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On the Square Today

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Leroy Huizenga on the Bulverism of same-sex marriage supporters : The problem with making consent the sole criterion of the Good is that it’s merely a social convention. “Consent” is an idea forged in the wake of the widespread death of metaphysics and it thus lacks any ultimate . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

George Weigel on the Church and the unions : The defense of nascent trade unionism in late-nineteenth-century America is a bright chapter in the history of the Catholic Church in the United States. When a nervous Vatican was prepared to write off trade unions as the kind of “secret . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Elizabeth Scalia on evangelization and tolerance : There is a video going around the internet—it seems to arrive in my email box every other day from another Catholic offering it as evidence of Americans antipathy toward the church. In the video, which was taken in early August, some . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

R.R. Reno on the Virgin Mary’s spiritual lessons :  When affirming the Blessed Virgin’s immaculate conception, a Catholic is not in any way denying Mary’s humanity, nor is he covertly turning her into a goddess of some sort. Instead, the dogma simply applies the saving merits . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Peter J. Leithart on preachers needing to be men of God : Once upon a time, preachers could grab attention because everyone believed they had something to say that everyone needed to hear. With sin and Satan abroad in the land, Puritan preachers and their congregants were convinced that only their . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Russell E. Saltzman ponders the question of why God creates : “What was God doing before creation?” is another stumper but here there are some answers—of a sort. Augustine flat declared it was impossible even to ask inasmuch as there never will be an answer, so there. I like . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

George Weigel on five great motets : The Church’s liturgy has inspired great choral music for centuries. Unfortunately, that part of Catholicism’s cultural memory has been somewhat misplaced in recent years. One reason why is the widespread misapprehension among liturgists that . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

James R. Rogers on N.T. Wright’s How God Became King : Theologian N.T. Wright’s most recent book,  How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels , squarely takes on this implication of American Evangelicalism’s “premillennial” theology. Yet as Wright relates . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

William Doino Jr. on the modern films and the enamel of our souls : During the height of the  Sopranos ’ appeal, it was amazing to see how many practicing Catholics were addicted to the series—notwithstanding its ultraviolent, sexually degrading content—discussing each . . . . Continue Reading »

On the Square Today

From First Thoughts

Wesley J. Smith on the Obama administration’s attempt to strip entrepreneurs of religious liberty : But a closer look at the government’s brief shows that it isn’t the act of incorporating that supposedly strips business owners of religious liberties in the marketplace, but . . . . Continue Reading »