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C O N S E RVAT I S M I N T H E AG E o f
TRUMP ILLIBERAL LIBERALISM
AN INTERVIEW WITH MARK MEADOWS
LEADING LIGHTS
UNDERSTANDING OUR TIMES BY UNDERSTANDING OUR ROOTS
THE CONGRESSMAN ON TRUMP AND THE FUTURE OF CONSERVATISM
PHC'ERS IN THE WHITE HOUSE & SUPREME COURT
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from the EDITOR In his book A Christian Manifesto, the 20th century Christian philosopher and theologian Francis Schaeffer wrote,
“The basic problem of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years or so, in regard to society and in regard to government, is that they have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals.” As a leading voice among evangelicals in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, Schaeffer’s call to the Church was one for cultural and intellectual engagement rather than isolation, individualism, or rebellion. His message influenced a generation of Christian leaders, among them Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship. In his 2004 book How Now Shall We Live (a play on Schaeffer’s earlier work How Then Shall We Live), Colson wrote, “Genuine Christianity is a way of seeing and comprehending all reality. It is a worldview.” Schaeffer penned A Christian Manifesto more than 30 years ago, but his words seem to hold just as much bearing on our world today as ever. In an era of constant news coverage, social media, and viral videos, the pull toward “bits and pieces” is stronger than ever. If you spend any time here at PHC, you’ll know that we seek to understand our world “in totals,” as Schaeffer would say. It’s the very nature of our classical liberal arts approach to education, and it’s reflected in everything from dining hall conversations to classroom discussions. In these pages, we’ve sought to tackle challenging questions of the “now” in that same longer and deeper light. How ought we to think of conservatism in the age of Donald Trump? And what roots explain the prevailing liberal thought and identity politics we see today? You’ll find these discussions and stories aplenty in this issue of Founders—maybe even some fresh perspective. It can often be hard to come by in the bits and pieces of life, so it’s my sincere hope that you will enjoy a fresh view in the pages ahead. All the best,
Ryan Gilles (Journalism '12), Editor
TH E PR EAMB LE
UP FR O N T
with PRESIDENT
JACK HAYE
Jesus was a master storyteller. He used word pictures and metaphors to clearly communicate profound truths—truths often masked (then and now) by cultural noise. For example, in Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus taught His listeners about the importance of anchoring their lives in truth by contrasting two men who set out to build a house.
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ne man took the time and effort to dig down to a solid rock layer for setting the foundation of his home. The other man chose a more convenient, haphazard approach. Both structures seemed to fulfill their primary function—to provide shelter. In time, however, the winds and the rain came, and the difference became strikingly clear. The house that was built on the rock withstood the storm. The house built on the sand did not fare so well. We don’t have to look far to see this important truth played out in our culture. Shifting moral intuitions tell us to settle for a soft foundation, conforming God’s Word to our cultural moment instead of seeing our cultural moment through the lens of Scripture. Our world needs men and women who dig that deep foundation in Truth. We need leaders like those from the tribe of Issachar, “who understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (I Chronicles 12:32). These are, indeed, challenging times in which we live—politically, socially, and culturally—and you’ll see many of those issues discussed right here in these pages of Founders. Because at Patrick Henry College, our aim is to prepare the students who will stand and challenge the cultural status quo—honestly, intellectually, and all in the light of Scripture. We know that those who build on a firm foundation can withstand the changing winds of time. George Washington understood this when he wrote:
“AT PAT R IC K H E N RY COLLEGE, OUR AIM IS T O P R E PA R E T H E S T UD E NT S WH O W I L L S TA ND A ND C H A L L E N G E T HE C ULT UR A L S TAT U S Q UO — HO NE ST LY, INT E L L E C T UA L LY, A N D A L L IN T HE L I G H T O F S C R IP T UR E .” - President Jack Haye
“Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” - George Washington, Farewell Address The truths of God’s Word have not been abrogated by our cultural moment. Neither have they been superseded by any cultural moment that has come or will. They remain the strong and sure foundation. “Forever, O LORD, Your Word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Psalm 119:89).
Jack W. Haye, President of Patrick Henry College
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Ryan Gilles (Journalism '12)
IN TH IS ISSU E
A SSISTANT EDIT OR / DESI GN
Christine McDonald (CLA '16) DESIGN / L AYOUT
Jennifer Olmstead (Journalism '08)
ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT
Jack W. Haye
Featured Contributors KENDRA OLSON Kendra (’17) majored in Journalism at PHC. She works for FOX News in Washington, D.C., where she is a production assistant for the show FOX News @ Night.
EXECUTIVE VP
Howard Schmidt VP OF ADVANCEMENT
Tom Ziemnick V P OF INST ITUTI ONAL E FFECT IVENESS & PLANNI NG
Rodney Showalter VP O F F INANCE & ADM I NI STRATI ON
Daryl Wolking DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS & COMMUNICATIONS
Stephen Allen DEAN OF STUDENT AFFAIRS
Sandra Corbitt DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Frank Guliuzza, Ph.D. MISSION
The mission of Patrick Henry College is to prepare Christian men and women who will lead our nation and shape our culture with timeless biblical values and fidelity to the spirit of the American founding. Educating students according to a classical liberal arts curriculum and training them with apprenticeship methodology, the College provides academically excellent baccalaureate level higher education with a biblical worldview. WWW.PHC. EDU 10 PAT RICK HEN RY CI RCLE PURCEL LVIL LE, VA. 20132 888.338. 1776
Patrick Henry College is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and accredited by the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools.
HARVEST PRUDE Harvest (’18) is a senior Journalism major at PHC. She has freelanced for WORLD Magazine and The Federalist. VICTORIA COOK Victoria (’19) is a junior Journalism major at PHC and a freelance writer. In her spare time, she enjoys editing graphics and videos on Adobe programs and Canvas. BECCA SAMELSON Becca (’18) is a senior studying Journalism at PHC with a minor in History and is the current editor of the PHC Herald. MARK MITCHELL Mark Mitchell is the Chairman of the Department of Government at PHC where he teaches political theory. He is the author of Michael Polanyi: The Art of Knowing and The Politics of Gratitude: Scale, Place, and Community in a Global Age. ANNABELLE MITCHELL Annabelle (’18) is a senior Journalism major at PHC and an intern for the PHC Office of Communications. NATHANAEL YELLIS Nathanael (’08) studied Government, Public Policy at PHC and is an Inbound Consultant at Hubspot in Cambridge, MA, where he helps customers develop effective inbound marketing strategies. RYAN GILLES Ryan (’12) is the Assistant Director of Advancement at PHC and frequently freelances for magazines, companies, and nonprofits. You can see more of his work at www. RyanGilles.com. CHRISTINE MCDONALD Christine (’16) is the Communications Specialist at PHC and also a freelance photographer. You can see more of her work at www.capturedbycm.com.
T O SUBSC RI BE: VISIT www.phc.edu/founders-magazine
IN TER ESTED IN CO N TR IB U TIN G ?
O N THE COVER:
H AVE A STO RY ID EA? SEN D U S AN EMAIL:
design by Jennifer Olmstead
magazine@phc.edu The Index
IN T HIS IS S UE
THE INDEX 06 Leading Lights: Students and Alumni Land Major Positions in White House and Supreme Court The Preamble 01
Note from the Editor
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Up Front with President Jack Haye
NEWS
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STUDENTS & ALUMNI LAND LEADING NUMBER OF WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIPS PHC ALUMNA TO CLERK FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT MAJOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS SHARE WISDOM WITH PHC STUDENTS
SPOTLIGHTS
FACULTY FACES: DR. ROBERTA BAYER
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ONE FOR THE BOOKS: A RECORD YEAR FOR PHC’S ALUMNI FAMILY
MATT WOLKING Talking Points
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FACULTY FOCUS: BUSINESS (NOT) AS USUAL
MEET THE CLASS OF 2021 NEW & NOTABLE SPRING SERVICE: SNAPSHOTS OF GOD AT WORK THROUGH PHC ABROAD
MARIAN FREELAND Building a Legacy
Sundries
SUDOKU
SNAPSHOTS
CALENDAR PHOTO CREDIT TOVALA OLMSTEAD
13 A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR ALUMNI
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I N TH I S I SSUE
PHOTO BY GAGE SKIDMORE
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FEATURES
CONSERVATISM IN 06THE AGE OF TRUMP An Interview with Congressman Mark Meadows
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ILLIBERAL LIBERALISM Unearthing the roots of liberalism to understand our times
DISPATCHES
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PERSONALITY MATTERS Why understanding yourself and others matters in physics (and everything else) CHANCELLOR’S CORNER – THE WAR AGAINST GOD PHC’s founder Michael Farris explains the importance of true freedom on the frontlines of a heated cultural battle
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DARE TO DISCONNECT How one PHC alum is spreading the word about phone addiction
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RE(COLLECTIONS) PHC alumni share snapshots from their time on campus
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CLASS NOTES: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Catching up with alumni friends and family
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THREE PHC STUDENTS AND TWO ALUMNI EARN COMPETITIVE WHITE HOUSE INTERNSHIPS
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STUDENTS AND ALUMNI LAND LEADING NUMBER OF WHITE HOUSE INTERSHIPS
Late last spring, PHC junior Michael Patton (’19) received a call from an unknown number. “I never would have picked up,” he said, “except that once I heard from a Congressman that when he got calls from the White House they were always unknown.” Sure enough, on the other end was a man with Patton’s application in hand, offering him a summer internship in the White House Counsel’s office. Patton was one of three PHC students and two PHC alumni selected for competitive internships in various departments this summer, making PHC one of the best represented schools at the White House.
“It’s extremely significant,” said Dr. Michael Haynes, the director of PHC’s American Politics and Policy program. Roughly 140 students interned at the White House this summer, coming from top schools across the country. Many of them were already in law school, or working on their graduate degrees. “We have, without exception, gotten rave reviews for what they did,” said Haynes. “It opens the door for further and even potentially more students and graduates in the White House.” The interns interacted with some of the most powerful people in the government this summer. Almost every week they attended a “Speaker Session” where interns heard from various leaders in the administration including Vice
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by KENDRA OLSON (JOURNALISM ‘17)
President Mike Pence, Housing and Urban Development Sectretary Ben Carson, and Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Senior William Bock (’18) interned with the White House Office of Speech Writing. A typical day for him started with a two-hour commute and a morning walk past the West Wing. “I would walk up the Navy Steps into the Eisenhower Executive Building every day as the sun was just coming up, and I’d see the Washington Monument in the background. That just made the experience for me,” he said. Interning with the White House required extensive preparation. Both Bock and Patton spent hours researching for their respective departments before they ever arrived at the White House. Bock read past speeches that President
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l ef t : PATTON (SECOND FROM LEFT) WITH FELLOW INTERNS
Trump had delivered and Patton spent his time reading case law and learning legal jargon. In Patton’s case, he was the only intern in the Counsel’s office who was an undergraduate and not at least accepted to law school. Bock says his three years at Patrick Henry College leading up to this summer prepared him for the extensive research and writing that his internship required. Most valuable of all, according to Bock, was a thorough understanding of U.S. and international history that he gained through the PHC courses he took. Looking back, Patton said, “I would have been completely overwhelmed if it wasn’t for Moot Court, Mock Trial, and Constitutional Law. All of those things were crucial preparation for me.” Throughout the summer, the PHC interns interacted with many of America’s leading professionals in the political sphere. Even their fellow interns
contributed to the learning experience. “There were two other interns that I worked with closely,” Bock recalled. “One was working on his master’s and the other had already gotten his Ph.D. That was a little intimidating, but they were both really easy to get along with and just fantastic guys.” “I was always learning,” Patton echoed. The interns in his office had a scheduled lunch with the White House attorneys every week, but it was not uncommon for the attorneys to invite them to grab lunch or a coffee on other days. “They were willing to establish connections and wanted to give [us] opportunities,” he said. Both Bock and Patton said that their government classes at PHC are more meaningful now that they have seen how it plays out at the highest level in Washington, D.C. “It was really great to be exposed to so many other individuals
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ri ght: WILLIAM BOCK
PATTON WAS ONE OF THREE PHC STUDENTS AND TWO PHC ALUMNI SELECTED FOR COMPETITIVE INTERNSHIPS IN VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS THIS SUMMER, MAKING PHC ONE OF THE BEST REPRESENTED SCHOOLS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
who were the kind of attorneys that I hope to be one day,” Patton said. “They are effecting change and doing these great things in terms of advancing conservative policies.” From the perspective of an American Politics and Policy major, Bock can’t help but see a summer like this as the “pinnacle of what you can achieve as an undergraduate.”
