C.S. Lewis Archives — The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal

Universities Have Forgotten Their Purpose: Pursuing the Contemplative Life

Dec 17, 2021 · Jessica Hooten Wilson · Comments Off

Editor’s note: this essay is adapted from a talk delivered by Jessica Hooten Wilson at Word on Fire’s Good News Conference on November 7, 2021, in Orlando, Florida. Universities are suffering an identity crisis. They don’t know what they are or what they are for. Nearly forty years ago, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn proclaimed, “Men have forgotten … Continue reading “Universities Have Forgotten Their Purpose: Pursuing the Contemplative Life”

The Spurning of Old Books: The Devaluation of the Past Threatens Higher Ed

Jan 13, 2021 · Matthew Stewart · Comments Off

Alan Jacobs’ new book, Breaking Bread with the Dead: A Reader’s Guide to a More Tranquil Mind, is a coaxing argument to read “old books that come from strange times.” Readers of his previous works The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction and How to Think will not be surprised that Jacobs, distinguished … Continue reading “The Spurning of Old Books: The Devaluation of the Past Threatens Higher Ed”

Simone Weil’s Christian Approach to Education

Feb 1, 2019 · Jessica Hooten Wilson · Comments Off

When I question students at my Christian college about how their faith affects their learning practices, they stare blankly at me or scribble a note about being motivated by the true, good, and beautiful. But studying (and education) for Christians should look different than a secular approach, though many students cannot articulate these differences. To … Continue reading “Simone Weil’s Christian Approach to Education”

Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach Jan 14, 2022
The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and … Continue reading “Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach”
Did You Know? How North Carolina’s Institutions Rank Among the Nation’s Top Colleges Jan 13, 2022
How do North Carolina’s colleges rank amongst the nation’s top colleges? Do going to these schools make a big difference in earnings after graduation? Using both Forbes and the Wall Street Journal rankings of the top American schools, four schools in North Carolina are ranked in the top 100. Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, Davidson, and Wake … Continue reading “Did You Know? How North Carolina’s Institutions Rank Among the Nation’s Top Colleges”
Vocational Education Goes to College Jan 7, 2022
When the University of Georgia announced that “student success” would be heavily weighted in future tenure decisions, it opened the door to the possibility of a long-overdue change in college curricula. As long as students continue to say that a well-paying job ranks high in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree, they will demand instruction … Continue reading “Vocational Education Goes to College”

Letter to the Editor: Restructure student loan payments Jan 16, 2022
To the editor: In reading the many points presented and disparity in socio- economic difference, why has no one ever merely looked at the repayment system and interest accrual on student loans. Re structuring students loans similar to house and car payments were once monthly payments are met additional funding can be applied to the … Continue reading “Letter to the Editor: Restructure student loan payments”
Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach Jan 14, 2022
The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and … Continue reading “Restoring Merit to Higher Education: An Entrepreneurial Approach”
Critical Social Justice in the UNC System Jan 13, 2022
From the executive summary of Critical Social Justice in the UNC System: Critical Social Justice (CSJ) poses a threat to higher education and to the American way of life. This school of thought goes by many names, including Critical Race Theory, Critical Theory, Multiculturalism, and Identity Politics. All these ideologies divide the world into aggrieved … Continue reading “Critical Social Justice in the UNC System”