Toronto the Holy

Being the title of the latest Material Mysticism at Comment, with an introduction here.

Pulpit & Paper

  Here is the pulpit, here is the paper. 

AI vs. AI

A case against AI so good.... that it was made by AI. But you’ll have to read the whole thing to see how I got it to tell me that. The part written by AI is cited at the end, and the rest is 100% home grown writer-to-screen certified organic (with only human editorial enhancements). At any rate, I hope you enjoy my account of clawing my way of away from Claude, being the first installment of Material Mysticism’s third year, entitled The Perfect Mirror: How I Broke AI (and how it almost broke me).

If you’d like, you can always subscribe here for future installments as well. 

 

Transfigured Cuteness

Here is a brief intro to my piece at Mockingbird on the Precious Moments Chapel (with some extra pics), and here is the piece itself. Enjoy! 

All the Horrible Ideas of 2025

Refuted at last, over at the Substack.

Reefer Madness

Being the title to my end of year Substack which I think wraps things up quite well, and introduces the last Material Mysticism of 2025, On Christ and Coral.  And here is the video for Miracles on Roosevelt Road. 

Love Letter to Canada

I was humbled (but not humbled enough to not let you know) by the chance to give the Larkin-Stuart lecture at the University of Toronto’s Trinity College last week. Inspired by John Ruskin (and guided by my geologist colleague Stephen Moshier) I tried to fuse art history and geology as Ruskin did (the Royal Ontario Museum is a few Carboniferous stone throws away). Here is one of my claims within the address to perhaps spur you (or enrage you enough) to watch: If we wish to celebrate the Indigenous wisdom of North America as Christians, we should be slow to discard the equally Indigenous Mediterranean wisdom of Plato as well, who was so much less “dualistic” than he is made out to be. But if you’ve read your Dionysius the Areopagite, you knew that. 

 

Evangelicalism: A Love Story

Here is this month's Material Mysticism. I have learned that length on the internet is the surest protection from dismissive abuse and willful misunderstanding. Antagonists tend to give up after 800 words. 

New Book

 ...and its marketing secrets fully disclosed, over at Substack. 

A Hell of Mercy

The October Material Mysticism is Salvation by Dread Alone, a descent into the maw of despair, with a teaser at Substack entitled The Contemplative Consummation of Atheism. 

The Art of Revival

 We've learned a few things since the Nineties. 

Decoy Enlightenment

Being the September issue of Material Mysticism, and interview with the ever insightful Ashley Lande, with an introductory post at substack. Here, by the way, is a response to a question about Buddhism at Radiopaper. 

Julian for Everyone

 Here is the August Material Mysticism, and here is some more background: Was Lady Julian Eastern Orthodox? The saints are always ahead. 

Welcome to Chartres: Liberal Arts in the Age of AI

Reports of the death of the liberal arts have been greatly exaggerated. Here is our orientation video for Wheaton this year. Let’s go! 

Boundary Waters

 Being the July column at Material Mysticism, with some adjacent matters at the ol' substack.