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PHC ALUMNA TO CLERK FOR CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT IN 2018 PHOTO COURTESY EVELYN BLACKLOCK
by HARVEST PRUDE (JOURNALISM ’18)
PHC alumna Evelyn Blacklock ('11) will clerk for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in 2018, becoming the third PHC alum in the past two years to be selected for the prestigious position.
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lacklock’s appointment comes on the heels of the 2017-2018 term where two PHC alumni, Nicole (Frazer) Reaves (’12) and Alex Harris (’12), clerked for Justice Samuel Alito and Justice Anthony Kennedy respectively. With only 36 SCOTUS clerkships available each year and thousands of applicants, the positions are among the most competitive and highly sought-after in the legal world. “Having the opportunity to clerk in the Supreme Court is like getting struck by lightning in a good way,” says Thomas Hungar, who serves as the General Counsel for the United States House of Representatives and clerked for Justice Kennedy after law school. “It opens doors in a way that not many other things do.” While a student at PHC, Blacklock studied Government in the Strategic Intelligence track and played on the women’s soccer team. Col. Gordon Middleton, head of PHC’s Strategic Intelligence major, remembers Blacklock as an exceptional student who quickly stood out beyond the classroom. “Evelyn was a student who always performed well beyond her years,” says Middleton. “The work she did at one of the intelligence agencies was so outstanding that the common wisdom around the workplace was that they would all be working for her someday!” It wasn’t until a couple of years after graduating that Blacklock began taking steps toward law school instead of the intelligence world. “I always secretly wanted to attend law school at Harvard,” Blacklock recalls. After working with PHC’s Academic
Dean, Dr. Frank Guliuzza, and submitting her application, Blacklock was accepted to Harvard Law, which in 2017 topped U.S. News & World Report’s list of best law schools in the nation. During her time at Harvard, Blacklock earned a competitive spot on the Harvard Law Review as an Articles Editor and worked as a research assistant to several professors. Graduating from Harvard in 2016, Blacklock went on to clerk for Judge Richard Sullivan of the Southern District of New York and currently clerks for Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Starting in the summer of 2018, Blacklock will begin her one-year term with Chief Justice Roberts. Reflecting on her time at PHC, Blacklock says the college excels at preparing students for the highest levels of the legal profession. “PHC has had a remarkably successful record—out of proportion to its size and age,” says Blacklock, “sending graduates to excellent law schools and seeing them serve on law review boards, publish, clerk, and become credits to the profession.” Dr. Guliuzza believes PHC’s unique program and recruitment of exceptional students contributes to the success of PHC’s graduates in law school and beyond. This includes the time and attention given to forensics, a unique approach to law school applications, and the overall quality of education students receive at PHC. “I never had a student who participated in Moot Court, Mock Trial, and pre-law advising who didn’t get into law school,” Guliuzza said. He also
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“ PH C H AS H AD A REM ARKABLY SU CCESSFU L R ECORD—OUT OF PR O PO RTIO N TO I TS SI ZE AND AG E—SEN D IN G GRADUATES TO EXCELLEN T LAW SCHOOLS AND SEEIN G TH EM SERVE ON LAW R EVIEW B O AR D S, PUBLI SH, CLERK, AN D B ECO ME CREDI TS TO THE PR O FESSIO N .”
believes faculty’s high expectations and the broad, rigorous core curriculum equip and encourage students to excel. “There’s no cap on where our kids can go,” Guliuzza said. PHC’s record of producing Supreme Court clerks is not only remarkable given its size, it is also exceptional given how few clerks in the past 10 years have come from Christian undergraduate institutions. With the vast majority of clerks coming from the Ivy Leagues and major state universities, PHC’s record of three clerks in the past two years is particularly noteworthy. “People sometimes ask what’s in the water,” Blacklock says. “It’s some combination of a serious but healthy attitude toward academics, a professional but not careerist atmosphere, an emphasis on clear thinking and good writing, and the invaluable guidance of Dr. Guliuzza.”
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03 MAJOR CHRISTIAN LEADERS
SHARE WISDOM with PHC STUDENTS World-renowned Christian leaders Canon Andrew White (top) and Ravi Zacharias (bottom right) spoke with students at Patrick Henry College this past spring, challenging them to be courageous and rooted in faith amidst a world of uncertainty.
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helped mediate hundreds of hostage situations throughout his ministry. While at PHC, White offered students an insider’s perspective on dealing with crisis in the Middle East. “It’s all a matter of ‘I want something, and I can get you something,’” White explained from the stage. “But it’s not quick business. This can take years...I’ve been involved in searching for 217 hostages and I only got back 49 alive.” White himself was also taken hostage at one point, being thrown in a prison cell filled with severed fingers and toes. “The key thing is, when you’re doing hostage work you need to know the bad guys,” White said. “I got a little too close.” Thanks to foresight and preparation, White made a habit of carrying money with him and was eventually able to negotiate his release.
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"THE CROSS IS THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR MESSAGE...STUDENTS, YOU HAVE THE GREATEST MESSAGE AT A TIME OF GREATEST NEED." - Ravi Zacharias COURTESY RZIM
hite, known as the “Vicar of Baghdad,” visited PHC on March 16 to share from his experience leading St. George’s Anglican Church in the heart of Baghdad during the Iraq War and the rise of ISIS. In a Newsmaker interview with Editor-in-Chief of WORLD Magazine Dr. Marvin Olasky, White discussed his remarkable experiences in ministry and persecution while serving in Iraq. From 1998 to 2014, White was a recognized leader in mediation and negotiation, due to the relationships he cultivated with leaders across Iraq—including leaders of ISIS. “Many of them were my friends,” White said, referring to the relationships he built before the rise of the caliphate. White, who founded Canon Andrew White Reconciliation Ministries and the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation,
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Despite the trials, White saw St. George’s Anglican Church in Baghdad flourish in the midst of intense persecution, growing to some 4,000 congregants during his time there. He was eventually recalled by the Archbishop of Canterbury as the danger from ISIS grew. Following the interview, students had the opportunity to ask White questions on topics like the Middle East peace process and diplomacy, in addition to other interactions with him in classes and over meals throughout the week. “We are always intentional about giving our students a front-row seat to leaders and influencers,” said PHC President Jack Haye. “In a community like this, students have the chance to learn up close.” Three months after White’s visit, PHC hosted renowned apologist and author, Ravi Zacharias, who spoke to graduates during PHC’s Commencement on May 13. "The cross is the centerpiece of our message," Zacharias reminded 2017 graduates in a stirring charge. "Students, you have the greatest message at a time of greatest need.” An internationally-recognized figure, Zacharias is the founder of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and author of over 20 books, the most recent of which is titled Jesus Among Secular Gods. Zacharias is well known for his apologetic speeches at top universities around the world, and, in his address at PHC, he urged students to engage secular worldviews with biblical truth, reason, and love. “What is the greatest pursuit of the millennial generation today?” Zacharias asked a packed auditorium. “Ask them, and they will tell you it’s justice. . .If justice is that ultimate pursuit, I ask you, how do you ever find a consummate answer with a temporary worldview?” Facing a world full of new paths and possibilities, PHC graduates heard Zacharias’s call to understand why they believe what they believe and to root themselves in the Lord. “You can cheat on the infrastructure, but you dare not cheat on the foundation,” Zacharias said. “Young people, what does freedom really mean? Not the liberty to do whatever you want, but the strength to do what you should.” Lauren Lee Mitchell (’17) said the address was one of the most impactful and artful addresses she had heard during her time at college. “There could hardly be a better send off for all of us graduates,” she said.
To watch these addresses and many more, visit www.phc.edu/patrick-henry-college-webcasts
04 FACULTY FACES DR. ROBERTA BAYER, PH.D. Assistant Professor of Government
HOMETOWN: Guelph, Ontario, Canada. DEGREES: Ph.D. in Government & International Studies, University of Notre Dame; M.Sc. in Political Philosophy, London School of Economics & Political Science; M.A. in Medieval Studies, University of Toronto; B.A. in History, University of Guelph. HONORS AND PUBLISHED WORKS: I’m a fellow at the Adler-Aquinas Institute and a board member of the Prayer Book Society of the United States, where I’m also editor of their Anglican Way Magazine. In 2012, I edited a festschrift entitled Reformed and Catholic: Essays in Honor of the Reverend Dr. Peter Toon, and I’ve written essays and papers for numerous other publications including Philosophical Quarterly and Providence. FAVORITE TOPIC TO TEACH: I get to teach what I love. I certainly enjoy teaching Dante’s Divine Comedy, one of the great works of Western philosophy and theology. My interest in the Reformation has also provided me with many ideas for future study and teaching. FAVORITE BOOKS: My favorite books are the ones I teach. The complexity of thought found in books by Plato, Aristotle, Boethius, Augustine, and other greats always leads me to see something new. BEST ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN: In Acts, St. Paul tells those gathered before him at the Areopagus that God intends for them to seek Him and know Him, because in Him we live and move and have our being. This truth should keep us from the delusion of pride that tells us everything is in our power. FAVORITE PART OF TEACHING AT PATRICK HENRY COLLEGE: It’s wonderful to see the students grow and develop in spirit and in truth during their college years, and then to watch them as they embark upon the next stage of their lives. We have wonderful students who are eager to learn, and I hope that we have prepared them to face the world and its pressures without forgetting that it is Christ who makes us free.
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05 FACULTY FOCUS BUSINESS (NOT) AS USUAL There are a few things you should know about PHC’s newest major, Economics & Business Analytics (EBA). The first is that it’s neither your typical economics nor business major.
While business has quickly become America’s most common degree, PHC’s unique program is built to stand out. We sat down with department head Dr. Michael Kucks and PHC’s Executive VP and EBA professor Howard Schmidt to find out why the program is anything but business as usual.
