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The Priory

Karen Swallow Prior, Kelsey Kramer McGinnis, Alexandra
Hundreds of paid subscribers

Prayers of Attention

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Substack
PricingOnly free issuesPublishesTwice weekly
Issues239Founded3 years agoLast Issue4 days ago
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Latest Issues

Becoming Human with Samuel Loncar

Readers, I do a lot of interviews, but this is a special one among special ones—it is a delightful conversation I had with one of my students from long ago who has since gone to Yale, earned a Ph.D., and is a tremendous scholar. It is my pl...

4 days ago
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1

Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: Week 7

One of my past students found this tattered old paperback edition and got it for me years ago. Hilarious! This was a 1964 edition based on a film adaptation. See below for the description of the story which is very 1960s-sexual-revolution-e...

8 days ago
20
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It's the Third Anniversary of The Priory!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

― Dr. Seuss, Happy Birthday to You!


Today, August 1, 2026, marks three years of The Priory here at Substack!

What a few years it’s been …...

11 days ago
102
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Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: Week 6

This book cover perfectly captures the essence of Moll’s dsiguises.

As is clear (and perhaps annoying) by now, Moll Flanders has no breaks in the narrative at all. It is just one long, sad tale. Most critics, however, divide the work into...

15 days ago
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Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe: Week 5

Stagecoach Robbery (source)

One of the things we’ve been discussing a great deal during our reading of Moll Flanders is her characterization, particularly the believability of her character as the story develops it.

I’ve pointed out that...

22 days ago
17
21

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  • Karen Swallow Prior

    A reader and writer attending more closely to what is good, true, and beautiful. 2025-26 Karlson Scholar at Bethel Seminary. The Priory is devoted to the holy cultivation of a rich inner life. “Attention is the beginning of devotion.” -- Mary Oliver

  • Kelsey Kramer McGinnis

    Writer, musicologist. Writing on music, worship, and culture at Christianity Today. Working on a book about Christian wellness culture. Teaching courses on music history, theology, and social justice. Living quietly in the middle of Iowa.

  • Alexandra

    Alexandra Hart is a playwright and novelist based in Oxford. BA(Hons), MSt, MFA

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