My latest blog post over at National Catholic Register reminds readers that historically, Islam was viewed not so much as a major world religion in its own right, but as a Christian schism. The ninth ditch of Maleboge in Dante’s Inferno holds the schismatics. In his usual vividly appropriate imagery, Dante portrays the torture of the schismatics as [...]
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One of the things which secular Westerners find so mind blowing about Islamic terrorist attacks is the irrationality of the evil. We cannot understand a religion that drives young men to such mindless barbarism. We don't have the tools in our toolbox. We simply cannot understand their culture, their mentality, their religion or their reasoning. In [...]
Why are the so-called Christian countries so spineless in the face of the Muslim terror? Because for over fifty years we have gradually come to value goodness without truth. What I mean by this is that we have become complacent about our Christian faith. We have drifted into either lax unbelief, hedonistic agnosticism and finally outright [...]
Today's first post at The Suburban Hermit is a meditation on the meaning and beauty of the monastic cloister. From the outside the monastery is imposing like a fortress. The walls rise up and the windows are small. When you enter the feel at first is like a great old school or university. It is perhaps [...]
Catholic Apologetics? My latest article for Aleteia outlines some of the basic principles of apologetics. Some Catholics get apoplectic about apologetics. They argue with atheists and pick fights with Protestants. They not only need to win, they want to bash the enemy. Valiant warriors for Catholic truth, they shout down the unbelievers and [...]
Stephen Beale writes here on the solid stance of the African bishops at the recent synod on the family. In an excellent article he chronicles the youth, strength and vigorous orthodoxy of the African bishops in contrast to the aging, moribund and weary progressivism of the Kasperite-Daneels coalition. On the whole, the some 54 African bishops [...]
The Suburban Hermit is my new blog dedicated to monastic spirituality, book reviews, poetry, prayer and inspiration. Today at Suburban Hermit: On the Ordering of Time and Place - a selection of quotes from monastic wisdom on the properly ordered life Reverse Thunder - George Herbert's beautiful poem Prayer Read Old Books - The first of [...]
Oxborough Hall Last Summer I served as chaplain for a pilgrimage to England. My friend Joseph Pearce had invited me to visit the sites of the English martyrs and Catholic literary figures. At first I was unenthusiastic. I could think of better things to do than tromp around English ruins with a group of [...]
The Basilica of St John Lateran On this feast of the dedication of St John Lateran, my latest blog post for National Catholic Register asks if there is a God given plan for church buildings In the Scriptures we are called to be temples of the Holy Spirit, all of us are living stones [...]