HO W P HC IS B R E A K IN G N E W G R O U N D WIT H IT S L AT E S T MA J O R , E C O N O M I C S & B US INE S S A NA LY T I C S ( E B A )
Founders: In June of 2016, The Atlantic ran an article about the crisis of the traditional business degree in America. There’s been quite a bit of press like that in the last few years regarding lack of rigor in higher education generally and, in particular, undergrad business degrees. How do you both see the issue? Michael Kucks: I think the issue is a big one. The problem is that many students are going to college for the wrong reasons. For many, the goal is simply to “get a college experience.” That’s a pretty low bar, and I think the numbers reflect that watering down of higher education as a whole. The business degree in particular can be a real focal point of that downward trend, and it’s a trend that has created a herd mentality. It’s been easy for colleges and universities to cater to that and not push for rigor. Howard Schmidt: In traditional business majors today, there’s simply a
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lack of excellence and rigor. It’s certainly not exclusive to business majors, but it’s absolutely a major issue there. The rude awakening for students coming out of those watered-down programs is that business is incredibly complicated. If you’re going to win as a business leader, you’re going to have to understand strategy, marketing, manufacturing, how to build factories, interface technologies, and on and on. This is complicated, and too few business students graduate with a solid mathematical foundation that equips them to think analytically and break down and manage complexity. Founders: You both have extensive backgrounds in engineering, industry, and business leadership. From your experiences, what characteristics have you seen in your most successful young hires? Schmidt: Before coming to PHC, I ran a quarter-billion dollar manufacturing
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and distribution business and had the chance to lead turn-around operations for many other companies. So I got to see and hire a lot of young talent. What I saw every day was our central need for true problem solvers. As a business leader, I’m not short on ideas. I need people who can get things done. Give me a graduate who can communicate effectively, demonstrate integrity, and think analytically to solve complex problems, and I’ll show you a future business leader. Kucks: I’d add that students who go on to be successful business leaders tend to have this combination of three things. The first is a can-do attitude—someone who sees a problem and isn’t afraid to dive in, do the analytical work, and be part of the solution. The second is a solid work ethic. You can teach the technical skills, but you need to have that foundation. And the third thing is an understanding of both people and motivation. They know how to build good working relationships and accomplish things alongside others. Founders: Three years ago you both played key roles in crafting PHC’s Economics & Business Analytics program. Obviously, PHC has had remarkable success in areas like pre-law, government, and strategic intelligence. Why EBA, and why now? Schmidt: About five years ago, the college leadership was talking about next steps and growing the number of programs we offer. It’s no accident that we’ve developed one of the nation’s best pre-law and strategic intelligence programs in under two decades. But the natural question was, what’s the next step? I was part of the EBA planning committee
and during my research I decided to sign up for some Harvard Business School executive courses. What I found was remarkable: I was told flat-out at Harvard that the Ivy League graduate programs don’t value undergrad business degrees. They just don’t see them as rigorous. So we decided to design a different kind of program based on economics, with a heavy emphasis on mathematics and an integration of business principles and MBA-level classes. In the end, it’s turned out to be very unique—there’s simply no other program like it in the country as far as we can tell. Nowhere else at the undergrad level will you find a deep study of economics alongside rigorous mathematics and highlevel, integrated business courses like we have here. We think it’s going to be very successful in the end. Kucks: The integration of those elements is really what makes EBA at PHC so special. A comprehensive foundation of economics; rigorous, engineering-level mathematics; and MBA-level business courses—we think it’s a powerful approach for preparing leaders. I’ll add too that we’re not shy about being pro-free market, which is rare these days in academia. We make sure our students understand and grapple with all economic theories and structures, but we’re pro-free-market. Founders: What’s your hope for this new program? How do you see it equipping students for the future? Kucks: We’ve designed the EBA program to equip students to excel at the highest levels in five main areas, as a part of any field or industry they choose:
"WE B E L IE V E T H E R E ’ S A N INC R E D IB L E O P P O RT U N I T Y F O R K ING D OM I M PA C T I N T HE B US INE S S W O R L D , N O MAT T E R WHAT PAT H O U R G R A D UAT E S TA K E . "
executive leadership, academic scholarship, entrepreneurial ventures, economic policy analysis, and Christian ministry. Sometimes you’ll hear Christians say that business is somehow less spiritual. I have to tell you, here at PHC we don’t think that’s the case at all. Business is redemptive by its very nature. A good business is going to bring order out of chaos, creating something beneficial for a community, creating value in an ethical, sustainable way, and wisely managing limited resources. That’s what good business leaders do, and it’s absolutely a part of God’s redemptive plan. Schmidt: When I think about PHC, I think about "for Christ and for Liberty.” A liberal arts education means an education worthy of a free man. We want to see our students become men and women that stand for Christ, love others, and do it in a way that is passionate, excellent, and innovative. Our heart’s desire is that our students and alumni would love Jesus Christ with their whole heart and have the confidence, boldness, and bravery to stand for what is good and true. We think that being exceptional and innovative in the marketplace is an excellent way to do that.
in t he clas s room: DR. MICHAEL KUCKS (L) AND HOWARD SCHMIDT (R)
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PHC ALUMNI, STAFF, AND FACULTY GATHER AT THE SECOND ANNUAL ALUMNI HOMECOMING DINNER PARTY—THE LARGEST ALUMNI EVENT IN PHC HISTORY
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06 ONE for the BOOKS: A RECORD-SETTING YEAR FOR PHC’S ALUMNI FAMILY
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t’s been a year for the record books in the Patrick Henry College alumni community.
In June, the college’s trustees once again threw down a generous gauntlet for the alumni community, matching any alumni gift 3:1 with no cap. True to the PHC spirit, alumni rose to the challenge, breaking virtually all records with nearly 25% participation and raising a grand total of $146,520 for student scholarships. “The numbers are incredible,” said Trustee George Clay, who initiated the matching campaign tradition back in 2015. “I can’t tell you how excited I get when I think about almost 25% of our entire alumni community
coming together to give back for future generations of PHC students.” Elsewhere in the 2017 record books, PHC saw the largest gathering of alumni in its history when over 220 people came to celebrate Homecoming at the annual Alumni Dinner Party on October 7th. The evening included delicious barbecue, drinks, cider donuts, and a special shout out to the ten year reunion of the class of 2007. The day also featured a rousing afternoon block party on campus where students, alumni, and kids gathered for carnival games, wood-fired pizza, and the annual student vs. alumni flag football game. “It’s always special to see the PHC family come together like this,” said VP of Advancement Tom Ziemnick. “PHC alumni are a remarkable group and I’m always reminded of that, especially at times like these. This was certainly a special year.”
ALUM NI HI GHLI GHTS
BY THE NUMBERS
206 Number of alumni who participated in the 2017 annual matching campaign
147 Number of alumni who participated in the 2016 annual matching campaign
23% Percentage of entire PHC alumni population who gave in June 2017
$146,520 Total amount raised post-match for student scholarships
221 TRUSTEE GEORGE CLAY SHARES THE ALUMNI MATCHING CAMPAIGN'S RECORD-BREAKING RESULTS WITH DINNER ATTENDEES
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Attendance at the 2017 Homecoming Alumni Dinner Party
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Top Left: PHC President Jack Haye addresses alumni at the annual Homecoming Alumni Business Meeting. Bottom left: A tableful of '07 and '08 graduates from across the U.S. reconnect at the Homecoming Alumni Dinner (event design provided by alumna Rebecca Gallop). Top Right: The alumni dinner's epic charcuterie table, styled to perfection by alumna Asriel Greendyk. Middle Right: The alumni emerge victorious at the annual students vs. alumni Homecoming football game. Bottom Right: Students, alumni and families mingle around bounce houses and carnival games at the Homecoming 2017 Block Party. F OUNDE RS M A GA Z I NE FALL 2017
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ON CAMPUS
STUDENTS DISTANCE LEARNING
69 11
C L A S S S I Z E GROW T H
compared to class of '20
+33%
MEET THE CLASS of 41% 5 9%
M A LE FE M A LE
AV ERAGE SAT SCO R E
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2021
Getting to know the newest members of the PHC family
T O P F I V E S TAT E S R E P R E S E N T E D
*90th percentile for 2017
AV ERAGE ACT SCO R E
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VIRGINIA (10), TEXAS (7), CALIFORNIA (6),
*92nd percentile for 2017
PENNSYLVANIA (6), WISCONSIN (6)
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MEET THE CLASS of
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Above : Students from the class of 2021. Bottom left: Welcoming students for the start of the fall semester. Bottom Right: President Haye addresses incoming students and families during new student orientation.
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NEW & NOTABLE
by BECCA SAMELSON (JOURNALISM '18)
CHRISTINE MCDONALD
This fall, PHC hired Dr. Tracey McGrath to help teach mathematics in the Economics & Business Analytics (EBA) program, as well as additional science classes in the hopes of developing a pre-med advising program in the future. The program will build upon PHC’s core to equip and prepare students specifically for the MCAT test and success in the medical world beyond. McGrath earned her Ph.D. in Computational Geophysical Fluid Dynamics from Princeton University and has taught at the California Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
JOURNALISM PROGRAM ANNOUNCES NEW INITIATIVES PHC’s Journalism program has some exciting new developments in the works for the coming year. The program’s homepage (www.phc.edu/journalism) will soon feature original written and audio content produced by current and former students. The program is also launching its first Advisory Board, composed of both seasoned journalism professionals and PHC Journalism alumni. "We’re building a community that will be able to do some amazing things working together," says Dr. Les Sillars, head of PHC’s Journalism program.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS & POLICY STUDENTS STUDY IN KRAKOW, POLAND PHC expanded its for-credit international study offerings this past summer. In July, five students in the International Politics and Policy track traveled with Dr. Steven Baskerville to Krakow, Poland for a three-week intensive study of political systems in Eastern Europe. Two students also received prestigious scholarships to attend the World Congress on Families in Budapest, Hungary.
CAMPUS SEES FRESH FOCUS ON DISCIPLESHIP PHC’s Professor of Literature Dr. Steven Hake helped renew a spark for discipleship on campus this fall. His initiative prompted students to seek mentorship from PHC professors, which many have done. “It’s the way Jesus operated,” said Hake. “Purposeful, one-on-one relationships are integral to the Christian life.” The fresh focus on discipleship has also led to the start of numerous on-campus Bible studies led by both students and professors. F OUNDE RS M A GA Z I NE FALL 2017
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CHRISTINE MCDONALD
PHC HIRES NEW MATH PROFESSOR TO EXPAND COURSE OFFERINGS
LEADING IMMIGRATION EXPERTS HOLD DEBATE AT PHC Do the moral duty and economic benefits of taking in additional refugees outweigh the potential security threats? In a fascinating debate last March, hosted by the Millennium Society, immigration experts discussed opposing sides of this question in front of students. Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies, said no, arguing for enforcement of policy, closing borders to refugees, and aiding refugees in their own countries. On the other hand, Alex Nowrasteh of the CATO Institute argued that more immigration increases the size of the economy and aligns with strong American traditions.
STUDENTS CHALLENGE FACULTY TO RAISE HUNDREDS Students faced off against PHC’s staff and professors this fall in a basketball fundraiser that brought in hundreds of dollars for the college’s athletic program. “The idea was to have an activity that would spark interest in sports at PHC,” said senior William Bock (’18) who organized the event. “It raised money for athletics and provided a fun event for everyone.” In what some called a “clash of generations,” PHC’s professors proved they’re almost as quick on the court as they are with the books, winning 65-39.
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ne team, led by Clayton Millhouse (’17), traveled to Honduras where they worked with local ministries to provide medical clinics in remote areas. Their team spent time each day sharing Christ with the Hondurans who came to the clinics and those they worked alongside at the construction site for a new school. I had the privilege of leading a team to Greece where we partnered with local Greek ministries that were serving more than 10,000 refugees in Athens. Our work involved projects in both Syrian and Afghan refugee camps as well as ministries that offer medical care, clothing, and English language classes specifically to refugee women and their children.
08 SPRING SERVICE by PRESIDENT JACK HAYE
Spring break may be known as a time when droves of college students head to the beaches for a week of partying, but here at PHC there is a different story. This past April, two teams of our students set off to share the love of Christ in tangible ways with people in need.
