The Empty Public Square...

Richard John Neuhaus, 1936-2009
By Joseph Bottum
Thursday, January 8, 2009, 10:00 AM

Our great, good friend is gone.

Fr. Richard John Neuhaus slipped away January 8, shortly before 10 o’clock, at the age of seventy-two. He never recovered from the weakness that sent him to the hospital the day after Christmas, caused by a series of side effects from the cancer he was suffering. He lost consciousness Tuesday evening after a collapse in his heart rate, and soon after, in the company of friends, he died.

My tears are not for him—for he knew, all his life, that his Redeemer lives, and he has now been gathered by the Lord in whom he trusted. I weep, rather, for all the rest of us. As a priest, as a writer, as a public leader in so many struggles, and as a friend, no one can take his place. The fabric of life has been torn by his death, and it will not be repaired, for those of us who knew him, until that time when everything is mended and all our tears are wiped away.

Please accept our thanks for all your prayers and good wishes. I

n Deepest Sorrow,
Joseph Bottum
Editor First Things

I was saddened to hear of the passing of this great man. Two days ago I recieved his watershed work, The Naked Public Square, a book that defined a generation of evangelical engagement in the political sphere. I was fortunate enough to hear this man speak once, and upon reflection, I can only mourn the loss of a brilliant mind and passionate heart. Men like Richard John Neuhaus do not come along every day, and we have not only lost a champion of orthodoxy, but a man whom we would all do well to imitate in thought and deed.

It's Cold in Here!

I came across this interesting data on the internet a few days back, and thought I would share the wealth. Everyone I am sure remembers that Polar Bears were put on some stage of the endangered species list, mainly as a tactic to open doors for more global warming initiatives. The reasoning was that with the warming of the globe and the melting of all the polar ice, the bears were all going to drown and go extinct. You've all seen the image of a poor polar bear swimming, exhausted, searching for the ice that has turned into water because I drove my car to work this morning.

Before I go any further, let's get a few facts straight. First, polar bears don't drown- they are actually excellent swimmers. They have been spotted in the open ocean as far as 200 miles from land. Certainly they hunt at the polar ice/water's edge, so I suppose if that edge were to disappear completely all the seals they kill there would disappear...or would they? In any case, it's also important to note that according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, this loss of the polar bear's range would take at least the next 100 years. This won't happen tomorrow.

The info from the University of Illinois Artic Research Center is shockingly boring and even more regular than one could imagine. Rapid ice melt last summer was decried as the beginning of the end (of the world), despite the fact that an ice-free pole has occurred before, and is both normal and natural. However, all the sky-is-falling talk may be premature: as the year ended, the study showed that polar ice ended on a high note (as polar bear populations continue to soar). In fact, ice levels sit at almost exactly where they were in 1979, which I believe was shortly after the mini Ice Age golbal hysteria had passed. Certainly this isn't conclusive proof that Global Warming is a myth, or that it is a non-naturally occurring phenomenon. But it's important to remember that scientific studies and suggested causation for the current climate do not point to a clear consesus, and there's a lot more to this idea than the assertion that big bad humans are killing the planet. Remember that next time you see a commercial with a sad polar bear...he'll probably be okay.

Marley & Me

**Spoiler Alert: You'll probably be able to figure out the end of this movie after reading this blog.

I have a boy-and-his-dog complex. As a child, I cried at the end of Where the Red Fern Grows. I also cried at the end of Old Yeller. I suppose I don't have to tell you where this is going.

A few days after Christmas, my family and I went to see Marley & Me, a film starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. While the movie has been met with mixed critical reviews, I enjoyed the film, in large part because of my attachment to canines.

The movie begins with a just-married John Grogan (Wilson) and his wife Jennifer (Aniston) as they begin their lives in South Florida working for the Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post newspapers. Both desire to start a family but their employment makes this a difficult proposition, so John, on the advice of his bachelor friend Sebastian, surprises Jennifer with a labrador puppy to preoccupy and redirect her desire for children. All the results of a rambunctious puppy coupled with a lack of training ensue.

I enjoyed the film for several reasons. First, it was nice to see familiar surroundings, as I grew up in the same area as the Grogans live in the first 2/3rds of the movie. Additionally, both Kristen and I resonated with the film because we could identify with the circumstances of the characters. After all, we are young, married, and currently have a puppy as our only child.

