The Humanitas Forum

After Virtue is a book title that is descriptive of the time in which we live.  In our day, “The language of morality is in [a] … state of grave disorder,” writes Alasdair MacIntyre.  In other words, we …

Most contemporary Christian writing on spiritual growth and development ignores centuries of teaching on the virtues and vices.  This unfortunate development misses many rich resources for spiritual formation.  It puts us at risk of “misunderstanding both our past …

It makes sense!  Humor is a natural character quality that results from what the apostle Paul describes as the fruit of the Spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Real humor requires perspective, …

Hearing is one of our natural senses, but listening is more.  Listening requires focus and attention.  In fact, good listening is just another way of talking.  It speaks clearly—it says, you’re important.  What you have to …

No, not impossible, but it may be rather difficult!  Some eighty years ago, the Spanish philosopher Jose Ortega y Gasset pointed out that we moderns exhibit a “radical ingratitude” toward all that has “made possible the ease of our …

“Gratitude, being nearly the greatest of human duties, is also nearly the most difficult.”  

This line from G. K. Chesterton is in “Christmas and Salesmanship,” a short essay published just before Christmas, 1935.  Here are a few …