“Above all, I saw people who needed the hope of Jesus. The time that we spent with these people, bringing them that hope, was one of the most impactful experiences of my life.” – MAT T HE W HO K E (’ 1 8 )
Over the course of the week, I saw our students serve tirelessly in settings that ranged from classrooms to refugee squatter settlements to an Afghan refugee camp in an old abandoned airport. The conditions of the places we served were often dire. Sweeping broken glass and debris aside, we would gather children for games, stories, and songs. At the end of one particularly challenging day, one of the men from the Afghan camp came up to me and said, “Thank you for letting me see my children laugh again.” The joy of seeing children playing, laughing and forgetting, if for a few minutes, was worth it all. -Jack Haye, President F OUNDE RS M A GA Z I NE FALL 2017
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“This trip showed me God at work in powerful ways through little, simple joys.” – CH RI STI N E MCD O NALD (’16)
“There is a lie which claims that brokenness and suffering can steal hope. And yet, this week we saw a hope that was beautiful and rich in the smiles of the children, the eyes of the women, and the heart of the refugee community.” – JUL IA NNE O WE NS (’ 1 7 )
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PROFILE S FROM THE P HC FA MILY
SPOTLIGHTS COURTESY MATT WOLKING
MATT WOLKING, GOVERNMENT, AMERICAN POLITICS & POLICY '09
Talking Points
BEHIND EVERY POLITICAL LEADER ON THE HILL, THERE ARE PEOPLE PULLING THE MESSAGING STRINGS, NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX AND NUANCED WORLD OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS.
It’s a critical role in this political landscape, and for two of Washington’s most powerful Republican leaders in recent years, the person in that role has been PHC alumnus Matt Wolking (’09). Having worked as a communications aide for both Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and former Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH), Wolking is no stranger to the strategy and demands of politics. “If you work in communications, you're never really off the clock,” he says. “Because the news never stops.” As Senior Communications Advisor to Senator Marco Rubio, Wolking’s daily work helps shape messaging far beyond just the Senator’s office or the Hill. “It's tough to find a more well-known conservative figure in Congress [than Senator Marco Rubio],” says Wolking, referring to Rubio’s prominence on the national stage following his run for the presidency last year. “Senator Rubio is very serious about his work, but also very fun to work for.” Just over a year before joining Rubio’s team, Wolking worked as Communications Advisor for former Speaker of the House John Boehner. “It was a
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pivotal, hectic time for Republicans,” Wolking recalls of the fall of 2015. “In September, the Pope visited the U.S. Capitol and, the next morning, Speaker Boehner announced he would retire.” As the search for the next Speaker began, Wolking was tapped to be Press Secretary for the House Select Committee on Benghazi, having written extensively on the investigation for Boehner’s blog on Speaker.gov. “Orchestrating the successful rollout of the Benghazi Committee's final report was definitely a highlight of my career,” Wolking says. “It was important for the American people to be told the truth about why and how four Americans were killed in Libya.” Another high point for Wolking was crafting a major messaging point in response to President Obama’s executive order on immigration in the fall of 2014. “It was an argument that was deployed by virtually every Republican leader in the country,” Wolking recalls. Wolking learned the media ropes after graduating when he worked for the nationallysyndicated Laura Ingraham Show, eventually becoming the executive producer. “Journalism and writing were my focus for most of my education,” says Wolking. “But eventually, I wanted to work behind the scenes with the people making the policy decisions in Congress.” Looking back on his time at PHC, Wolking feels the education equipped him well for the demands of his role. “The ability to think critically is so important,” he says, “and it’s becoming harder and harder to find.”
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SPO TLIG H TS
PROFILE S FROM THE P HC FA MILY
SPOTLIGHTS
MARIAN FREELAND, TRUSTEE
Building a Legacy
THE FREELAND NAME IS WELL KNOWN AROUND PHC. WITH MARIAN FREELAND ON THE COLLEGE’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND ALL FOUR FREELAND CHILDREN HAVING ATTENDED THE SCHOOL OVER THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, PHC IS SOMETHING OF A FAMILY LEGACY. RECENTLY, FOUNDERS CAUGHT UP WITH MARIAN FOR SOME LIFE ADVICE ON BUSINESS AND PARENTING, AND WHY SHE SEES PHC AS A PLACE THAT’S MAKING HISTORY.
Founders: You’ve been in the Texas real estate business for many years now. How did you get into that line of work? Marian Freeland: Well, I’m in the family business as well as operating independently. Our investments are usually ranch and commercial properties, and we operate across Texas, but especially in the San Antonio area. In many ways that line of work just unfolded for me, since it’s the business my father began. He was a really gifted negotiator and I always remember wanting to learn as much as I could from him. Founders: PHC’s H. Kyle Seale Health & Fitness Center is actually named in honor of your father. He obviously left a legacy in his family and that’s extended to PHC.
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Freeland: Yes, he was an incredible man who always put his family first. My father served in WWII in the Army as an officer. He was an only child, so I thought it was incredibly brave of him to have had six children—of which I’m the youngest. There were probably moments in there that were equivalent to the war! But he was very smart and very good at what he did. He was very honest and conservative financially; he always taught me to buy only what I could afford and not use credit for anything. When I think of my dad, I remember so many of those little lessons—like, “When you borrow something, leave it better than you found it.” I think if more people acted that way, the world would be a much better place. Founders: After all these years in real estate—some of them obviously tough ones—what have you found that you love most about your work? Freeland: I know that I’ve grown to really love the business and relational aspects. But something else is that I love how tangible it is. I look at other forms of investing that are so vague and situations like the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme where billions of dollars were lost. When you’re dealing with real estate, it’s all “real” and it’s right there. You can see it, walk through it. You have a tangible asset, and it has intrinsic value. If you’re savvy and patient, it can be an incredible asset for value and growth. In the real estate business, you just have to have the staying power to make it through those tough times. "N O MAT T ER WH ERE T H E ST U DEN TS G O
AF T ER PH C, T H EY ARE SO WEL L E Q UI P P E D ."
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MARIAN FREELAND, CONTINU ED...
"I GREW UP WITH THAT SENSE OF EXCITEMENT AND LOVE FOR NEW EXPERIENCES, AND SO I GUESS I CARRIED THAT INTO MY OWN FAMILY."
Founders: Around here, it’s well known that the Freelands are real adventurers. How has that sense of adventure played a role in your life and your family’s? Freeland: From the time I was nine years old, my father would always take us traveling, and I think you remember what you see. I grew up with that sense of excitement and love for new experiences, and so I guess I carried that into my own family. And I think that it’s especially important for young men to find good outlets for adventure, because otherwise, they’ll find it in other avenues of life. I was always very intentional as a mother in trying to provide opportunities for adventure. Back when the kids were young, I took them, along with my sister, on a voyage to Antarctica. This was back around 2006 and just three months earlier a passenger ship had sunk in those same waters. I debated whether it was crazy to take my children there, but after praying about it I figured that right after an accident was the safest time to go! It was truly an adventure down there and we will never forget it. Founders: You’ve been on the PHC Board since 2010, but how did you first hear about the college? Freeland: I think the first time I heard about the college was in a mailing I received from Home School Legal Defense (HSLDA), telling me about the creation of the school. At that time I was beginning to think about my kids and their future beyond high school, and I was just so discouraged by the state of most colleges and universities. There’s just so much indoctrination going on in universities. They’re not really trying to teach the students to think and
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reason, they just want a particular end result. I think that is extremely problematic and is going to have a huge impact on society. Founders: What motivated you to actually get involved? Freeland: Well, when I heard about Patrick Henry College, I thought, “This is what I’ve been waiting for!” I was so excited about the academic rigor at PHC along with the Christian foundation. There are many Christian colleges, but I don’t think any of them have what Patrick Henry College has. It’s a place where students are encouraged to think for themselves, reason well, and seek truth. I’ve seen that environment really stretch my kids. It challenges you, and I think that’s one of the best things about PHC. That environment attracts a high caliber of student and, for the community as a whole, it makes you want to reach and stretch yourself. Founders: After all these years, what continues to encourage you about the college? Freeland: No matter where the students go after PHC, they are so well-equipped and I think we see that they are going to have an impact on their local communities as well as their nation. PHC is truly preparing future political leaders, Supreme Court justices, maybe even a future U.S. president. But I think just as important, PHC is preparing local government leaders, community leaders, parents, professionals, entrepreneurs, and teachers. It’s an amazing place, an amazing movement, and it’s such an honor to be involved. I have been allowed to be a part of history in the making. It’s very humbling!
"[PHC IS] AN AMAZING PLACE, AN AMAZING MOVEMENT, AND IT’S SUCH AN HONOR TO BE INVOLVED. I HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO BE A PART OF HISTORY."
A PU BLICATIO N OF PATRICK H EN RY COLLEG E
R E A C H H I G H . G R O W D E E P. Redefine your summer.
Don’t just survive this summer. Thrive. Join students from around the country at Patrick Henry College for an unforgettable summer experience. Challenge yourself to reason biblically, pursue wisdom, and foster a love of learning in a community of like-minded student leaders. Make 2018 a summer to remember. Registration opens early 2018.
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LIBERALIS M Unearthing the roots of liberalism T O
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Fig. 1
by DR. MARK MITCHELL
Illustrations by
AMY GILLES
FEATU R ES
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Last spring, Charles Murray, a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, attempted to give a lecture at Middlebury College in Vermont. A crowd of protestors shouted him down, violently intimidated Murray and his host, pushed one female professor to the ground, and surrounded their car, pounding it and rocking it so that they had to creep away through the crowd to prevent injuring anyone. In July, a Google engineer named James Damore used the company’s internal discussion board to argue that Google’s culture had become an “echo chamber,” that dissent from what Damore considered a liberal bias was not allowed, and that perhaps the reason that there are fewer women programmers than men is not a result of inferior capabilities but a difference of interests. Damore was accused of fomenting a hostile work environment and fired. We’ve all heard about what happened in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017. White nationalists, Klansmen, and others marched ostensibly with the purpose of protesting the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee. There was a counter-protest. Things turned violent. A woman was killed.