The film is as much about John's reluctant trajectory into adulthood as it is about a misbehaving furball, but that didn't bother me since the film is Marley & Me, not My Dog Marley. I felt that the recounting of the Grogan marriage was an honest and fair portrayal of what it is like to travel through various life stages. My brother Matthew didn't feel that Aniston and Owen had much on-screen chemistry, but I saw it another way: their marriage had romantice and passion, but it was also filled with long days and tiresome responsiblities. I appreciated that their marriage was portrayed as difficult and joyful, and their arguments at several points reminded me of some of my less-than perfect moments.

I won't go into detail, but the ending of the film was both expected and difficult, though it didn't fall victim to the new puppy cliche of many life-of-a-dog films. I'll just say that I felt the same way about this ending as I did about the endings of Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows. While the movie isn't Oscar material and certainly has several silly points, it's a good film with a rich and meaningful ending, and I would recommend it. Just bring the tissues.

Christmas Reviews

Now that Christmas has passed and we're all looking at the first few days of 2009, I thought I would share some reviews and thoughts of several of my Christmas gifts.

Craftsman Wrenches

I asked for these wrenches specifically and was thrilled to receive them. They are a 12 piece Metric combination set with an open end and a closed, 6 point end. The 6 point end makes them less likely to strip stubborn bolts and fits snugly around bold heads. The 7-18mm spread includes pretty much all the sizes I will need, and the best thing about Craftsman hand tools is their lifetime warranty. If I happen to be under my car at 50 years from now, pounding on one of these wrenches to loosen a bolt and the wrench breaks, I can drive to Sears and present them with it and it will be immediately replaced, free of charge. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Tootsie

Dustin Hoffman stars in this film, the original cross-dressing comedy. While most people my age remember Robin William's amusing antics as Mrs. Doubtfire, he has nothing on Dustin Hoffman's hilarious portrayal of Michael Dorsey, an out-of-work actor that finds success only as his female alter-ego, Dorothy Michaels. Directed by the brilliant Sydney Pollack, this film is a laugh-out-loud comedy that crafts humor from irony and circumstance rather than going for the cheap laugh. Additionally, it has a unique tone to the subject of cross-dressing due to its age, and I feel is all the better for it.

Swingline Stapler

If you've seen the classic movie Office Space, then you have seen this stapler. Apparently, I'm only supposed to use "Swingline High Performance Staples" in it. Sortof like how Ferraris require Premium gasoline. My old stapler was a piece of junk, so this is definitely an upgrade. Milton would be proud.

Piper Books
I asked for John Piper's Desiring God for Christmas. I have never read any of Piper's books save for the very short Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ, so I felt as though I should at least read the book that so many believers rave about. My in-laws responded to my request by purchasing not only Desiring God, but also Pleasures of God (which several of my friends have told me is actually their favorite Piper book) and Future Grace. While I have not started any of these books yet, I am looking forward to digging into the books that have shaped the minds of so many pastors, professors and friends that I respect.

Old Navy Sweater

This was a very thoughtful gift from my wife Kristen. She has excellent taste and I have decided to pretty much let her pick out my clothes from now on. I always look good in the things she buys for me. The sweater is warm and initially I thought it might be a little itchy, but it is on the contrary quite soft and comfy.

Sports Night
I've mentioned this show on my blog before, but it's worth noting again that this was certainly one of if not the best show ever to grace network television. Unappreciated in its own time and consigned to a mediocre dvd release with no special features and a poor quality digital transfer, this re-release of the show does Sports Night right. There are commentaries with the very talented director/producers Aaron Sorkin and Tommy Schlamme, as well as a number of other bonus features. If you haven't seen Sports Night, then you haven't seen Shakespeare as it was meant to be played.

The Ministry of Fear

Graham Green is one of my all-time favorite writers, and as I have read nearly the entirety of his popular collection, I have been attempting to branch out to some of his lesser-known works. The Ministry of Fear was not Greene's most acclaimed novel, though he always considered it his favorite, a fact that drew me to it. I have only just begun to read this novel, but all signs point to it being yet another wonderful example of Greene's talent as a writer.

