January 2nd, 2008
A lucid dismantling of Christopher Hitchens’ anti-theist screed, God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, appeared in the summer issue of the The Claremont Review of Books. Written by Atlantic Monthly contributing editor, Ross Douthat, the essay picks apart Hitchens “anecdotal” arguments, and concludes that
the reader will come away unpersuaded of anything save the [...]
November 4th, 2007
“To regret religion is to regret Western civilization” — that’s the thesis of an insightful and eloquent essay by Theodore Dalrymple, a physician and non-believer. He politely takes the “New Atheists” (Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, et. al) to task for their shrill militancy, “bad temper,” and general lack of civility or common decency [...]
September 11th, 2007
The always deeply insightful papal retreat master, Fr. Cantalamessa, has written the best piece I’ve read on Mother Teresa’s “Dark Night of the Soul” as revealed in her newly published letters.
Here’s an excerpt, relevant to the world of Catholic letters:
The world of today knows a new category of people: the atheists in good faith, those [...]
August 6th, 2007
The always interesting Camille Paglia gave the Cornerstone Arts lecture at Colorado College in February 2007, and it has been reprinted online.
Here’s an appetizer:
I would argue that the route to a renaissance of the American ine arts lies through religion. Let me make my premises clear: I am a professed atheist and a pro-choice libertarian [...]
June 27th, 2007
More Harry Potter theories anon, but I simply had to draw your attention to one of the most incisive book reviews I’ve ever read, by Eugene McCarraher, about Christopher Hitchens’ entry in the current anti-religion publishing fad.
Here’s an excerpt, after commenting on Hitchens’ reputation as a brilliant writer and fearless critic:
…as Mark Twain once mused, [...]
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale
Joan of Arc: A Life (Penguin Lives) by Mary Gordon
None
Strive to live content in the midst of those things that cause your discontent. Free your mind from all that troubles you, God will take care of things. You will be unable to make haste in this [choice] without, so to speak, grieving the heart of God, because he sees that you do not honor him sufficiently with holy trust. Trust in him, I beg you, and you will have the fulfillment of what your heart desires.
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Kelly Hatzenbihler on 