“O. Carter Snead’s What It Means to Be Human: The Case for the Body in Public Bioethics is a momentous achievement, an agenda-setting work offering a philosophically rich argument moving between important moral concepts and applied issues in bioethics. It is also a rare book from an academic press that is accessible to a general audience as well as to specialists in the field.” - Public Discourse

“…the Saturday call between Trump and Raffensperger provides the best window into the intense pressure that the Secretary of State—a lifelong Republican who voted for and donated to Trump—has been under. Trump’s voice was raised for much of the call, but he sounded increasingly desperate as it became clear that his appeals to Raffensperger’s Republican ‘loyalty’ weren’t going anywhere.” - The Dispatch

I feel like I’m way out of sync. For me, 2020 was a year of unexpected blessing. Though some of what follows is probably in the category of self-indulgent (and boring) oversharing, I mostly mean it as an expression of thankfulness for undeserved mercies.

Work & Tech

In 2020, my work conditions improved a lot, as did the commute (home office!). At the same time, my work relationships—my connectedness to my peers—also improved, the reverse of what’s supposed to happen in a work-from-home dynamic.

“Třanovský knew something about suffering. He lived during the devastating Thirty-Year War, was imprisoned once, exiled twice, and forced to move several times. Three of his children died, and both he and the people under his care suffered the consequences of wars, pillaging, and pestilence. He was bedridden and in pain for eight months before going to meet his Savior.” - Ref21

A random collection of “top xx” items of 2020…

“1. Creativity and work. God the Creator tasked human beings with labor even in the Garden of Eden. This work allows us to refine, purify, and fructify His handiwork. While this does not make human beings co-creators – for only God created all things ex nihilo – it gives us a canvas on which to display the creativity God implanted inside all His children.” - Acton