Jaws

This is one of the all time classics of the silver screen, containing such famous quotes as "You're gonna need a bigger boat" and "Smile you sonofa..." While the tale of this rogue shark may be a little short on scientific fact (though Richard Dreyfuss' character does call the shark "a carcaradon carcharias") it is filled with terror and the excitement of an extended battle with the apex predator of the ocean. Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider all shine in their respective roles. The irony of this gift for me is that it came from my sister-in-law Tiffany, who is very wary of sharks. Also, I would recommend watching this trailer, melding the smashing success of Jaws with the mediocre film Must Love Dogs.

Happy Turkey Day! (Belated)

As the serious chill of winter is upon us, one of the colder winters on record (don't worry proponents of global warming, those pulling the strings on the theory have already rushed to declare that this year will be cooler, an anomaly in the cataclysmic melting of everything) I thought I would belatedly share some pictures from our Thanksgiving vacation with Kristen's family.

Growing up in Ft. Lauderdale, I had watched the sun rise on the beach many times, but sunsets over the beach were much rarer for me, so all the more reason for me to enjoy sights like this.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time down there...despite the fact that I was studying heavily for my Greek final, it was great to relax and not have very much to do.

Sadly, not all of Kristen's sisters were able to join us for Thanksgiving, but we had a great time with Tiffany...she's the other set of legs in this picture (the first set being my wife's).

I am blessed to have a great relationship with my in-laws, and while we were down I was able to sit down over coffee with Larry, my father-in-law, to talk ministry, theology and everything else. I always enjoy our time together, and his wisdom from years in the ministry gives me perspective that I often lack with my passionate but untested ideas.

Throughout the trip our biggest constant was the ocean...we visited three times in the five days we were there, and several nights headed over to the clubhouse to take a dip in the pool and hot tub after dark. This, combined with an excellent Thanksgiving dinner, made the whole trip very peaceful.

As for Kristen and I, it was probably the most quality time that we had spent together since the semester started, and it was very good for us. Here are a few pictures of me and my lovely wife to close out this post.

Oh Where Is My Mailbox?

It's the normal things, the everyday things that when they suddenly aren't there, strike at the heart of our equilibrium. Such was the case for me last Monday, when I walked out of our apartment and across the parking lot to mail a bill. Our apartment complex has a collection box right next to our mailroom, very convenient for the 400+ residents of our complex, since the post office doesn't pick up mail from our boxes.

After turning in circles several times, searching for my familiar blue friend, I got a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. The Leasing Agents in the office didn't have any idea, though they shared my concern. Reluctantly, I handed over my electric bill to the office staff to put in their outgoing mail and walked back to my apartment.

The Postal Service has struck again. Of the 900 or so mailboxes in the Louisville area, 300 were collected this last week in a cost cutting measure designed to inconvenience thousands. Along with the rising price of stamps, I can only imagine that the complete demise of the blue mail box is on the horizon. Sure, the advent of email has made the sending of letters much more rare, but the mail is an important mode for transmitting information and conducting business.

I suppose from now on I will have to drive to a mailbox or place my outgoing mail in the hands of our Leasing Office. It's bad enought that they refuse to pick up mail from our P.O. Box style mailroom, but now I can't mail a letter from home short of asking someone else to mail it for me, something I'm not very comfortable with. It's too bad UPS or FedEx doesn't collect mail. Dear Postal Service: you have failed us once again.

The Cost of Freedom

Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday, December 7th, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

These words, spoken by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt about an event that occurred 67 years ago today, still ring a familiar tone in our collective history. It was on that day that the United States of America entered World War II. But with the number of soliders, sailors and airmen that served in this conflict dwindling, we must not forget the lessons learned and the sacrifices made, lest their deaths be in vain.

More than 2,400 were killed and over half that many wounded on that fateful day, but the losses were nothing compared to what was to come. By the end of World War II, millions had bled and died across the globe so that freedom could prevail.

The world seemed dark and hopeless on that morning 67 years ago, but through sacrifice and determination, hope sprang anew. Remember today the sacrifices that a generation made so that we could be free. May we be always respectful and never take for granted a gift as precious as this.

Pictures from top to bottom: The USS West Virginia is hit by a torpedo in one of the opening explosions of the attack, USS Shaw exploding after her magazine was penetrated by a Japanese bomb, the remains of the great battleship USS Arizona and the USS Arizona memorial as it stands today.