T HE S E I ’D
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he modern mind is shaped by a conviction that we, as a society, are steadily advancing. We tell ourselves a story of progress that has fostered a certain cast of mind, according to which the past is seen as a dark and benighted place inhabited by miserable and deeply errant wretches, while the future is seen as a bright and hopeful place populated by happy and wise individuals who have shaken off the constraints of the past. The autonomous self— independent and free from any obligations that have not been expressly chosen – occupies this future land. Choice is the coin of this realm and the story these people tell each other is one characterized by the steady march toward independence, toward liberation from the strictures of tradition, custom, and even liberation from nature and God. This new, emancipated self represents the ideal of what has come to be called liberalism. And while today we often hear of different types of liberals—classical liberals and welfare liberals, for instance—I’m concerned with the noun rather than the adjective, for it is my contention that while there may be certain secondary differences and policy distinctions between types of liberals, they all share a common account of human nature. The very word ‘liberalism’ derives from the Latin liber, which means “free.” Ours is an age where individual freedom is cherished and any impediment to that freedom is seen as an affront that must be demolished. Social contract thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau (and more recently John Rawls) developed a conception of “natural” man existing in a pre-political (and even pre-social) state of nature, wherein F OUNDE RS M A GA Z I NE FALL 2017
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each individual is completely unattached from other humans and in such a context all are absolutely free and equal. Social and political associations are formed by choice alone and any attachment or obligation formed without consent is deemed illegitimate. Hobbes should be considered the founder of liberalism, for he begins his theoretical reflections with the atomistic individual and roots his account of sovereignty in consent. Locke, for his part, followed Hobbes in theoretical terms by beginning with autonomous individuals in a state of nature. At the same time, unlike Hobbes he continued to affirm a more or less traditional view of society and morality. He speaks—albeit briefly—of natural law, which suggests a fidelity to a tradition of moral reasoning that traces its roots back to the Medieval scholastics and beyond them to Cicero and, in some fashion, to Aristotle. Nevertheless, in following Hobbes, Locke rejects any notion that political society is the natural state of human affairs. Because the state of nature leaves life, liberty, and property exposed to danger, these free individuals contract with each other to form society for the purpose of security. In so doing, they cede a portion of their rights (the right to punish offenders) to the established authorities. This contract is legitimate because of the consent granted—either explicitly or tacitly—by each individual party to the contract. For Locke, the only reasonable standard for subsequent legislation is the majoritarian principle. Such concepts seem quintessentially American given the Lockean flavor of the Declaration of Independence. We almost instinctively think in terms of consent of the governed; of free
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and equal individuals; of the rights to life, liberty, and property; and of the legitimacy of majoritarian rule. At the same time, Americans tend to be skeptical of tradition, which carries with it the musty odor of the past. Instead, we tend to be a futureoriented people, boldly striving to ensure that tomorrow will be better than yesterday. However, consider these same concepts in the hands of Rousseau. Like Locke before him, Rousseau begins with a state of nature in which all are perfectly free and equal. But unlike Locke, Rousseau’s contract consists of “the total alienation of each associate, together with all of his rights, to the entire community.” In such a context, all remain equal, for all have alienated all rights to the community. Furthermore, in Rousseau’s
“ L I BE RALISM T HE
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liberalism (call it the moderate wave) began with a picture of autonomous individuals in a state of nature who join in an act of consent and thereby legitimate the exercise of power. However, while this collection of concepts—the autonomous individual, state of nature, consent, etc.—was indeed radical, and while any explicit fidelity or deferral to the authority of tradition was ostensibly rejected in favor of a purely rationalistic approach to human affairs, a complete rejection was not so easily accomplished. As Robert Nisbet puts it, “the image of the people that glowed in the minds of such men as Jefferson was composed of elements supplied, actually, by a surrounding society strong in its social institutions and memberships….The symbols of liberalism, like the bells of the church, depend on prejudgments
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mind, all remain free, for “in giving himself to all, each person gives himself to no one. And since there is no associate over whom he does not acquire the same right that he would grant others over himself, he gains the equivalent of everything he loses, along with a greater amount of force to preserve what he has.” Freedom and equality are preserved, but citizens now possess force derived from their collective strength, so they can better preserve the freedom and equality to which they are committed. The sovereign, in Rousseau’s scheme, is merely the collection of individual participants in the compact; thus, the sovereign could never have an interest that is contrary to the interests of the people as a whole. The will of the whole is the general will, which though it becomes a somewhat mystical element in Rousseau’s thought, is “always right.” Practically speaking, “the vote of the majority always obligates all the others.” For Rousseau, there is no limit on the majority, but this is not a troubling prospect, for law is nothing other than the general will, and no one would tyrannize himself. Power becomes at once unlimited and benign. In such a context, liberty takes on an entirely different appearance. To oppose the general will is to act contrary to not only the will of the whole but to one’s own will. In this light, Rousseau can claim that “whoever refuses to obey the general will will be forced to do so by the entire body. This means merely that he will be forced to be free.” Popular sovereignty has been combined with the elimination of any conception of law that transcends the will of the majority, and this created a seismic shift in the development of liberalism. As John Hallowell puts it, liberalism “was based upon an uneasy compromise between two conflicting principles: the idea of the autonomy of individual will and reason and the idea of a higher law.” Once the commitment to a higher law was removed, the stage was set for the dramatic expansion of political power. There is a logic to this development. The first wave of
T U R NS
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and social tradition.” In other words, moderate liberalism could be moderate because it was nourished by a rich soil of non-liberal elements inherited from the past and embodied in habits and practices that provided limits to the impulse to liberation. The American Founding occurred in this context. *
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Liberalism’s second wave represents a more radical and thorough realization of the ideal of autonomy. In reality, it is merely a more honest version of liberalism, for first wave liberalism depended in practice on habits and traditions that it denied in theory. Liberalism in its pure sense turns on the absolutely free and unencumbered choice of the autonomous individual. As Michael Sandel puts it, “For the liberal self, what matters above all, what is most essential to our personhood, is not the ends we choose but our capacity to choose them.” The liberal self is conceived as “free and independent, unencumbered by the aims and attachments it does not choose for itself.” When fully mature, it gives birth to a grotesque and deformed offspring of insatiable appetite, namely, illiberal liberalism. This absolutism of choice is clearly manifest in the words of Supreme Court Justice Kennedy in his 1992 opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey: “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.” This all-encompassing affirmation of the infinite range of the autonomous self represents the apex of second wave liberalism. We see the implications of this expansive notion of liberty today when, for instance, the designations of male and female are denied as nothing more than social constructions, which is to say, the arbitrary imposition of a social limit to which I have not consented. All categories that were once seen as somehow rooted in nature or in the divine order have been rendered fluid and subject to nothing other
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than individual will. Freedom becomes, in this empire of liberation, capricious and eventually tyrannical. While first wave liberalism was moderate and in many ways beneficial to those living under its sway, it was inherently unstable, for what stability it enjoyed was the result of assets surreptitiously retained from a pre-liberal past. It was theoretically compromised but practically conducive to political freedom. Second wave liberalism, on the other hand, is perhaps more consistent theoretically but becomes absolutist and thereby undermines the very liberty it ostensibly seeks to champion. Liberalism, in other words, when it matures beyond its conflicted adolescent version, consumes itself. In practical terms, it does not appear that late-stage liberalism is a reliable protector of individual liberty. Consider the illiberal impulse, all too common today, to shout down or shut down, by physical or legal force, any who express disagreement with the liberal conception of the self. The language of individual rights is pervasive, but all too often rights are used as weapons to compel others rather than as a guarantor of the freedoms proper to human beings, for rights stripped of their metaphysical context—grounded in natural law and a theologically informed anthropology—descend into mere assertions of individual will. On college campuses we hear of so-called microaggressions and trigger warnings by means of which free speech is curtailed and those who do not bow to the reigning liberal orthodoxy are punished. We hear of proprietors and institutions that are legally sanctioned for refusing, as a matter of conscience, to celebrate lifestyle choices of those with whom they disagree. The freedom of religion, itself, is threatened under the auspices of a liberalism that refuses to acknowledge the freedom of dissenters. Such curtailment of freedom— ironically, in the name of freedom—harkens back to Rousseau’s ominous warning that those who refuse to bow to the general will will be forced to be free. Again, we see here what seems to be the fruits of the late-stage liberalism in which all limits have been dissolved in the acid of individual emancipation. *
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While the essence of liberalism is the liberation of the individual, there is a second aspect we have not yet addressed, namely, equality. For the social contract thinkers, the state of nature consists of individuals who are completely free
and completely equal. The two ideals are both essential to liberalism. As we have seen, freedom has come to mean the eradication of limits on individual choice. This impulse to liberation initially focused on eliminating the authority of tradition but continued to eventually include the attempted elimination of the authority of nature and God. When the widest latitude for individual choice is the goal, all choices come to be seen as equally valid, as long as they are freely chosen. Any overt notion of substantive goods is replaced by the mere insistence that processes are in place to facilitate unencumbered free choices. Equality, in this respect, becomes a corollary to a liberal conception of freedom, and any impediment to either freedom or equality becomes an affront. In this context, tolerance becomes insufficient, for tolerance implies difference and even a tacit affirmation of hierarchy, for one only tolerates what one disapproves of. Disapproval, in other words, implies that some choices are better than others, and though I believe your choices are inferior to mine, I will tolerate your bad choices for the sake of peace, stability, or some other good. But if equality, along with freedom, is an unassailable ideal, then every hint of disapproval must be removed, for only then will complete equality be achieved. Tolerance must be replaced by approval, and approval must soon give way to celebration, which is to say the liberal conception of the self eventually seeks to eliminate differences. Enforced diversity ends in bland uniformity. The flip side of this trajectory is that those who refuse to fall in line will be demonized as judgmental and intolerant. Such individuals are the heretics of the liberal order and must be silenced or purged. In the name of freedom and equality, the “ freedom of those who insist that not all choices are equal will be disregarded. Equality becomes forced conformity, and freedom a charade both in service of a self-righteous power by which the liberal order seeks to eliminate all contenders. Liberalism, in other words, consumes all rivals and then consumes itself. Liberalism is rooted in a religious impulse that seeks to replace Christianity with pseudo-Christian categories. However, it is Nietzsche who reminds us that there is no modern liberal democracy apart from Christianity. As he puts it, “the democratic movement is the heir of the Christian movement.” Equality, the idea of which has deeply embedded itself
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“into the tissue of modernity.” Tocqueville agrees and argues that the single most important idea animating the modern world is equality, which is the offspring of Christianity. Liberalism, it seems, is unimaginable apart from Christianity. In this light, we shouldn’t be surprised if we hear the echo of Christianity in modern political ideologies. Liberalism is born of Christianity, yet its interior logic has burned away the content of Christianity. We have the vestiges of Christian categories but without Christ. We have, as a consequence, the absence of grace and instead a works-based salvation that must be achieved in time rather than realized in eternity. We must, it turns out, save ourselves. This theologically malnourished self-understanding was clearly on display in the election of 2008. Candidate Obama preached to adoring crowds: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” What is that other than the outlines of a works-based soteriology that puts ourselves in the messianic role? This notion is at the very heart of identity politics as we see them today. And here at the root we find a profound intuition about the human condition that Nietzsche understood better than most. As he put it, “every sufferer instinctively seeks a cause for his suffering; more exactly, an agent; still more specifically, a guilty agent who is susceptible to suffering—in short, some living thing upon which he can, on some pretext or other, vent his affect, actually or in effigy.” The categories of debt and guilt are deeply embedded in the human psyche. For the Christian, this is irrevocably tied to the Fall and presages the need for divine grace. But even if we claim that there is no sin that binds us all together and points to our need of “outside” help, the experience of guilt remains along with an urge to punish. Identity politics takes up the idea of guilt and specifies a debtor. Rather than guilt extending to the human race per se, guilt is directed at a particular class (currently some combination of white, male, heterosexual, Christian). A “chosen people,” rendered guiltless by historic or appropriated grievance, is justified in punishing the guilty. But there is no Christ and therefore no grace. The punishment does not remove the stain of guilt; therefore, no punishment is sufficient. One side is justified by its status as victim; the other is perpetually guilty and therefore deserving of punishment. The cycle is relentless and the logic unassailable. However, the identity politics that has grown out of the left is fostering a mirror image of itself on the right. It isn’t surprising that some young white males would eventually react to the hopeless situation of being forever stained by guilt. The response is seen in the rise of white nationalism and neo-Nazism. But this is where the narrative diverts from Christian categories and plunges directly to the end Nietzsche envisioned. The language of blood and soil is not Christian. It represents a return to a pre-Christian pagan understanding of membership. It denies the legitimacy of guilt and therefore of mercy or justice. It does not look for grace. Without apology or qualification it embraces the will to power. These two versions of identity politics will feed off of each other as each seems to legitimate the existence of the other. In this way, when politics becomes religious, gaining the reins of power becomes the sole obsession of both parties, for power becomes the only prize worth pursuing. In this age of immantenized religion, the theological virtues are transformed F OUNDE RS M A GA Z I NE FALL 2017
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to facilitate and justify the power of the state. Charity (love) becomes state welfare; hope deferred to the Day of the Lord becomes a demand for immediate action by the state; and faith Fig.3 in God is transmuted into a faith in state power to create a just world. If the problem is the evacuation of theological meaning from Christian symbols, the obvious answer is a restoration of Christianity. A revitalized Christianity will have the effect of restoring a proper relationship between politics and Christianity rather than collapsing the two into one “ U LT I MAT ELY political religion. Ultimately, S E CU L A RI S M secularism is not the problem. Political religion is the problem I S NOT T H E and that only is possible when P ROBLEM. Christian symbols are co-opted by politics to produce a civil P OL I TICAL religion. Political religion (or R E L IGION religious politics) seeks the ends of Christianity—perfection, I S THE unity, justice, and peace – but employs the means of political P R O B L E M ... " power to achieve those ends in the temporal realm. And it does so with all the self-righteous confidence of a religious crusader. The restoration of Christianity (or even an affirmation of a moral order to which we are bound) would free politics to once again be political. In such a context, we would admit that the human condition is fraught with complexities and imperfections. We would recall that politics is never about perfection or finality but rather entails rational debate, compromise, and a willingness to replace passion, perfection, and immediacy with respect, modesty, and patience. This discussion should make one thing clear: politics is ultimately grounded in pre-political ideas that are unavoidably tied to metaphysics and theology. Unless we deal adequately with foundational questions, we will never get the political questions right. What is a human being? What is human nature? What is freedom? How should we understand equality? These are the pressing questions for which we need adequate answers. For centuries Christians have been developing answers in light of Biblical truth. Each generation must take up the task of expressing timeless truths in terms of the specific challenges of the day. May God give us the wisdom and courage to do so. MARK MITCHELL is the Chairman of the Department of Government at Patrick Henry College where he teaches political theory. He is the author of Michael Polanyi: The Art of Knowing and The Politics of Gratitude: Scale, Place, and Community in a Global Age. Mitchell’s latest book is titled Tradition, Cosmopolitanism, and the Myth of the Liberal Self and comes out in 2018.
