First Things magazine published a noteworthy article written by philosophy professor Dr. John Cuddeback’s entitled, “Reclaiming the Household,” bringing national attention to Cuddeback’s thought that the decline of the family has roots in the demise of the household. Turning to the timeless principles of Aristotle and others, Cuddeback discusses how family life, from working together to eating together again, can be renewed in our modern day.
Cuddeback, who teaches a philosophy of family and household course, amongst others, at Christendom, begins his article by pointing out the distinctions between family and household, and how those distinctions are important if one is to understand how to renew family life.
“The decline of the family has roots in the demise of the household,” writes Cuddeback. “While the two realities are intimately connected, they are not identical. The household is a social form, a domestic community; the family, too, is a social unit, but it shades into the purely biological fact of consanguinity. One can be part of a family without being part of its household.”
In addition to being published in First Things, Cuddeback is also celebrating the five-year anniversary of his website and blog, Bacon from Acorns, which similarly deals with a philosophy of household on a weekly basis. On the website, Cuddeback shares practical reflections on timeless principles every Wednesday, giving insights into questions that families in the 21st century deal with on a daily basis.
To read Cuddeback’s full article in First Things, click here. To see his website and subscribe to his weekly articles, click here.