March 18, 2025
Parallel Polis Publishing
by Rory Feek, Plain Values
Here in the middle of Tennessee, the arrival of March signals the return of spring. The long-awaited blooming of yellow daffodils that encircle our family cemetery here on the farm lets us know that winter is wearing thin and that warmer weather will soon be on its way. The pretty daffodils are also a gentle reminder of my beautiful bride Joey’s passing this month six years ago.
Well, folks, I thought it appropriate to give a short address to you all concerning the past year of the blog here and what else to expect for the next one.
Since November 2021 we’ve had an eclectic mix of op-eds from nearly every corner of Christendom. More than a few denominations of the Protestant tradition have shown up, joining ranks with clergy and laity alike in the rich heritage of both Eastern Orthodoxy and Western Catholicism. Covering such topics as the general Bold Christian Writing, the Parallel (Christian) Economy – Go and Build, Big Tech, Christian Nationalism, Homeschool Resources, Making Art Christian Again, and general ruminations on the life of the Christian dissident in modern America (and the world!).
“All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone” — Blaise Pascal
If it can be said that articulate reasoning and bold proclamations of faith have great value and furthermore, distinct identity, in the church, what then is the other side of this? The constant reoccurring theme that has been revolving around my head, especially since mid-March 2020, is the balance of intentional vs. frivolous speech and deliberate vs. incidental quietness. As I have shared previously, my false peace was what had mostly occupied my being. How much of this so-called silence was just digital white noise and audible static rather than an appreciation of the quiet times, especially in nature, further bolstered by prayer.
The other night I had a brief but remarkable dream. I was speaking out against a proud propaganda artist regarding a poster he intended to give out to his fellows. He was peddling the sort of agitprop that one would expect to find in our fallen world and I wasn’t having any of it.
