This wonderful piece was published last week in the New York Times. Authored by the writer and novelist Marilynne Robinson, it begins this way: The Bible is the model for and subject of more art and thought than those of us who live within its influence, consciously or unconsciously, will ever know. Literatures are self-referential by nature, and even when references to Scripture in contemporary fiction and poetry are no more than ornamental or rhetorical — indeed, even when they... Read more
That is the title of my most recent entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here’s how it begins: On December 15, contemporary unbelief lost one of its most gifted apologists, Christopher Hitchens. He, along with Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett, are often referred to as the four horsemen of the New Atheism. It is called the “New” Atheism because of its evangelistic zeal, an enthusiasm largely absent from the more urbane and engaging infidelities of “the Old Atheists”... Read more
For those who may be interested, the following is a list of reference work contributions of mine that are now accessible online. Just click the name and you will arrive at the entry. “Agnosticism.” (co-authored with Maurice Redmond Holloway SJ). The New Catholic Encyclopedia Supplement 2009. 2 volumes. Robert L. Fastiggi, Editor in Chief. Detroit: Gale, 2009. volume 1, 5-10. (an update and revision of the original entry authored by M. R. Holloway, SJ) “Alliance Defense Fund.” The Praeger Handbook... Read more
A new video at CatholicVote.org: For more on religious liberty and conscience, read the outstanding work of George Mason University law professor Helen Alvare. Read more
That’s the title of my latest entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here’s are some excerpts: In 2009, Gingrich was received into the Catholic Church, the faith of his third wife, Callista Bisek. Because Catholic conversion requires the sacrament of confession, Gingrich has been absolved of his sins. This, of course, suggests to many, including me, that one cannot evaluate Gingrich’s candidacy and character without taking his conversion seriously. It is a mistake for Christians to emulate the world and treat... Read more
(HT: Ed Feser) This is just hilarious. Apparently, the great atheist scientist Richard Dawkins, who recently made quite a public fuss in his refusal to ever debate philosopher William Lane Craig, now claims that he in fact has debated Craig, and according to Dawkins, Craig was deeply unimpressive when they sparred. That’s a pretty amazing feat: Dawkins is claiming that while he would never be caught dead debating Bill Craig he has in fact defeated him in debate at least once.... Read more
Today, December 8, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Sometimes my Evangelical Protestant friends, knowing that I am a Thomist, will point out that St. Thomas Aquinas did not believe in the Immaculate Conception, suggesting that the Church should have stuck with St. Thomas and not declared the Immaculate Conception a dogma. For example, my friend Norm Geisler writes: “Many of the Catholic beliefs that concern Protestants most were not declared dogma until long after Aquinas. For example, Aquinas... Read more
I just found out this afternoon that my 2011 Synthese article, “Or We Can Be Philosophers: A Response to Barbara Forrest,” may be downloaded for free until December 31, 2011. Many people, because they did not have a subscription or an academic appointment at an institution that does have a subscription, were not able to download the article without paying a hefty fee. For those folks still interested in reading the piece, they can do so free of charge until... Read more
That’s the title of my latest entry over at The Catholic Thing. Here’s how it begins: In his most recent column here at The Catholic Thing, my friend Hadley Arkes raises the question as to why the federal courts, and the Supreme Court in particular, could not extend the protections of the Fourteenth Amendment to unborn human persons by employing the same reasoning these courts have utilized elsewhere. What Hadley is suggesting in his query should be uncontroversial: the courts must apply... Read more
Over the years I’ve published several academic articles dealing with the separation of church and state and the status of theology as knowledge. I bring this to your attention because of the increasing attention on the religious beliefs of those running for the U. S. Presidency. Here are some of my articles with links: “How To Be An Anti-Intelligent Design Advocate,” University of St. Thomas Journal of Law & Public Policy 4.1 (2009-2010): 35-65. “Must Theology Sit in the Back... Read more
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