Pope Francis And A Discourse On Deconstructionism

Last updated on: March 4, 2025 at 1:14 pm By David Schloss

Recently, Pope Francis issued a letter ostensibly addressing seminarians preparing for the priesthood. The letter stressed the importance of teaching Church history, particularly a history free from the restraints of ideologies. (See “Letter of the Holy Father Francis On The Renewal Of The Study Of Church History”). In this paper, I want to use the Pope’s comments as a point of departure to examine the relationship between history and ideology. I will do this by providing a brief synopsis of... Read more

The Dance Of Duality: Obtaining Spiritual Balance

Last updated on: December 1, 2024 at 10:57 am By David Schloss

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Within a subset of philosophy, there is a discipline called metaphysics. This discipline is concerned with being as such. Catholic metaphysics subscribes to dualism in cosmology and its philosophy of mind. It is unnecessary to go into the specifics here other than to note that dualism refers to the theory that the universe (cosmology) comprises two fundamental substances. Similarly, the philosophy of mind dualism suggests that the mind and body are two distinct substances. In this paper, I want to... Read more

Is Tolerance A Virtue?

Last updated on: November 24, 2024 at 12:39 pm By David Schloss

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Our modern times place a great emphasis on tolerance. In an age of political correctness, tolerance is seen as a great virtue for one to possess. But, is it? Should Catholics seek to cultivate tolerance? In this paper, I want to examine tolerance in relation to the Catholic teaching on virtue. What Is Virtue? “Virtue is a good habit consonant with our nature.” – Saint Augustine. A narrow definition of virtue refers to the quality of courage or fortitude. However,... Read more

Why Some Believe in God While Others Don’t

Last updated on: November 18, 2024 at 12:10 pm By David Schloss

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When it comes to matters of faith, there are three options: a person can believe in God, not believe in God, or be unsure. From this, a question naturally arises: why do some come to faith while others reject belief in God? In this essay, I endeavor to examine the phenomenon of belief and why some come to faith while others do not. What Does It Mean To Believe? Belief is broadly defined as a state or disposition of the... Read more

The Evolution of Seasons and Feasts in Catholic Tradition

Last updated on: November 10, 2024 at 11:19 am By David Schloss

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Catholicism is its own universe, and to be Catholic is to become – among other things – immersed in the tradition. A significant part of that tradition is the celebration of certain seasons and feasts. In the following essay, I will examine the seasons, feasts, and even time that make up the Catholic universe. Time And Season “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” – Ecclesiastes 3:1. The presence of seasons and holy... Read more

The Idea Of God

Last updated on: November 3, 2024 at 9:26 am By David Schloss

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Did God create human beings, or did human beings create God? Is God an actual being (indeed, the ground of existence itself), as Catholicism asserts, or is He simply an idea in the mind of some? How one answers those questions has profound significance on matters of morality, truth, and ultimate meaning. In the following essay, I will explore each of these positions. The Need For God It should come as no surprise that the history of theology and most... Read more

Jacob’s Ladder And The Spiritual Life

Last updated on: October 27, 2024 at 11:56 am By David Schloss

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Pursuing the spiritual life is beautiful and complex. It is beautiful because of the truth it illuminates (and beauty and truth are interchangeable at the level of the transcendental). However, it is also complex because of the many layers and difficulties involved. In the following essay, I will discuss some of the struggles innate in living a spiritual life. To do so, I will follow Saint Francis’s observations by incorporating Jacob’s ladder as the metaphor and point of departure. Jacob’s... Read more

The End And The Beginning

Last updated on: October 20, 2024 at 12:10 pm By David Schloss

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Nothing ends that does not begin, and nothing begins without an ordained end. Applied to the Bible, the Book of Genesis must be understood in the light of the Book of Revelation. It is easy to pursue the study of the Bible and theology as a good in itself, but it must be noted that these things cannot, or at least ought not, be divorced from the human condition. In turn, a biblical perspective (or a rejection of it) affects... Read more

The Mysteries of the Q Source

Last updated on: October 13, 2024 at 10:59 pm By David Schloss

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The letter Q has developed a reputation in modern culture. For most people, Q is the guy who provides James Bond with gadgets. For others, Q refers to a character in Star Trek. Catholic theology, too, has a mysterious character known as Q. In this paper, I will examine what is known as the Q hypothesis. I will begin by exploring its development and the evidence supporting it. Lastly, I will discuss its criticisms. First, however, what or who is... Read more

Catholic Church And The Development Of Western Law

Last updated on: October 8, 2024 at 1:08 am By David Schloss

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One aspect (Immanuel Kant would argue the only aspect of value) of religion on society is its insistence on an ethical code or manner of conduct. Nevertheless, if he is honest, even the most ardent anti-Catholic must admit the enormous contribution Catholicism has had to the development of law, particularly in the West. It is this contribution that I will examine in this paper. The Need For Law Catholicism – following the Bible – states that human beings are made... Read more