Following Bernard Lewis, Weigel suggests that European expansion in the early modern period was part of “a great flanking movement in response to Islamic advances into the continent of Europe.” Lewis writes, “When Vasco da Gama arrived in Calicut he explained that he had come ‘in search of Christians and spices.’ It was a fair summary of the motives that sent the Portuguese to Asia, as perhaps also, with appropriate adjustments, of the jihad to which the Portuguese voyages were... Read more
In his recent book on the West’s war on “Jihadism,” Weigel observes that it is ironic that the “new atheism” has emerged just when religion has become unavoidably dominant in world politics. Dawkins, Hitchens, and Harris would, Weigel suggests, deprive the West of necessary categories for engaging Islamic radicalism: “a West that has lost the ability to think in terms of ‘God’ and ‘Satan,’ and that has forgotten the drama contained in the idea of ‘redemption,’ is a West that... Read more
In his recently reprinted Family and Civilization , Carle Zimmerman notes that the “domestic family” ideal developed in the 12th century. In this model, marriage is liberated from family power, from patriarchalism. He quotes from a text on Canon law: “The marriage jure canonico ought to be completely free from family power, and here, as in many other points, Pierre Lombard won out over Gratian. Lombard is in effect the first who taught absolutely that the consent of parents is... Read more
One of the most controversial claims of some postmodern thinkers is that language creates rather than simply reflects meaning. Whatever the truth of that as a global statement about language’s generation of meaning, it is fairly obvious that language generates meaning at a lower level. In his first encounter with the shrew Katharina, Petruchio parries all her insults and jibes into comments on marriage. “Come sit on my lap,” he says, and she responds with “Asses were made to bear,... Read more
Noami sojourned in the fields of Moab for 10 years (Ruth 1:4), which points to the conclusion of the book, where the author traces the descend of Judah for 10 generations, to David. After 10 years, Naomi returned to the land, which by then had become fruitful (1:22). After 10 years, Boaz took the place of Elimelech as the head of Naomi’s remnant family. After 10 generations, Judah returned to the congregation of Israel (cf. Deuteronomy 23) as the royal... Read more
James Jordan points out in his lectures on Ruth that the book contrasts Boaz with Elimelech as husband. Elimelech is a failure as a husband, leaving the land and then leaving Naomi alone. The contrast of the two men also has a political dimension. (more…) Read more
A favorable Publishers Weekly review of Michael Burleigh’s Sacred Causes criticizes his obscure language: “Use of odd words such as ‘erastianism’ and ‘soteriological’ detract from what is otherwise a rewarding example of intellectual history.” It’s a book about religion and politics, mind you. Read more
Milbank sums up Victor Turner by saying that “the sublime is no longer outside the social, at the margin of individuality [as in Weber’s charisma], and nor is it the social whole [as in Durkheim]: instead it is situated within society in the constant negotiation of dangerous passages. Paradoxically, it is empty, marginal sublimity which enters into the most fundamental social transits.” Milbank is unpersuaded. (more…) Read more
City of God 10.6 is a rich and important, though obscure, explanation of what might be called the sociology of sacrifice. At the beginning of the chapter, Augustine defines sacrifice as any act we perform in order to be united to God in holy society. Acts of mercy are sacrifices, if they are done not only for the person whom we help but for God. (It is significant that Augustine does not define mercy as sacrifice because it involves loss;... Read more
Dodaro again: “Only when it is understood by believers that God mediates goodness to human beings directly, without intermediary spiritual beings such as angels – and certainly not through priests – is it possible to put an end to spiritual rivalries.” Read more
Leithart
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