COMMENTARY

Clapham Institute Blog

Welcome to the Clapham Institute Blog. You may have followed us previously at doggieheadtilt.com or come across us through a corporate event, church gathering, or online outreach. However you arrived here, we're glad to have you. If you have any questions about the content we're presenting, please feel free to reach out to us at any time.

Category Mistake

Alex Mayyasi writes that a banker listening to a theologian seems like a curiosity, a category error. But for most of history, this kind of dialogue was the norm. What happened that clergy serving as consultants became viewed as a category mistake?

The Creative Minority

British historian Arnold Toynbee believed civilizations could be renewed because they have a spiritual dimension. It’s manifest in the “creative minority.” What’s that?

Happier Ending?

In his new book, Divided We Fall, Luder Whitlock plays the role of a modern-day Merlin. I hope his story has a happier ending than King Arthur’s tale.

Renewing the Great Experiment

“America is the most grandiose experiment the world has seen, but, I am afraid, it is not going to be a success.” Why was Sigmund Freud so pessimistic about our nation?

Check Your Voicemail

Over the years, a cottage industry of Christians has sprung up addressing the issue of vocation. A quick glance at your iPhone suggests that we all ought to be talking about it.

How Sociology Messed Up My Faith

I used to believe that reaching the world was fairly straightforward. Win people to Christ. Disciple them. Send them out. Then I started reading sociology.

"We" More Than "I"

Attending a rave changed Tony Hsieh’s life. The Zappos CEO says it started him on the path to creating a new kind of business. What did Hsieh experience at that rave?

Legit

“Institutions don’t have a good reputation among evangelicals,” writes Uli Chi. “We tend to focus on the merely personal.” That’s largely why we’re not viewed as legit.

The Missing Link

When we talk about a worldview or concept, we’re assuming that human beings think with their brains. But what if we think more with our whole body?

The Babylonian Option

In a post-Christian nation, Rod Dreher believes The Benedictine Option is the best way forward. I like much of what he says but The Babylonian Option might be better.