It may seem odd to relaunch Evangel with a post on the subject in the title, but ever since graduate school I have been exploring the complex relationship between Reformed and Roman Catholic social and political theories. Evangelicals should take note that, if last year marked the 500th birthday of Calvin, this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Pope Leo XIII. To celebrate the occasion, Benedict XVI will be visiting his birthplace early next month. Leo had a huge impact on the development of Catholic philosophy and social teachings during the 20th century, drawing on the writings of Thomas Aquinas and articulating a principle that would come to be known as subsidiarity. Lest one think it a peculiarly Catholic concept, some observers have argued that subsidiarity’s decentralizing principle was anticipated a century earlier in the tenth amendment to the US Constitution.
Speaking of which, the following definition appeared in a recent undergraduate paper: “Subsidiarity . . . teaches that tasks should be performed by the slowest community possible.”
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
