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“Cuts in social spending … can leave citizens powerless in the face of old and new risks; such powerlessness is increased by the lack of effective protection on the part of workers’ associations. Through the combination of social and economic change, trade union organizations experience greater difficulty in carrying out their task of representing the interests of workers, partly because Governments, for reasons of economic utility, often limit the freedom or the negotiating capacity of labour unions. Hence traditional networks of... Read more
As a lifelong Doctor Who fan, this is sad news. Elisabeth Sladen, who played Sarah Jane Smith, perhaps the best Doctor Who companion ever, died today from cancer. February 1, 1948 – April 19, 2011. Eternal memory, O Lord. (more…) Read more
Wherever did the idea that evolution is a problem for the Christian faith come from? The standard narrative simply presumes the conflict was automatic. The contemporary creationist view is taken to be the standard view of pre-Darwinian Christianity and contemporary Christians who do not espouse that view are seen as compromising their faith with science. This is all non-sense. Creationism is an entirely modern phenomenon, one that holds a picture of God that is very difficult to square with the... Read more
Our friends at Faith in Public Life recently called on the US bishops to “take on Paul Ryan and a Republican Party pursuing a radical agenda that is antithetical to a Catholic vision of the common good”. In response, Msgr. Charles Pope from the archdiocese of Washington wondered if this was a good idea, and asked for input from readers. In his attempt to frame the debate, I think Msgr. Pope gets some things wrong. Still, Msgr. Pope is thoughtful, erudite, and... Read more
Introduction and Part II Because of the disorganized nature of our text, we will look at paragraphs sixty-nine and eighty-one together, and then, afterward, look at the paragraphs which fall between them. This is because these two paragraphs work well together, while what lies between them are, in their own way, better tied together. First, our writer states that, if we find someone needing correction, we must do it in purity, without anger: We should not become angry with those... Read more
Every Holy Week for the past two decades , it seems, I have become completely fixated on the thought expressed below, as I try to understand better and further be appropriated by the Paschal Mystery. Is this gnosis or a modest penetration into the Mystery? The terminus a quo of Redemption is not a merely ideal possibility, it is the most real actuality. Indeed it is so real that the Saviour in his vicarious suffering had to descend into it... Read more
Lists seem to the rage as of late so I thought I’d offer my own. People will accept wrong answers when alternative answers aren’t available. There is a great tendency to attribute deliberateness to what is more easily explained by inertia. We tend to hold people, particularly those in authority, to standards we are unwilling to hold ourselves. Narratives provide explanations. (See #1) Intellectual pursuits are more often than not just another another form of entertainment. You will be rewarded... Read more
In many modern so-called American conservative circles (which is the opposite of traditional conservatism), the writings and ideology of Ayn Rand have become quite popular. Thankfully, not everyone has been taken in by this vile, Satanic teaching. Indeed, many so-called conservatives, who still try to hold onto morality, see right through Ayn Rand and denounce her as they should. I congratulate them. While our reasons for opposing Rand will not be identical, that we both see her ideology for the... Read more
A regular point of contention here and elsewhere in the blogosphere is whether the criminalization of abortion will result in women being jailed for abortion. I think a recent case from Indiana suggests there is some ground for concern. Here is a summary of the case, as reported by the Guardian: Bei Bei Shuai, 34, a restaurant owner who moved to the US from China 10 years ago, was pregnant and planning to marry her boyfriend until she learned late... Read more
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