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TRUMP AN INTERVIEW WITH CONGRESSMAN MARK MEADOWS
There’s a phone on the desk of Congressman Mark Meadows’ office in the Longworth building. It’s a typical black desktop set like every other in the 535 congressional offices on Capitol Hill. Then again, not every congressional office phone gets frequent calls from the President of the United States. As the Chairman of the strongly conservative House Freedom Caucus, the third-term congressman from North Carolina holds a unique position of influence. Meadows has become a leading voice in the conservative movement at a moment when many across our nation are questioning what conservatism actually means. Nearly one full year into the presidency of Donald Trump, conservatives, not to mention the nation as a whole, seem as divided as ever on the answer to that question.
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itting in his Longworth office— next to the phone that is called by both the President and concerned conservatives alike—Meadows talked with Founders to offer his perspective on the state of conservatism, the presidency of Donald Trump, and where our nation goes from here.
is because there was a real hope in other conservative candidates in last year’s election. I think there’s a belief with conservatives that populism won out and not conservative values in the end. But I think that even though it’s a populist movement in many ways, it’s really a conservative populist movement if you look at the underlying reasons why people voted. They wanted a secure border, they wanted a strong national defense, they wanted to make sure that they didn’t have to worry about their jobs being shipped overseas and having job security, and they wanted to provide for their family. All those are conservative values. I think our current crisis is actually a deficit of trust in elected officials and the sense that nothing will ever change. That deficit of trust has to be turned around.
Founders: So where did your journey toward the political arena begin?
F: President Trump has obviously been a divisive figure for many, including conservatives. How have you handled that as an elected official and a conservative representing all kinds of views?
Meadows: Well, I’ve always been politically active—normally supporting other candidates. It was never on my bucket list to be a member of Congress. I felt like if you just supported good candidates and good government that hopefully the rest would take care of itself. But it wasn’t until really 2010 or 2011 that I felt like the direction of the country was going the wrong way. People losing their homes, losing their jobs, and especially losing hope. I felt like it was a call, and so I left a very good career to come and hopefully make a difference and really espouse conservative values.
M: A lot of my friends—dear friends—were Never Trump people and still are to this day. I’m never going to question whether or not they vote for somebody based on personal conviction. I fully support those who voted for a third party candidate. But when you have a duly-elected President of the United States, I believe it’s incumbent upon all of us to not only pray for that president but hopefully influence that president—especially if you’re a member of Congress. Did I vote for Barack Obama? No, absolutely not. Did I pray for him? Absolutely. Did I dislike many of the decisions he made? Certainly. But at the same time, it was incumbent upon me to try to influence policy and the president as much as I possibly could without being personally critical.
F: What are the roots of conservatism for you personally? From where do you trace those beliefs and values? M: For me, those conservative values are rooted in a JudeoChristian foundation. It’s really my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and looking at those biblical principles.
Somehow, when we get our own party in place, then what happens is there’s this purity test. The question really is, if there was a Democrat in the White House and they were asking for conservatives to come in and help them with policy, would you go and try to help move policy in a more conservative fashion? My answer is yes. It’s incumbent upon me, because I represent 750,000 people, to take whatever policy is being considered and try to make it as conservative as possible. I don’t get there, generally, by saying I’m not going to work with the key decision-maker in the country. But yet it doesn’t mean that you compromise your principles.
When people needed help they used to look to their local communities and the local church. But now we’ve put all these structures in the hands of the federal government. I came to Congress really wanting to be a pro-life, pro-Israel, less government individual. So I fight for the first two and as for the third, I try to make sure that regulations and government have less of an impact so that we can create a free society.
F: We seem to be in a time, politically and culturally, when many people are questioning conservatism and what that really means. What’s your sense of where conservatism stands today?
F: Talk a little bit more about that process. In times like these, how do you decide when to stand on principle and when there is a need for compromise to move something forward?
M: I think that is a big question, and I think part of it
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"WHEN PEOPLE NEEDED HELP THEY USED TO LOOK TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND THE LOCAL CHURCH. BUT NOW WE’VE PUT ALL THESE STRUCTURES IN THE HANDS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT."
M: I think that’s probably the biggest challenge. You have to start by knowing that moral convictions should never be compromised, but principles will always find an area for compromise when you’re looking at legislation. So if you’re asking me to support a piece of legislation that goes against my moral convictions, the answer will always be no. You don’t compromise on those. And yet at the same time, when it comes to policy and principles, there’s a broad spectrum from ultraconservative to ultraliberal. It’s a judgment call on where on that spectrum you can advance from the center to the right. For me, it’s all about putting together a business plan with conservatives to give them a seat at the table where their positions can at least be heard. You have to show a clear path to where the conservative solution is. So generally what I will do is set out three “must-haves” that will be a lower threshold of conservative policy, and then three “like-to-haves” that get put on top that would take the policy more to the right. Now I never tell anybody which are the three “must-haves” and the three “like-to-haves” until the final negotiations, but you’ll always have those there. We believe that we’ve been able to move legislation more in a conservative fashion that way.
F: As the leader of the Freedom Caucus, you’ve become a leading figure nationally for conservatives in Congress. Can you talk a little bit about your
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interactions with President Trump and the dynamics at play there? M: The White House and this president have listened very closely to a number of things that we put forth thus far. And it’s not that we’re the only people speaking with the President and the officials in the West Wing, but we do have at least a seat at the table. I think even the Democrats will say that this president has done a much better job of reaching out to all people and asking them to come to the White House and have meetings. The first time I was in the Oval Office was really under this president. You would’ve thought that there might have been at least something prior to that with the previous administration, but unfortunately not. The President really is more down-toearth than people give him credit for. He cares about people, he’ll follow up with people. He’ll call me on my phone right here just to check and see how I’m doing, not asking me for anything. That kind of thing never gets reported. I can say that the President and I have an outstanding relationship. I know if I was in a very difficult personal spot, I could literally make a phone call to the President of the United States, and he would drop what he’s doing to help. People don’t ever see that side of him.
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CONGRESSMAN MEADOWS SPEAKS AT THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ACTION CONFERENCE (CPAC) IN NATIONAL HARBOR.
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F: You’ve of course had your differences with this administration too. Can you speak to those? M: President Trump’s style and my style are totally different; we would attack things in a very different manner, and yet it’s incumbent upon me to understand his style and figure out how I can best persuade him to understand what’s important to the people I represent and the conservative community at large.
"POLITICS SHOULD NEVER BE A CAREER. POLITICS SHOULD BE A TEMPORARY JOB THAT YOU DO ON
One of the big battles that I’ve had with this new administration was over the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, where I felt that one of those “must-haves” was not getting answered. So instead of just voting along party lines, I stood the ground. Some would say I paid the price, ended up being Twitter-famous, having been tweeted at by the president. But the other part is, I know that the president and I have a good understanding of one another, and he knows that I’m not just being a “no” for the cause of being “no”—that I want to improve the legislation, that I want to make him successful. So in doing that, it makes for a good relationship.
BEHALF OF PEOPLE YOU LOVE AND CARE ABOUT."
roll back regulations, to rein in that federal government footprint. That is probably going to be easier to do with a Republican administration and majorities in the House and Senate. We’ve already made progress: we had over 300 regulatory reforms that we gave the President before he was even sworn in, and a number of those have been implemented. More are going to be implemented. And then the second one is the fight for religious freedom. There is a huge push to make sure that people on college campuses cannot espouse any value other than a secular value. I never thought I would be having to stand as much for religious freedom as I have, and if there’s a fight that’s going to rage in the 21st century it’s going to be on the religious freedom front.
F: You’ve certainly had an ascendant career in your three terms in congress. I think it’s fair to say there has been talk lately about your star rising even further. As you look ahead, where do you hope to see yourself? M: Well, that’s interesting you would ask about career, because for those who are reading this, politics is not a career, but a lot of people view it that way. Politics should never be a career. Politics should be a temporary job that you do on behalf of people you love and care about. For me, I’m passing through. It’s a temporary job and I have only one aspiration, which is to be faithful to my Lord and serve the people who have given me this great honor. Anything that I’ve accomplished or any positions that I’ve had are really a result of realizing that it’s not me. I think the biggest challenge that anybody faces when they get to Washington is not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to. It’s all about walking in humility. We’ve got a lot of Patrick Henry College alums that have worked with me here in the office, and they’re the best of the best. So it’s easy to be humble when you’re comparing yourself to a PHC alum.
F: Where do you think there are the greatest opportunities for conservative victories and the future of conservatism right now? M: I think the opportunities are in two areas. One is to really
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F: What’s your message for young conservatives and the future of the movement? M: You’re never too young to get involved. John Quincy Adams was a diplomat in Europe at the age of 15. Admiral Farragut commanded a naval ship at age of 15. And yet we somehow think that you have to wait until you’re 50 or 60 years of age to have a real impact. So to students, like those at Patrick Henry College, the message is, you can make a difference tomorrow. It’s just being true to that calling. If there’s ever anything that I’m sure of, it’s that every voice does matter. And ultimately there’s going to be somebody that takes the podium or the pulpit or the stage, and the question is who will that be? If we’re silent, if conservatives are silent, then we will have missed the opportunity for real change.
