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On Burning Books

Burning the Koran is stupid, offensive, and generally wicked.It is easy to show that burning the Koran is stupid for a Christian to do. You might think a woman’s beloved husband unworthy, but burning his picture is a bad opening move. You certainly will get her attention, but not her . . . . Continue Reading »

Chestertonian Fighting Words

“I’ve just never liked G.K. Chesterton,” quips Austin Bramwell, “which, among the conservative Christians with whom I sometimes (though, as an Episcopalian, not often) travel, is almost enough to make me a Bad Person.” No almost about it, Austin—that makes you very . . . . Continue Reading »

Simple Catholics & Simple Physicists

Today in “On the Square” we offer two articles, R. R. Reno’s regular column and physicist and editorial board member Stephen M. Barr’s response to Stephen Hawking’s belief that the universe could come into being without God. In Progressive Catholicism’s . . . . Continue Reading »

Faith is Thinking

Our provocation of the day comes from the late, great British preacher Martyn Lloyd-Jones : Faith according to our Lord’s teaching in this paragraph, is primarily thinking; and the whole trouble with a man of little faith is that he does not think. He allows circumstances to bludgeon him. . . . . . . Continue Reading »

Random APSA Observations

1. I don’t have the time today for the Darwinian natural right post. 2. The anticipated big showdown between David Walsh and Ralph Hancock didn’t really happen at the Sunday panel. But fear not, they are continuing the argument in a future issue of PPS. What they both say in some way is . . . . Continue Reading »

Why Should Christians Read Fiction and Poetry?

Peter Leithart explains what Christians gain from reading fiction and poetry: For Christians, the question at a certain level answers itself. We read because we are people of the book, the people of Moses, David, Nehemiah, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Matthew, Paul, and John. We read because in reading we . . . . Continue Reading »

The Church and Tolerance

A friend sends this quote from Father Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange , O.P.: The Church is intolerant in principle because she believes; she is tolerant in practice because she loves. The enemies of the Church are tolerant in principle because they do not believe; they are intolerant in practice . . . . Continue Reading »

Magical versus Miraculous Thinking

Or, Living Supernaturally Without Being a WizardWhat is a poor Muggle to do?Muggles lack magic, J.K. Rowling tells me, and there is no doubt I am a muggle. My students are Muggles too, but worst of all instead of Dumbledore in class, they get me. Sometimes I get on the elevator in my two-story . . . . Continue Reading »

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