Intelligent Design, Thomas Aquinas, and the Ubiquity of Final Causes: Why I Reject ID

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

Last year, on May 22, 2010, the BioLogos Foundation published a paper of mine on its website, “Intelligent Design, Thomas Aquinas, and the Ubiquity of Final Causes.” It is excerpted and adapted from my article, “How to Be An Anti-Intelligent Design Advocate,” University of St. Thomas Journal of Law and Public Policy 4.1 (2010): 35-65. This BioLogos paper should be read in conjunction with the four blog posts I published in 2010 on “Science & the Sacred,” the BioLogos Blog: Intelligent Design and Me,... Read more

Come, Let Us Reason

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That is the title of my latest entry on The Catholic Thing. Here’s how it begins: The God of Christian theism is the Source of Reason. St. John calls the Second Person of the Trinity, the Logos, a Greek term from which we get the word “logic.” Within the greatest commandment is the instruction to “love the Lord your God with all your. . .mind” (Matt 22:37-JB). St. Peter commands believers to “always have your answer ready for people who ask... Read more

My letter to UNLV President Neal Smatresk in support of the UNLV philosophy department

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

As many of you may know, the state of Nevada is feeling the brunt of the current economic downturn. For this reason, the state’s institutions of higher education are being forced to make deep budget cuts. Among the cuts proposed by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is the elimination of its philosophy department. Below is the letter I sent last night to UNLV President Neal Smatresk. I cc’d it to the chancellor of the university system (Daniel Klatch) as well... Read more

Chris Castaldo on Purgatory and Rob Bell’s Love Wins

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

Evangelical Pastor and former Catholic, Chris Castaldo, nicely corrects those who have opined that Rob Bell’s recent musings on hell are not unlike the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. You can read Pastor Castaldo’s comments here. Read more

Today would have been my father-in-law’s 91st birthday

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

Joseph A. Dickerson, Jr. died in May 2006 at the age of 86. Today would have been his 91st birthday. My wife, Frankie, still misses him, as she misses her mother, Peggy, who passed away in January 2010. At 5:30 pm today at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waco, Mass will be said for the repose of Joe’s soul. What follows is the eulogy I delivered at his memorial service: (more…) Read more

I just made Satan’s blog

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

It’s a hell of an entry. Read more

Roger Olson on “Evangelical AND Catholic”

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

My esteemed colleague, Professor Roger Olson, has written on his blog some interesting and thoughtful comments about Evangelicals and Catholics. He writes: Over the last 50 years many notable evangelical thinkers have converted to the Roman Catholic Church (or to some independent Catholic church of which there are many; here I’m concerned mainly with those who have converted to the RC Church). Think of Tom Howard, evangelical professor at Wheaton (and I think Gordon), who converted to RCC and wrote... Read more

Sects, Politics, and Religion: A review of Good and Bad Ways to Think About Religion and Politics

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That is the title of a review essay I just published in the April 2011 issue of First Things. The book is authored by Robert Benne of Roanoke College. Here’s how the essay begins: For some Americans, as for the Founding Fathers, the separation of church and state means that the government and religious bodies ought not to exert power over the other’s areas of legitimate authority. To others it means that religiously informed policy proposals may not become the... Read more

Powerful words: Romans 12:9-21 and the Christian life

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

Have you ever had this happen? You read a passage of Scripture that you had read many times before, but this time it hits you like a ton of bricks. This is what happened to me tonight when I read this passage from the Book of Romans (12:9-21): Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be... Read more

Or We Can Be Philosophers: A Response to Barbara Forrest

Last updated on: March 13, 2015 at 1:29 pm By Francis J. Beckwith

That is the title of an article of mine that is forthcoming in the philosophy journal, Synthese. It is, however, now available online prior to its appearance in print. (It may be downloaded by individual purchase or if you or your institution has a subscription). Here is how my article begins (references omitted): (more…) Read more

True or False: Paul instructed Philemon to receive Onesimus back as more than a slave, as a dear brother.