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P ERSONALITY
by A N N A B E L L E M I T C H E L L ( J O U R N A L I S M ' 1 8 )
MO S T P H Y S I C S C L A S S ES DON’T START WITH PERSONALITY PR O F I L E S . N U M B E R S , H A RD DATA, FORCE AND NATURE—WHAT D OES ST U D Y I N G P H Y S I C S H A V E TO DO WITH PERSONALITY? ACCORD ING TO P H C P R O F E S S O R DR. MICHAEL KUCKS: A WHOLE LOT
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THE PH.D. AFTER D R . K U C K S ’ N A M E M I G H T R E F E R T O HIS EXPERTISE I N P H Y S I C S ( W I T H A H EA L T H Y D O S E OF
ENGINEERING
AND
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SAVVY
TOO),
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ASK ANY PHC ST U D E N T A N D T H E Y ’ L L T EL L Y O U D R . KUCK S IS BEST K N O W N F O R H I S S O U N D L IF E A D V I C E .
01.
At the beginning of this fall semester, Dr. Kucks sat physics students down to discuss a useful method he’s developed for assessing learning styles in all areas; from the physics lab, to relationships, to business. Take a look and see where you stand. As Dr. Kucks says, “The most useful ones are the ones that make sense to you.”
T H I N K - T O - TA L K V S . TA L K - T O - T H I N K
Here’s a question: do you anticipate exactly what you are going to say before you say it, or does it feel better to speak your mind first and then allow the conversation to clarify your thoughts? Talk-to-think-ers usually find themselves talking through all the possibilities aloud in order to better understand their viewpoint. In a classroom or an office, internal processors often feel uncomfortable when someone asks them to respond to ideas instantly without time to formulate their thoughts. On the other hand, external processors in the same context feel right at home.
T I PS F O R T H I N K - T O - T A L K :
TIPS FOR TALK-TO-THINK:
Take some solo time and outline your thoughts, beginning with the most broad, overarching themes and ending with the most specific, concrete details possible. This will show you the flow of ideas according to your internal process and place them in an ordered fashion.
Working groups are your best friend. Hearing a variety of perspectives will help you form your own so you can better prepare for whatever is ahead, whether it’s an exam or a presentation for the boss.
02. SEQUENTIAL THINKING VS. RANDOM ACCESS Do you capture ideas by working through them from point to point, or is it easier to jump around from here to there until it all makes sense? If you’re a sequential thinker, you are more comfortable with systematic explanations of how things work. Detailed outlines and sub-points make sense to you. Random access thinkers work better with big picture ideas and moving parts. To the opposite, these approaches can seem like lunacy, but don’t let yourself be fooled. There’s lots to learn from both sides of the equation.
T I PS F O R S E Q U E N T I A L T H I N K ERS
TIPS FOR RANDOM THINK ERS
Try taking notes the Cornell way, by dividing your paper into three sections: one for notes, a side column for after-the-fact, must-remember points and cues, and a bottom bar for a full summary.
Try taking notes with colored pens to identify different connected ideas. You could also try diagramming your notes in circles or boxes around the page to emphasize relational thinking more than sequential thinking.
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Which of these do you think about the most? Past-focused individuals tend to dwell on the bygone years. Perhaps these are the history majors or the nostalgic ones who enjoy reminiscing about the good old days. They ask questions like, “In what ways can my life shift to accommodate the successes and/or errors of the past?” Present-minded people relish the things directly before them. They are often keenly aware of the wealth of relationships and opportunities available at any given moment and have a unique ability to focus on today without worrying too much about whatever ramifications may come tomorrow. Future-minded individuals are somewhat more analytical and calculated than their counterparts. They measure their decisions based on how things would hypothetically play out down the road, rather than simply what may feel right in the moment.
TRY THIS: Next time you’re in a learning situation, ask yourself why you care. You’ll likely find that you, and those around you, care about the subject in proportion to how it will help you A) understand the past, B) navigate the present, or C) prepare for the future. Knowing that can help you understand your own motivations and radically change how you relate to others.
04. POET VS. ENGINEER Creative or mechanical? Poets tend to be the romantics, the visionaries, the writers, and the artists. Engineers are the rational, calculating ones, the "numbers people," the doctors, lawyers, and scientists. The fact is, approach matters. Is something presented as a good story? That’s for you, poets. If it doesn’t, it’s probably set up like a logic or numbers game to get the engineers out of their seats. The reality is, both are valuable.
TIPS FOR POETS:
TIPS FOR ENGINEERS:
Be sure to take real time away from school or the work grind to reboot your creative juices and get back in tune with who you are, what you believe, and why it's important. It might not be easy to take time away from other pressing things, but you'll be so glad you did.
Give yourself the space and time to mentally tinker until the major ideas make good sense. Break them down, examine their parts, and put it in a framework that your brain can really work with.
Dr. Kucks explains personalities like layers in the earth: “We have a strong foundation,” he says. “That’s the granite and that’s our nature. Of course, granite has dirt layered on top. But it’s only so deep. That’s the layer where you grow and change and adjust.” His advice for people trying to work with other personalities? Know when you’re working in the soil and when you’re hitting granite and be respectful of it. Don’t use dynamite. THE BOTTOM LINE:
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CHANCELLOR’S CORNER
Thoughts from PHC’s Founder and Chancellor Emeritus, Dr. Michael Farris
The War Against God by MICHAEL FARRIS
"Gender, like all social identities, is socially constructed.” So says a scholarly website expressing the dominant view among professional sociologists. Limiting marriage to the union of one man and one woman is also viewed as a social construct by this same school of sociology. By definition, human beings create social constructs. Accordingly, social constructs are not binding for all time or all places. What humans invent, other humans are free to change. Thus, marriage and gender may be redefined by modern man, unbound from the traditions invented by our ancestors. This theory even embraces the idea that childhood is a social construct. One advocate contends: “Until the Renaissance, childhood was no different to [sic] adulthood.” Thus, childhood can be redefined so that children are fully autonomous (although in practice
that only means that government supplants the role of parents in the life of the child). It is the idea of marriage as a construct that has led to one of the most important religious freedom cases in our nation’s history. Although the majority opinion does not specifically discuss the theory of marriage as a construct, the Supreme Court effectively embraced this viewpoint in its monumental decision of Obergefell v. Hodges. We are now in the post-Obergefell era and the high priests of the “gender is a construct” worldview are in full battle
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mode to ensure that no other view of these issues is permitted to be expressed in our society. This should not be surprising to those who have studied the history of such philosophies. I once heard Francis Schaeffer as he delivered an address at Notre Dame Law School. He explained how pluralism is a transitory stage in a society. It is the period when a new orthodoxy replaces the old orthodoxy. The Christian orthodoxy that prevailed in our society at the time of the creation of our Constitution can be
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“We should not be surprised that the theorists of gender-as-a-construct reject the fundamental freedom to differ..."
confused for pluralism. This is because a genuine Christian orthodoxy teaches that the heart and mind belong to the sphere of authority between God and the individual and thus lie outside the legitimate scope of government. Christian orthodoxy embraces freedom for all, including freedom for non-Christians and non-theists. But current events demonstrate that the ascending orthodoxy of the day does not embrace freedom for all. This matter of freedom will reach the highest court in the land this fall when a man named Jack Phillips and his Masterpiece Cakeshop go before the Supreme Court of the United States. Jack does not agree with the orthodoxy that prevails in Colorado—that a business owner who will not participate in samesex weddings cannot be in the wedding business at all. Jack is, and has always been, more than willing to serve any person, regardless of their race, religion, or selfidentified sexual status. But serving all people does not mean that he will employ his substantial artistic talent to convey all messages or celebrate all events. Among other cakes he has declined to design, he will not design cakes that celebrate a view of marriage as anything other than what God says it is. He believes that marriage is defined by God alone and may not be redefined by man. This case will determine whether the government may force him to
act contrary to these beliefs. Jack’s case is being handled by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the organization that I now lead. ADF also represents students and parents who are caught in other phases of the “gender is a construct” battle—particularly the attempt to redefine gender in the most intimate settings—locker rooms and showers. While these legal battles raise both constitutional and statutory issues, there are two central questions for us as a society: » Are gender and marriage defined by God, or are they defined by men? » Will people who believe that God created marriage and gender be permitted to live as free and equal citizens? We should not be surprised that the theorists of gender-as-a-construct reject the fundamental freedom to differ. Since they reject the intrinsic value in all humans arising from their status as beings created in the image of God, they necessarily reject the philosophy that is most conducive to a society that truly protects freedom for all. In the midst of this battle, we have to be intellectually honest and recognize that Christianity did not get the freedom issue right for many centuries. This arose from the unfortunate confusion about the jurisdiction of God versus human government over the soul and mind. It
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was not until after the Great Awakening in America that Christianity began to understand freedom correctly. By placing sufficient emphasis on a personal faith in Christ, the Great Awakening finally overcame the view that the state should advance Christianity through coercion. And therein, for the first time in human history, a philosophy of freedom for all took root. If we believe that our neighbor was created by God and has infinite intrinsic value and that he can only truly come to God by a personal decision, then freedom for all is a true requirement arising from our faith. This is a worthy battle. Freedom is important, and on purely legal grounds, the Constitution supports freedom for people like Jack Phillips. But in the clash of views in larger society, it is important to recognize that the battle really is an effort to throw out all memory of God. Accordingly, the second truth is the controlling one. Greater is He that is in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). MICHAEL FARRIS is President, CEO, and
General Counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), the world’s largest Christian legal advocacy network fighting for religious liberty, life, and protection of the family. He is also Chancellor Emeritus of Patrick Henry College and sits on the Board of Trustees.
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Dare to Disconnect
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WHEN MY TWO-YEAR-OLD SON COULD IDENTIFY WHICH PARENT'S IPHONE WAS WHICH FROM THE BACK OF SEEMINGLY IDENTICAL DEVICES, SOMETHING WAS OFF. HE'D APPLIED HIS NATURAL ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE FACES TO AN OBJECT HE SEES ALMOST AS FREQUENTLY: OUR PHONES. That’s when I realized that I needed to unplug. What I didn't know was that I’d end up helping other people do the same.
Powering Off
It's normal to use your phone all the time—or at least it is now. I adopted the habit along with everyone else. But when you have children, things change.
In early September of 2016, I started working at a marketing technology company called Hubspot. As part of their onboarding process, I began their legendary new hire project, which involves building a full-fledged website to market a business, real or imagined. I was planning to promote a madeup product when this question stopped me in my tracks: "Why does this deserve to take up space on the Internet?" As I thought about it, my mentor challenged me to show more than just competence with my project. “Why not use it to offer some value to people?” she asked. Thinking of my son and how much a phone had become a part of his life, I decided to build a site to combat the disturbing trend of phone addiction. Of course, I see the irony. A website to read on your phone about how reading things on your phone is addictive? But you have to start somewhere, and I started by trying to understand the problem on a deeper level.
by N AT H A N A E L Y E L L I S ( ' 0 8 )
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Round and Around We spend hours a day on our phones, checking them every few minutes. We know the feeling of terror when the precious phone is forgotten. Lacking this device, even for just a few minutes, creates real panic. And to think that just ten years ago, the smartphone didn't even exist. If you need something every few minutes and can’t bear leaving it behind, aren't you addicted? Sure, technically, if you’re not ingesting a chemical, you cannot be chemically dependent and thus aren’t by definition addicted. However, if you can “feel” a phone vibration that isn’t there, you may be addicted to your phone. If your work and leisure involve identical scrolling, tapping, and peering at the phone's screen, then your lifeform is phone-based. And if billions of dollars are spent to fully capture our finite attention, then perhaps it’s really working. Phones are psychologically addictive because they create an incredibly powerful habit loop. They're precisely engineered to infiltrate every part of our lives. Charles Duhigg, author of the bestselling book The Power of Habit, diagrammed habits as cues, routines, and rewards. As Duhigg explains it: “When I see the cue, I will do a routine to get a reward.” It’s that simple, and the phone has all three.
