An Attack on Conservatism From Within? 

Kim R. Holmes throws down the gauntlet with a critical survey of the two dominant strands of common-good conservatism—nationalists and integralists.
 
In his telling, these common-good conservatives in fact seek “to undermine and ultimately overturn traditional American conservatism.”
 
Both are reactions to radical progressivism. But both, Holmes thinks, misrepresent the Founders . . . and misunderstand modern progressivism.
 
He issues a stern warning: “Put simply, the more successful the current common-good movement is, the more it will erode one of the key pillars of American conservative thought: the idea of liberty.”
 
What do you think? Is Holmes’ diagnosis of common-good philosophy and political aims correct?
 

Conservatism is Not Libertarian

“Overstated and overheated,” responds Ryan T. Anderson to Holmes’ concerns.
 
Our commitment to rights is all well and good. But political communities must protect human goods as well as human rights.
 
“Conservatism is neither liberal nor libertarian,” he writes. It aims at promoting human flourishing . . . with liberty being part of that picture. You can’t have rights, freedom, and liberty without morality, virtue, and goodness.
 
Anderson disputes almost all of Holmes’ characterizations—of the Founders, of common-good conservatives, and of the nature of liberty and the role of government. And he doesn’t mince his words!
 
Read his spirited counter-attack, and see if his critique of Holmes strikes you as on-point.
 

Can We All Get Along? 

Maybe what we have here, James Piereson writes, is not so much a philosophical disagreement as “an argument among friends who want the same things for America but who disagree as to the right path forward.”
 
Debating the influence of John Locke on the Founding only gets you so far, he writes. Maybe contemporary problems have more contemporary causes.
 
But the bottom line for Piereson is far from comforting: Conservatives do indeed face a crisis today.
 
Still, if it looks to you like Holmes and Anderson are at an impasse, Piereson offers practical ideas for how conservatives ought to work on common ground.
 
Do you think his way forward is the right approach?
 

On the Separation of Church and State 

1. What the provisions of the First Amendment really are
2. Whether Americans really ought to “privatize” their religious beliefs
3. The vital role religious belief played in challenging slavery and in other controversial issues

The ISI Honors Program, Application Deadline: January, 15

• A community of brilliant students and professors. Honors Scholars are welcomed into a tight circle of bright minds from numerous colleges and fields of study. It’s like joining an intellectual club.
   
• An all-expenses paid week-long summer conference. Yes, you read that right. We pay for you to attend a week-long intellectual retreat. You get to read classic works, and have rich discussions with students and professors.
   
• Invitations to exclusive seminars throughout the 2022-2023 academic year. Through the year you’ll be invited to intimate gatherings of students and a handful of professors to dive deeper into the themes you explored during the weeklong summer conference.
   
• An alumni network that includes scholars, authors, government officials, journalists, attorneys, judges, and more. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute network features some prominent names—and the Honors Program is your induction into this impressive community. From Supreme Justice Samuel Alito to Reason editor Katherine Mangu-Ward, you’ll be counted among brilliant and influential people, all of whom are making a difference in every part of society.

• Academic Mentorship. Each Honors Scholar is paired with a mentor to guide and assist you through your academic career—and sometimes beyond!
   
• Intellectual Rigor. ISI students and alumni are noted for their intellectual caliber. By becoming an Honors Scholar, you experience—and advance—the clarity of thought that universities used to be renowned for.
   
• Special Preference. Honors Scholars are given priority when it comes to future ISI conferences, events, and even scholarships.
   
• Lifelong Friendships. Many Honors Scholars have described their Honors experience as life-changing. That’s because the friendships they made were just as significant to their growth as the education.
   
• Thought Leadership. Honors Scholars have the opportunity to become leaders as well as thinkers, no matter where they go after college.
   

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