Eschatological Speculations

Last updated on: February 28, 2019 at 7:41 am By Henry Karlson

Saint Augustine with the way he understood original sin and salvation, suggested that the number of the saved would likely be far less than those who are damned, giving us the notion of the massa damnata, the great mass of the damned. In recent times, theologians with universalistic hopes have emerged, daring to hope that all might be saved, if not actually believing that some form of universal salvation will be the eschatological outcome. Because Augustine’s ideas were replicated by... Read more

Work Together: Some Thoughts Going Forward Concerning The Sexual Abuse Crisis

Last updated on: February 27, 2019 at 4:03 am By Henry Karlson

The sexual abuse crisis affecting the Catholic Church, the sexual abuse crisis affecting society as a whole (for we find abuse in government, in Hollywood, in schools, in other religious traditions, and in our families) must be seen as a crisis which requires everyone to work together in order to establish a just and proper conclusion. Neither the hierarchy of the institutional church, the laity, the media, nor the secular government, can solve the abuse crisis alone. They must work... Read more

Defiled and Undefiled Willing: Exploring a Theme in St Maximos the Confessor and Yogacara Buddhism

Last updated on: February 26, 2019 at 4:11 am By Henry Karlson

Jesus Christ, being the God-man, that is, being a divine person who assumed human nature to himself, is said to have two wills, one according to his divinity and one according to his humanity. This teaching sometimes confuses people because of how they understand what it means to will. If he is one person, should he not have one will? But, St. Maximos, the great theologian of the will, reminded us, the will is best attributed to nature, not to... Read more

Engaging Others Through Comparative Theology

Last updated on: February 25, 2019 at 4:06 am By Henry Karlson

There are many ways Christians find themselves engaging and reflecting upon the nature of the Christian faith in relation to other religions. Christian theological reflection on the status of non-Christian religion is underscored by many different theologies of religion, that is, many different theological interpretations which explain not only why other religions exist, but also, what Christians can think about their status in relation to the Christian faith.[1] Likewise, Christians, seeking to understand the freedom we all should have to... Read more

Christians Must Be Honest With Themselves

Last updated on: February 20, 2019 at 9:02 am By Henry Karlson

Early Christians, writing with the vigor of a newfound faith which had yet to deal with the messy issue of being a faith that extended through long periods of history, looked upon the great moral improvements promoted by Christians as representing the superiority of the Christian faith to other religions.[1] Christians worked together, lived together, suffered and died together, showed their love for one another – as well as for their persecutors.[2] It is easy to see how and why... Read more

Teaching with Authority

Last updated on: February 19, 2019 at 4:11 am By Henry Karlson

Teaching, especially teaching in a leadership position, guiding others so they learn not only what to think but how to think and act, is a very important activity. Communities need teachers not only to pass down their values, but to reform them when needed. Not all beliefs, not all ideas, should be passed down. We are all called, in a way, to be teachers, because we all have something to share with others. Nonetheless, we are not all the same,... Read more

A Lesson We Can Learn From Reuchlin’s Defense of the Jews

Last updated on: February 14, 2019 at 4:37 am By Henry Karlson

In the sixteenth century, accusations against the Jews led to the confiscation and examination of many important Jewish works, like the Talmud, in order to determine whether or not they should be destroyed. Some recent Jewish converts, combined with some influential Dominicans, had encouraged this, and the emperor, Maximillian I, at first followed their advice, until he stayed his decision and decided to ask the Archbishop of Mainz what he should done. Thankfully, the archbishop asked two scholars, one of... Read more

Some Reflections Concerning Pluralism in a Catholic Perspective

Last updated on: February 16, 2019 at 5:19 am By Henry Karlson

When people hear the suggestion that God wills the existence of a variety of religions, they usually read into such a statement all kinds of particular ideas related to it which are not necessitated by it. In reality, without any further context, there are number of ways those words can be interpreted, among which are: 1) God wills a variety of religions, each equal to each other. 2) God wills a variety of religions, which though not equal to each... Read more

Learn From Silence

Last updated on: February 12, 2019 at 5:56 pm By Henry Karlson

While St Moses the Black became one of the great monks of the Scetis, looking at him from his birth would have made it difficult to predict this outcome. When he was a young boy, he was a slave; when he was able to do so, he fled from his servitude. As he had nothing else he could do, he became a brigand, before quickly becoming a leader among the brigands he lived with. He quickly found his lifestyle was... Read more

What does "Emmanuel" mean?