I have been reading Henri de Lubac lately, the person some see as the greatest theologian of the 20th century. Specifically, I’ve been ploughing through his Catholicism tome. What strikes me most about de Lubac’s writing is his emphasis on unity and catholicity. It pervades everything he writes from doctrine to liturgy to sacraments. This sounds obvious, almost redundant, and yet de Lubac makes it sound fresh and new. Especially when we go back to the Church fathers (de Lubac’s... Read more
Michael found a pleasant surprise yesterday while browsing through the journals section at my university library: the Journal of Catholic Social Thought. The journal is relatively new founded in 2003 by Villanova faculty, if I am not mistaken. The cost of annual subscription is $40 (for U.S. residents and $60 for international subscribers) and the cost of past issues is $30. Click here to subscribe. Here is the Table of Contents of their past Summer 2007 issue (Their Winter 2008... Read more
“It is important that Muslims and Christians continue to explore philosophical and theological questions together, in order to come to a more objective and comprehensive knowledge of each others’ religious beliefs. Better mutual understanding will surely lead, at the practical level, to a new way of presenting our two religions not in opposition, as has happened too often in the past, but in partnership for the good of the human family.” — Pope John Paul II, Address at Omayyad Mosque... Read more
First, I’m not a vegetarian. Vegetables have found me later in life. Potatoes, typically mashed, and corn were the predominant veggies for me growing up. The former is primarily simply starches. The latter is closer to a grain and is seriously deficient unless paired with beans. There’s a reason the two are often paired in Native American and Mexican cuisine. This is not a post about nutrition though. This is just to give you the reader an idea of how... Read more
When people talk about equality, they sometimes distinguish between equality of opportunity and equality of outcome. Equality of outcome, it is said, is neither a possible nor desirable, and ought not be a goal of social policy. Rather, the state ought to focus on creating equality of opportunity, which, unlike equality of outcome, is supposed to be readily attainable without injustice. But if my reflections the other day on the nature of equality are correct, then equality of opportunity is... Read more
Calling for a “Jeffersonian revolution,” Ralph Nader announced today that he will be running for president as an independent. This will be the third consecutive time Nader seeks the presidency (he ran in 2000 for the Green party and in 2004 as an independent). I think this is a very good thing as it reminds us that the United States is really just a one-party state with two competing factions representing divergent views of the same opulent minority. I hope that after... Read more
It’s been ten years since Pope John Paul II visited Cuba. Many Catholics were outraged: why would he do that? Of course, the reason was simple: has was looking out for the spiritual welfare of Cuba’s faithful, and his presence gave them their much needed spiritual nourishment. A statue of John Paul II has now been made to commemorate the event. What is interesting is that there is talk that Pope Benedict might find his way to Cuba. While he was invited to the country by... Read more
Please pray for the repose of this woman’s soul. Read more
As in many other countries, public education in the United States began at the instigation of churches. For a long time, schooling was openly religious. In the 1820s, in New York and in other states, legislators became concerned that many students were receiving the wrong type of education. It was not that children were going uneducated – in 1821, about 93 percent of New York’s school age youths were already attending private schools. As expressed in legislative debates, the fear... Read more
“It is indeed true that a new moralism exists today. Its key words are justice, peace, and the conservation of creation, and these are words that recall essential moral values, of which we genuinely stand in need. But this moralism remains vague and almost inevitably remains confined to the sphere of party politics, where it is primarily a claimed addressed to others, rather than a personal duty in our own daily life,” Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI), “Reflections on... Read more
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