Let the Interpretation Commence
Now that Pope Francis’ much awaited encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, is out, we have the chore not only of assessing the document but also its reception. (I’d also like to know how many...
View ArticleBeen There, Done That
Pope Francis’ debt to Calvinism: Laudato Si’ will restate what previous popes have said on environmental destruction and its impact on the poor, but as an encyclical, the church’s highest teaching...
View ArticleWindow Shut?
When asked about the need for the Second Vatican Council, John XXIII said, “I want to throw open the windows of the Church so that we can see out and the people can see in.” So how can it be that the...
View ArticleEven Romans Wasn’t That Long
Boniface once again shows why he is a much more important read than Bryan and the Jasons. This time he explains why a papal letter has to be 187 pages (!!!!) long: Modern encyclicals are a curious...
View ArticlePlaying By An Old Playbook
I’ve already indicated that Protestants were making theological arguments for protecting the environment well before Laudato Si. But noooooo. No one gives us credit because we only capitulated to...
View ArticleUnencumbered by W-w
Noah Millman is not merely on one roll, he’s on four. See below. But his writing on contemporary events leads me again to ponder whether Christians are limited (dumber?) when it comes to non-spiritual...
View ArticleSpotting the Difference between Piety and Snark
Old Life regular, vd, t, offered this advice for how to respond to climate change: —Plug in your clocks only when you absolutely have to know what time it is. If you need the alarm, get up five minutes...
View ArticleYou Know What Would Really Be Audacious?
So the papal visit to the United States has even more people reaching above their pay grades, trying to interpret that the chief interpreter is really up to. Is Pope Francis a lefty, is he a...
View ArticleThe Way to Curb Greed
Invite the pope to visit your city: Even as hundreds of thousands of people thronged the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on Sunday for Mass with Pope Francis, his weekend visit to Philadelphia apparently...
View ArticleSaving the World
One light show at a time. In case you missed it, the Vatican celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (yesterday) with a light show: A mixture of fascination, curiosity and consternation is...
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