Vox Nova At The Library: Icons And The Name of God

Last updated on: March 15, 2012 at 1:10 pm By Henry Karlson

Sergius Bulgakov. Icons and the Name of God. trans. Boris Jakim (Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 2012). Another year and we have more writings from Sergius Bulgakov translated for the English-speaking audience. Here we have two interesting, and somewhat difficult, works: the essay “The Icon and Its Veneration (A Dogmatic Essay)” and “The Name of God,” which is a chapter taken from Bulgakov’s The Philosophy of the Name. These two texts do connect together, so that, even... Read more

Brett Interviews Father James Alison: Part I

Last updated on: May 3, 2017 at 7:02 pm By Brett Salkeld

As some of you are already aware, I was recently granted the privilege of e-interviewing Father James Alison. Father Alison had sent me a very kind note expressing his appreciation for the way in which I (and the readers here at Vox Nova) had handled a post I had written about Father James’ suggestion that Pope Benedict is preparing the way for a change in the Church’s official stance on issues relating to homosexuality. That note turned into an extensive correspondence... Read more

Top-Down Legalism Contradicts The Spirit of Charity

Last updated on: March 13, 2012 at 11:00 am By Henry Karlson

Abba John the Dwarf said, ‘A house is not built by beginning at the top and working down. You must begin with the foundations in order to reach the top.’ They said to him, ‘What does this saying mean?’ He said, ‘The foundation is our neighbour, whom we must win, and that is the place to begin. For all the commandments of Christ depend on this one.’[1] All the commandments of Christ depend upon the command to love. (more…) Read more

US Bishops veering off track

Last updated on: March 13, 2012 at 10:39 am By Morning's Minion

Over the past number of years, the bishops in the United States seem to be veering a little off track. They seem more keen on playing up certain aspects of Catholic teaching and playing down others. They seem to be associating themselves ever more closely with right-wing liberals, turning a increasingly blind eye to their deviati0ns from Catholic teaching. They seem to be more inclined than ever to adopt the all-or-nothing rhetoric associated with a particular corner of American culture. It... Read more

A Church in exile?

Last updated on: March 13, 2012 at 8:15 am By Joshua B

In Ryan Klassen’s recent guest post, he noted that the Mennonite communion is only beginning to take a more active role in society now that it is no longer subject to persecution like it was in the past and that the Catholic Church is likewise only beginning to come to terms with the end of Christendom. I think he is right about that and correct to think we could learn much from each other. To the end of better coming... Read more

Prudence Is The Key

Last updated on: March 12, 2012 at 12:02 pm By Henry Karlson

The Christian life is to be one in which we are free to love others, even sinners. We are going to be around others who do not live like we do, who do not seek to be holy as hopefully we seek to be holy. We are not to constantly berate them for their lack of holiness. We are to show them dignity. We are to respect them as persons. We can, when the time is right, explain, in a... Read more

The Aesthetic Equivalence of U.S. Political Parties

Last updated on: March 11, 2012 at 1:15 pm By Sam Rocha

For several years now, I’ve had an uncanny feeling about the competing political mirror images in national politics. The Republicans and the Democrats look essentially and problematically the same to me. They appear perfectly complimentary to each other, like feuding identical twins. (Elsewhere I’ve called them a “two-headed monster.”) I’ve tried to argue and assert this feeling many times, and in different ways—and I know I am not the first, last, or only one—but I have yet to find satisfaction... Read more

Nova’s Ordo: Third Sunday of Lent

Last updated on: May 3, 2017 at 7:02 pm By Brett Salkeld

Today’s Gospel reading is John 2: 13-25: The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the... Read more

Selfishness, Despite Claims To Justify It, Is Not Virtuous

Last updated on: March 10, 2012 at 12:25 pm By Henry Karlson

We often do things for ourselves and justify it by some sort of “trickle down” theory of goods. If we get what we want, we will be able to help others. If we get what we want, then what we get beyond our desire can be put to use for others. Though this intention can be the foundation for real charity, because it shows someone beginning to think of others, it is not in itself charity. Charity gives of the... Read more

The More Things Change …

Last updated on: March 9, 2012 at 3:23 pm By Mark Gordon

The following excerpt from Dorothy Day’s House of Hospitality was written in 1937/38. This particular scene takes place during a speaking trip Dorothy took to California. Seventy-five years later, things really haven’t changed that much, have they? Yesterday on the bus to San Diego two older men were talking about the President, and loud enough for everyone in the bus to hear. They called him a yellow coward, with the heart of a louse, a maniac on the verge of... Read more