thoughts in and out of season
I’ve started praying the Rosary and already there are issues! It seems to me that the Pope’s new luminous mysteries are less personal and connected than the others. They don’t seem to tell the story from Mary’s viewpoint quite as much. Maybe I’ll stick with the oldies until I hit my stride and then try … More ...
Political tendencies, theological tendencies and ecclesiastical position often seem to go together. Here are some very sketchy — and not particularly spiritual — thoughts:
The relation between Christianity and politics is always going to be unsettled. Christ wasn’t married, didn’t own anything or live anywhere, didn’t join any organizations, turned down worldly power as a temptation of the devil, and believed in giving their due to God and Caesar. In spite of all that he got himself executed as … More ...
I was received into the Church and confirmed this morning at St. Patrick’s in New York.
Only 5 days to go until I am received and confirmed. Naturally, I don’t feel ready for it—it’s not the sort of thing one can feel up to. Still, I can’t imagine doing otherwise.
After I’m received Metanoia will change somewhat. Up to now it’s been thoughts about conversion to Catholicism. After I’m received I’ll … More ...
It is a requirement of human freedom and dignity that Catholic doctrine be understood as true, unchanging and publicly knowable. To the extent doctrine is settled and knowable, to be a Catholic is not to subject oneself to the rule of priests but to live intelligently in the world. Doctrine then plays a part (speaking … More ...
I just made the rounds of the blogs of those who have dropped by and left comments and must say I was impressed by the energy, intelligence and good writing. I especially liked Theist on Augustine and Aquinas and Jeff Culbreath’s discussion of “modernist tendencies”. It’s good to have a standard to live up … More ...
A basic issue for many arguments in favor of Christianity is whether our words and thoughts somehow catch hold of reality. If they do, then the arguments for Christianity start looking very strong. If they don’t, then we’re nowhere in more ways than one.
On the face of it, the issue is silly. If what … More ...
Here are some objections to Christianity that are common today:
“Outside the Church there is no reality.” What could such a statement possibly mean?
It’s hard to view the world we know as real unless it has an intrinsic connection to our thoughts and intentions. If it doesn’t, then we can’t grasp it in thought, and it seems to become an unknowable whatever that somehow … More ...