America is under attack in the pages of First Things. In a recent article Notre Dame professor Patrick Deneen tells us that America is founded on a philosophy of “unsustainable liberalism.” Implicit in the ideas of the American founding, he argues, are certain mistaken philosophical premises about individual choice and man’s separation from nature. Moreover, these mistakes are not merely intellectual because, as their logical consequences play out over time, the inexorable results are severe and pervasive social pathologies … Continue Reading»
Wendell Berry’s recent self-described “general declaration” in support of “homosexual marriage” shocked many, fans and critics alike. Berry, who once wrote that marriage “cannot be altered to suit convenience or circumstance” and has long argued that marriage is an inherited form premised on the embodiment of men and women, now treats sexual difference in marriage as optional. … Continue Reading»
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not as I will, but as you will,” prays Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. Many sermons and commentaries take Jesus’ prayer to be a prayer to the Father to avoid the cross, “if it is possible.” This displays his true humanity… . Continue Reading»
This is a frustrating moment if you believe in limited government. The statist left seems to be ascendant. We are on the path to a full government takeover of healthcare as premiums rise and Obamacare unravels the system of employer-provided health insurance. The failure to implement entitlement reform means that we are on the road to sharply higher taxes… . Continue Reading»
From the moment he walked out onto the Vatican balcony following the papal election, Jorge Mario Bergoglio forged an image all his own. Having lived a life of simplicity, the new Pope Francis wasn’t about to abandon it, even with the honor and prestige his new office brings. A modest man of carefully chosen words, it was fitting that Francis opened his speech with two simple words: “Buona sera” (good evening)… . Continue Reading»
Preaching to the deaf is a venerable prophetic vocation. Isaiah was told that his prophecies to the “dull of hearing” would only make them duller, and Jeremiah was warned that the “foolish and senseless” of Judah “have ears but do not hear.” Jesus quoted these passages to explain why he taught in parables, and so did Paul to explain resistance from Jews of Rome… . Continue Reading»
In 1758 a young, dissolute Prussian named Johann Georg Hamann found himself in a deep despair, wandering lost in the world, searching intensely for the “Light of life.” He found it”or, rather, it found him”in the wonder of the Word made flesh. After his conversion through prayer and the reading of Scripture, he aimed his quill at the foundations of modern philosophy … Continue Reading»
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum. Habemus papam: We have a pope! And so Pope Francis walked out on the balcony, spoke humbly of his mission, asked for the prayers of all people, and blessed the city and the world. It was a climactic moment, coming after weeks of speculation and interviews… . Continue Reading»
Pushed on the matter I guess I would confess to being something of a universalist. If it was God’s purpose to reconcile the world through Christ, I’ve never felt comfortable saying God can’t have what he wants. There has always been a strain of Christian thought favoring it. … Continue Reading»
The general expectation when the cardinals filed into the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday afternoon was that it was likely to be a long conclave. The assumption was that it would take some time for the various groupings”Italian/non-Italian; European/non-European; Northern/Southern, Western/Eastern hemispheres”to assess the relative scale of support for each, and to order and re-order their priorities. … Continue Reading»
