The Daily Office

by David T. Koyzis

More than three decades ago I discovered a form of prayer that transformed what up to then had been a rather feeble prayer life. Continue Reading »

27 Feb 2010 0

Killer Whale Tragedy Illustrates Moral Difference Between Humans and Animals

by Wesley J. Smith

When an orca drowned one of his trainers at Orlando’s Sea World, nobody discussed “punishing” or otherwise holding him morally accountable.  Indeed, the very notion is nonsensical, as a consequence of which, the question about “what to do” has properly revolved . . . . Continue Reading »

27 Feb 2010 0

Note On Exceptionalism

by James Poulos

Whatever you want to call the doctrine that America must continue indefinitely to use its ideology as a tool in proactively working to shape world order, the key point is that such an effort may today be desirable and essential on the one hand and self-destructive and unsustainable on the other. . . . . Continue Reading »

27 Feb 2010 0

Obama, Cranky Professor

by Ivan Kenneally

Since my computer is less than cooperative tonight I’m going to dispense with providing links and trust your techno-competence to track them down, if you like. We’ve had enough snow here in Rochester that I’ve been reduced to watching some of the Health Care Summit and I thought I . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

Heading to New York To Speak to the UN-UNIS and Doing Other Things About Town

by Wesley J. Smith

Late next week I will be in New York. Big doings.First, I have been asked to tape an interview for use on Penn and Teller’s Showtime program as the voice opposing assisted suicide.  It is my understanding that P and T are for assisted suicide, so I am to be the designated cannon . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

Muddled Moral Reasoning

by R. R. Reno

In a New York Times column today , Mark Oppenheimer reviews the controversy surrounding former Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen’s efforts to square waterboarding with Catholic moral doctrine. Mr. Thiessen has some ill-informed views, and Mr. Oppenheimer seems to have failed to do his homework. . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

One Issue with Philosophical Theology

by Collin Brendemuehl

It has been an issue for centuries – theologians acting as philosophers and using philosophy as the starting point for theology.  Some do it on the broader scope, constructing theological frameworks out of philosophical tenets.  This is true not only of the modern errors we know as . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

A Valued Member of the Seaworld Team

by Joseph Bottum

Meghan McArdle reports on the Seaworld press conference this afternoon about the killer whale that killed a trainer earlier this week: When asked by a reporter about the fact that this same whale has apparently killed three other people, he repeatedly makes the irrelevant point that it only killed . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

Garanimal Religion

by Joseph Bottum

Does anybody else remember the old 1970s Garanimal commercials for children’s clothing? Mix! Match! Save! I think we need to revive the term—because I don’t know anything else to describe the press release that just showed up in my inbox, somehow dodging the spam filters that are . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0

A Note on Idolatry

by Christopher Benson

To follow-up on my blog post “Sunday of Orthodoxy: Or, When Schisms Are Functionally Irrelevant,” the excerpt below has helped me to understand John Calvin’s treatment of idolatry. Understanding must precede criticism.From Charles Partee, The Theology of John Calvin (Louisville: . . . . Continue Reading »

26 Feb 2010 0