, It Is Happening, Here

Posted on May 4, 2022 by Bob Shepherd

I’ve never liked the term unenumerated rights because the point is not whether they are numbered but whether they are expressed, so until now, I have avoided it in my comments on this decision. But that’s the standard legal term … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Religion, Sex and Gender, Trump (Don the Con) | 17 Comments