Why subscribe to Depth Perception?
Humans need contemplation to flourish and thrive. Without it, we risk losing our ability to see. Contemplative realism seeks to revive our capacity to meet this deep human need. Let’s pursue beauty, truth, & happiness together.
How often do you post, & what can I expect?
This Substack is a form of gift-work. So subscriptions will always be available for free, though naturally I appreciate your pledges of support.
You’ll receive the following kinds of posts about 2-5x per month:
Theoria—essays on the big picture of contemplative realism and related topics, as these show up in literary fiction (my specialty) but also in other realms of life
Perspectives—reviews & appreciations from a contemplative realist perspective, mostly of classic & contemporary fiction, but also other arts, as seems good
In Real Time—glimpses behind the scenes
Where can I learn more about contemplative realism?
The idea did not originate with me but with Joshua Hren—author, editor, founder of Wiseblood Books, and co-founder of the MFA program at the University of St. Thomas. If you want, you can read the whole Contemplative Realism manifesto; here is an excerpt; you can also learn more about the concept in this video, and this one.
Why should I trust you?
Good question. I am a poor wayfaring stranger like you. That said, for the last twenty years God has seen fit to give me a keen preoccupation with questions related to authentic Christian belief, contemplative prayer, and literary art—and plenty of opportunity to follow that fascination. When I first heard contemplative realism described, I knew the idea spoke directly to what I had wanted to do as a fiction writer for years. If it speaks to you too, let’s continue the conversation.
Some of the other things I do include editing the magazine Dappled Things, a journal of ideas, art, and Catholic faith, that is a project of the Collegium Institute’s Ars Vivendi Initiative. Also through the Collegium Institute connection, I’m a senior affiliate fellow of Penn’s Program for Research on Religion in Urban & Civil Society. I have written As Earth Without Water, a novel (2021, Wiseblood), Fragile Objects, short stories (Wiseblood, 2023), Praying the O Antiphons: My Soul Magnifies the Lord (Catholic Truth Society, 2021), and Christopher Beha: Novelist in a Postsecular World (Wiseblood, 2024, forthcoming). I live in Texas with my family.
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Cover/banner image by Henri-Joseph Harpignies (1819-1916), “A Landscape with Figures Walking Along a Path,” courtesy of Joseph F. McCrindle Collection, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, by way of Wikimedia Commons. No third party’s endorsement of any project is implied by Depth Perception’s use of this or any other image in the public domain.
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