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Harry Clor is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Kenyon College. He taught courses on American constitutional law, political philosophy, and legal theory. He is the author, most recently, of On Moderation: Defending an Ancient Virtue in a Modern World (Baylor University Press, 2008).

August 10, 2015|Moral Man and Immoral Society, Reinhold Niebuhr, Soren Kierkegaard

Reinhold Niebuhr, Christian Democratic Realist

by Harry Clor|3 Comments

Is there an irreconcilable disparity between authentic Christian faith and hard-boiled political realism? Common sense seems to require an unequivocal “yes”—one is so different from the other as to preclude any coherent combination of them. Yet we can find such a combination, or a significant approximation of it, in the philosophy of Reinhold Niebuhr. And that is what makes him an intriguing thinker and commentator on public affairs. Much of Niebuhr’s extensive writing, newly collected by the Library of America, is focused upon the role and limits of morality in politics, especially international politics. He is critical of “realists” who would…

March 2, 2015|Aristotle, John Locke, Pledge of Allegiance, The New Testament, The U.S. Constitution, Walter Berns

The Political Thought of Walter Berns

by Harry Clor|1 Comment

Walter Berns should have an influence among future students, teachers, and devotees of American constitutional democracy.

Belloc’s Humane Defense of Personhood and Property

by James Matthew Wilson

Perhaps the memory of that metaphysical right to property informs our fears, and could lead to a restoration of human flourishing.

Bruno Leoni and the Search for Certainty in Law

by Alberto Mingardi

Leoni wanted to advance the concept of the “certainty” of the law beyond the mere verbal precision of statutes to something more profound.

The Sacred Rites of Humanity: A Conversation with Daniel Mahoney

A discussion with Daniel J. Mahoney

Daniel Mahoney discusses his new book The Idol of Our Age and how humanitarianism corrupts politics and religion.

The John Marshall Legacy: A Conversation with Richard Brookhiser

A discussion with Richard Brookhiser

Richard Brookhiser discusses the life and jurisprudence of John Marshall.

Andrew Jackson in Context: A Conversation with Bradley Birzer

A discussion with Bradley J. Birzer

Once considered one of our most consequential presidents, Andrew Jackson's reputation has now fallen on hard times.

Hamilton, Madison, and American Oligarchy: A Conversation with Jay Cost

A discussion with Jay Cost

Jay Cost, author of The Price of Greatness, discusses the political and economic debates between Hamilton and Madison.

Trump’s Norm-Breaking: Real or Imagined?

Trump is trying to faithfully execute his office and, in his own way, to strengthen the Constitution.
by Charles R. Kesler
Let’s Save Liberal Education by Rethinking It

Why not consider the crafts and trades of vocational training, the performing arts, or the service professions part of the liberal arts?
by Lee Trepanier
Two Cheers for Criminal Justice Reform

The so-called "First Step Act" offers some worthy reforms, but nothing that would satisfy progressive fantasies.
by Barry Latzer
How George H.W. Bush Gave Us Donald Trump

Bush never caught on to the fact that a growing number of Republican voters expected Republican politicians actually to change the rules.
by James R. Rogers
Civility and the Challenge of Ordered Liberty

The virtue of civility ebbs and flows in public life, but Stephen Carter gives us reasons to work to maintain it as a standard of good citizenship.
by Alexandra Hudson

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