The Cue Any time you feel a buzz, see the screen light up, or notice an unread icon, you know there's something new. s We even cue the phones ourselves: how many times a day do you swipe to see all new notifications or posts?
The Routine: You press the button to unlock (or just glance, with the all-new iPhone X!) and then satisfactorily tap the notification to see what's new. Whether it's a Facebook mention, email, text message, or breaking news alert, the phone takes you straight to the new thing.
The Reward: You smile. Your friend sent a GIF. You know the latest news. You see the email or message on Slack. You aren't left out of the loop.
"We
use our phones while driving, talking, listening, reading, standing, waiting, parenting, eating, and the list goes on. Phones have been added to literally every human activity. There's almost no context where prohibitions on phone use are successfully enforced."
This self-contained habit loop is omnipresent. We use our phones while driving, talking, listening, reading, standing, waiting, parenting, eating, and the list goes on. Phones have been added to literally every human activity. They're an everpresent accessory. There's almost no context where prohibitions on phone use are successfully enforced. I am convinced that we can break this addicting habit loop—and that we must.
(Un)plug and Play After surveying books and articles on the topic, and trying their recommended habits, I identified a weekly, one day disconnect as the best keystone habit to break this addiction. The habit is simple: I turn off my phone on Saturday night and leave it off until Sunday night. The reward is lasting: the habit acts as a weekly reset on my phone use, providing me with a new hesitation when swiping to check, text, or tweet. So I called my site OneDayDisconnect.com. Soon after it launched, the feedback started coming in: people in my network and even outside of it were intrigued. Within days I'd exceeded the project's steep goals for visitors and contacts coming in, and some of the people were folks I didn't know. Something about being anti-phone resonated, and people felt compelled to share their personal experiences. From not keeping your phone on your nightstand to uninstalled social apps, people are embracing the wisdom of making better choices. I'm not always the best exemplar for this wisdom—my story is usually of turning my phone back on or glancing at it when I shouldn't. But the pause I have when doing so is new, and it's something to build on. One Day Disconnect may have started as a workplace training requirement, but it’s helped people—and me especially—recognize smartphone addiction and point toward better habits.
lives with his wife Rebekah (Ries) Yellis (’09), with their children Rosie, Edward, and Arthur in Beverly, MA. NATHANAEL YELLIS (’08)
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SNAPSHOTS OF THE PAST THROUGH THE EYES OF PHC ALUMNI
COURTESY JAMES AND KIRA NELSON
AM B E R (S MIT H) HA S K E W , JOURNALISM '07
IN THE FALL OF 2003, HURRICANE ISABELLA CAME HURTLING THROUGH VIRGINIA.
Haskew (L) on the night of the memorable storm
In preparation for the storm, classes were canceled and a few of us took the opportunity to go wading and swimming in the swollen Shenandoah River. When we got back, everyone filled up the basement of Founders Hall as the storm arrived. Some were terrified, but I couldn’t help but feel thrilled by the weather and getting the whole campus together in one place. Shortly after, we
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Lynchburg, VA
lost power. But the main part of the storm passed quickly, and when we emerged we found the campus covered by several inches of water. Some of the guys found a small ditch where the Barbara Hodel Center now stands and decided it would make a great slip ‘n slide. We’d run, dive, and slide head-first on our bellies down the decline with water (and then mud) splashing up and over our faces. Angela (Christensen) Kiley (’07) and I joined the fun and had a grand time in the rain, thunder, and mud!
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Purcellville, VA
L AURA ( FEN NIG ) SCALA , GOVERNMENT '13
IF THERE ARE COMMON THREADS THAT RUN THROUGH MOST OF MY FAVORITE PHC MEMORIES, THEY ARE MY UNWAVERING DESIRES TO 1) HAVE SOMETHING, ANYTHING, NAMED AFTER ME, AND 2) HELP SOME VERY STUDIOUS BOOKWORMS HAVE A LITTLE MORE FUN.
One of my favorite memories was a prank I allegedly executed the spring of my sophomore year. It was a simple yet brilliant maneuver (if I do say so myself). Step one: recruit a motley gang of pranksters, which wasn’t at all difficult, being a posterchild for motley pranksters myself. Step two: sneak
out in the middle of the night, armed with window markers (thank you, Walmart). And step three: write “Just married” on the back of every car on campus the day before students leave for spring break. Let me tell you, it was no easy task not to blow cover when Brett Harris (’12) complained that he got some bizarre looks dropping student body president Alan Carrillo (’12) off at the airport. I also couldn’t help but feel heroic when another student explained that the mysterious prankster’s artwork got him and his girlfriend out of a speeding ticket. Check, check, and double check.
K E RRI ( W I LLIAMSO N) WITTEN , GOVERNMENT: PUBLIC POLICY '02
Owasso, OK
We left PHC extremely early that day, as we needed to catch several different metros. We wanted to have plenty of time to find just the right spot to watch the proceedings. What we did not fully prepare for was how miserable the weather would be. It was in the low 30s and raining, with a dense fog. We had worn coats but after standing in the cold and rain about half way down the Mall from the Capitol Building for close to two hours, we just couldn’t take it. We ended up at a restaurant in Pentagon City, where we settled in to warm up and watch the inauguration on the restaurant’s TV. It wasn’t quite the experience we had planned on, but it was still a great time with friends! Later that afternoon, I drove into Arlington to get ready with Heather, the PHC debate coach, to attend the Michigan Inaugural Ball. What an amazing experience!
ON JANUARY 20, 2001, A GROUP OF US HEADED INTO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO WATCH PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH’S INAUGURATION.
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President Bush and the First Lady arrived late in the evening. They mingled for a bit and then took to the dance floor. That evening is one of my very favorite memories while attending PHC. The opportunity to be a part of the inner workings/events of D.C. is one of the reasons that I chose to attend Patrick Henry College. For one who loves government, these opportunities were priceless!
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Eve Marie (Barner) Gleason Government: Public Policy Politically involved and culturally engaged since her youth, Eve (’04) joined the inaugural class of PHC, pursuing a degree in Government. While a student, Eve served as a magisterial district chair for the Loudoun County Republicans and is now an elected member of the Republican Party of Virginia’s State Central Committee. Eve currently serves as the Center Services Director at Care Net where her team supports over 1,100 pregnancy centers in the U.S. and Canada. She has also presented at Care Net’s National Conference. She says the best part of her job is encouraging and coaching executives and senior leaders of small, faith-based nonprofit organizations. Eve and her husband, Ryan Gleason, have been married since 2010 and currently live in Lovettsville, VA, with their dog, Coco. They recently welcomed their first foster child.
’10 AR LIN G TO N , VA
James Barta Government: Political Theory
James (’10) works as an associate at MoloLamken LLP, a top-10 litigation boutique. His practice focuses on Supreme Court and appellate litigation, spanning subjects from patents to administrative law to constitutional claims. He graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2013 where he was the Senior Articles Editor for Georgetown's American Criminal Law Review. When not busy with his day job, James co-teaches a class on conservative legal theory at Georgetown University Law Center. James lives (and, when able, hikes) in Northern Virginia.
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Tait & Amy (Kucks) Deems Government (Tait); Classical Liberal Arts (Amy) Amy (’12) pursued her love for helping others by working in Patrick Henry College's Admissions Department as a Counselor for two years after graduating. After marrying her love, Tait Deems ('13), who also formerly worked in Admissions, she left PHC to pursue a dearer calling in her life—raising their first child, Penelope Hope. Amy's time at PHC cemented her desire to be an educated mother; to raise children with sharp minds and soft hearts in the fear of God. Since then, their family has grown to four with the arrival of Titus Ferruccio in 2016. They are currently living in Pennsylvania as Tait pursues his Master of Divinity at Reformed Episcopal Seminary in preparation for ministry in the Anglican Church.
’16 L IV E RP O OL , U N ITED K IN G D O M
David Fullerton Classical Liberal Arts
David (’16) is a pastoral intern for Aigburth Community Church, a congregation in Liverpool, UK. While at PHC, David attended Sterling Park Baptist Church, where faithful, expository preaching got him interested in full-time gospel ministry. David spent the summer after graduation working for Sterling Park Baptist Church before moving across the pond in September 2016 to work for Aigburth Community Church, a partner church with Sterling Park in the Radstock global missions network. At Aigburth, David balances practical jobs and administrative tasks with opportunities to preach on Sundays, teach an evangelistic kids’ club, and speak at Christian Unions at two of Liverpool’s universities.
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TO SUBMIT ALUMNI U P D AT E S
Visit phc.edu/alumniand-friends or email magazine @phc.edu. We’d love to hear from you!
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SUNDRIES SUDOKU SNAPSHOTS
Some PHC alumni will remember the days when The Herald printed Sudoku puzzles on the back page. Friendly competitions often became a Friday lunchtime tradition around the dining commons. In honor of that tradition, we offer a Sudoku puzzle here for your problem-solving enjoyment.
This past summer, PHC popped up around the world! When Admissions challenged incoming freshmen to post summer pictures of themselves in PHC gear, the results were epic. With T-shirts, backpacks, and more, PHC'ers represented their school from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the Grand Canyon.
SNAPSHOTS SUBMISSIONS Have a shot you’d like to share? Maybe it’s a scenic vista from campus or a picture of you and other alumni friends on the other side of the world. Each issue, we will take submissions at Magazine@phc.edu and feature our favorites.
Abo ve: Preston Timms (’21) poses for a well-earned pic at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, the
highest point in all of Africa at 19,341 feet above sea level. L eft: Kate Forde (’21) plays with a cheetah at Kragga Kama Game Park in South Africa. Ri ght: Teen Camper Andrew Zielke surveys the majesty of the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
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IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. The best in classical Christian liberal arts at your fingertips V I S I T W W W.P H C .E D U / D I S TA N C E-L E A R N I N G T O F I N D O U T M O R E
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for
CHRIST and for
LIBERTY PATRICK HENRY COLLEGE WAS FOUNDED IN 2000 WITH A VISION TO RESTORE AMERICA BY EDUCATING THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST CHRISTIAN STUDENTS TO TAKE THEIR PLACE AS FUTURE LEADERS OF THE NATION AND ITS CULTURE. ITS MISSION IS TO PREPARE CHRISTIAN MEN AND WOMEN WHO WILL LEAD OUR NATION AND SHAPE OUR CULTURE WITH TIMELESS BIBLICAL VALUES AND FIDELITY TO THE SPIRIT OF THE AMERICAN FOUNDING. TO LEARN MORE, SUPPORT THE MISSION OF PHC, O R A P P LY T O AT T E N D, V I S I T W W W.P H C .E D U
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10 PATR IC K HENRY CIRCL E PU R C E LLVI LL E, VA. 20132 W W W. P H C . EDU
SAVE the DATE JAN 19
FEB 2018
March for Life (Led by PHC)
Alumni Mixer Event — Date TBD MAY 12
MARCH 22-28
Newsmakers with Dr. Marvin Olasky
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Patrick Henry College Commencement A PU BLICATIO N OF PATRICK H EN RY COLLEG E