Seven Reasons to Reject Catholic Fundamentalism About the Arts: 7QT XI Seriatim

January 24, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

To reject Dr. Marshall’s approach (i.e., the Beatles are "intellectual poison" and "straight-up evil") does not mean one should approve of everything an artist creates. Nor does it mean we should deny that truly wicked cradles of filth do exist in pop culture and disguise themselves as art. Filth ought to be exposed. But to do that, with fairness and depth, means that we start by asking what the artist is trying to do. It means we analyze with discernment and discretion. It means we admit that many things we might dislike, or disagree with, or find baneful, do have real artistic value that should be understood rightly. It means we know that just because some artist was a wretch of a human being does not mean that what he created has no merit worth our praise. [Read more] Read more

TurretinFan Interprets the Lightning

January 23, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

If lightning strikes a tree, how do we know that it is random; whereas, if lightning strikes an image of Christ, that is God’s judgment against idolatry? Perhaps Mr. X will say that even the tree was not struck randomly, and that its destruction was ordained. But surely God is not blasting with judgment every tree that gets struck. No, Mr. X might say, but God does have a purpose in striking the tree, though we may not discern it. Nevertheless, Mr. X believes he can discern the purpose of God when the image of Jesus is struck. Read more

Steve Hays & the Parable of the Biltmore

January 20, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

Steve "Purple" Hays, at Failablogue has proposed the following argument regarding sola scriptura: It is not in the Bible, but that should not worry us, for no one should expect to find it in the Bible. Instead, sola scriptura simply is the Bible. Mr. Hays seems to think this kind of argument is checkmate for Catholic apologists. Rather, it may be the most desperate one yet. In this article, I explain why it matters that Catholics keep asking the question, "Where is sola scriptura in the Bible?" Read more

Through the Year With Pope Francis

January 20, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

With all the so-called shocking quotations from the pope, which have been making a mad circulation through the blogs, would it not be nice to have access to a collection of the Holy Father’s words that the front pages and headline news have ignored? Just this weekend, I received a wonderful little volume that does just that. Through the Year With Pope Francis is a daily devotional of 365 quotations, mainly from his homilies and General Audiences. Read more

Seven Quick Takes in Defense of Longhand: 7QT X Seriatim

January 17, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

Computer crashes helped me regain my sanity about how to write. The vile Dell off, and pen in hand, I can focus on words to the exclusion of all else. And it feels more like writing, to me, when I can have a tactile connection to a physical object. I can hold a pen. I can shake it, tap it onto the page or my head to dredge a thought, or bite it to mull. It feels more like I am writing when I can look at a page and scratch out. Read more

Desperate John Bugay to Catholics: Shut Up About Sola Scriptura

January 16, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

Protestant apologists are creative and tireless in their efforts to find sola scriptura in the Bible. They are undaunted by refutation. When told that Acts 17:11, or 2 Timothy 3:16, do not support the doctrine, they do not attempt further defense; they simply move on to the next verse. In this way, perhaps Catholics could, in time, get them to run the circuit through every last one. That would be one way to have fun with our separated brethren. Read more

How Not to Talk About the Beatles

January 13, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

Is the infamous "butcher cover" of Yesterday and Today an intent, on the part of The Beatles, to promote abortion? Or is there a different, more innocent explanation? In this article, I take a look at a recent blog post by Dr. Taylor Marshall (expert textpert or elementary penguin?) in order to illustrate the right way, and the wrong way, for Catholics to approach the arts. To accuse the Beatles of being "intellectual poison" and "straight-up evil" based on nothing other than initial gut reaction that something is “gross” or “kinda weird” does nothing to promote a Catholic understanding of or contribution to the arts. In fact, it compromises it. Our first obligation is to figure out what the artist was actually up to, not to impose our own agendas upon his work. [Read more] Read more

Seven Resolutions in Search of a Blog Post: 7QT IX Seriatim

January 3, 2014 By Scott Eric Alt

It is a New Year, and with every new year come the inevitable resolutions. The reason people make resolutions at the start of a new year is because last year’s resolutions failed. Some use that as an excuse not to make resolutions: If I’m not going to keep them, why make them? That sounds like a hard-earned wisdom, but the same logic applies in the confessional. Who says, “I do not firmly resolve with the help of thy grace, because I have made these resolutions before"? Read more

Waiting in a Silent Prayer

December 21, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

"Let it be to me according to your word.” That is not just an incredible act of complete humility and obedience, but it is an act of almost unimaginable surrender. If Mary was found with child out of marriage, by the law of Israel she could be stoned. And she could have said no, and avoided all that. Instead she said “Fiat,” being under no misunderstanding about what that word could have meant to her, yet trusting fully in the God who sent His archangel. Read more

Joy of Every Longing Heart

December 14, 2013 By Scott Eric Alt

Come, thou long-expected Jesus! It is hard, and seems more than impossible, to be Advent people in a culture of instant gratification. We rush to the Christmas music before it’s even Advent, let alone Christmas; and I want to scream every time I hear “What Child is This” when it’s still Ordinary Time. But all this is more than just a deficient understanding of the liturgical year. It is a deficient understanding of time itself — that is, an inability to rest in the instant. Read more