Friedrich Nietzsche is one of the most misunderstood and confusing philosophers of modernity. A rebel against historicism and Hegelianism, he was nevertheless a radical historicist and Hegelian in his own right. A critic of Christianity (specifically the Catholic version), his own metaphysics and philosophy mirror that of traditional forms of Catholicism. A humanist and anti-nihilist, … Continue reading Nietzsche on the “Death of God”
Theology
Islamic Theology, Philosophy, and Theodicy
Within the context of Western philosophy, Islamic philosophy is generally added to replace “Orthodox” philosophy in the geographic sense. For various reasons I don’t want to get into, students of Western philosophy generally study Islamic philosophy ca. 8th century-Reformation, or at the very least, are given some familiarity with the most important Islamic philosophers during … Continue reading Islamic Theology, Philosophy, and Theodicy
Dialectic in the Hebrew Bible
In philosophy, dialectic means a lot of things to a lot of different people. It is, in its most simple form, the understanding of when two parties engage with one another in an inquiry or conflict that, upon finishing, leads to a closer understanding of the truth. We should avoid applying the Hegelian and Marxist … Continue reading Dialectic in the Hebrew Bible
Augustine on the Sacred and the Secular
Part of St. Augustine of Hippo’s enduring legacy is the supposed dialectic between sacred and profane, between the transcendent and the secular. This emerged from Augustine’s writing of the City of God and the distinction between the city of man and the city of God and the unfolding of the two cities to their respective … Continue reading Augustine on the Sacred and the Secular
Augustine on the Nature of Evil
Although Confessions is long-winded prayer and an autobiography, Confessions is also a work of profound philosophical and psychological importance. The first half of Confessions roughly deals with anthropology, the tension between desire and reason, and the need for reason to order desire to achieve what desire seeks. The second half of Confessions shifts to a more philosophical and theological commentary, which includes Augustine’s … Continue reading Augustine on the Nature of Evil
Typology and Logos in the Gospel of John
The opening prologue of the gospel of St. John is theologically rich, puzzling, and poetic, thereby imbuing it with rich symbolism and imagery. The declaration that “In the beginning was the Word…[and] through him was life, and that life was the light of all humanity. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn. 1:1-5), … Continue reading Typology and Logos in the Gospel of John
Becoming Mortal: The Humanization of Achilles in “The Iliad”
As some might know, I frequently write essays on Homer and his greatest song—The Iliad—and am in process of completing a manuscript on The Iliad as a cosmic love song that laid the foundations for the birth of humanism in Western civilization. “Rage—Goddess—sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles.” Perhaps only the opening lines of … Continue reading Becoming Mortal: The Humanization of Achilles in “The Iliad”
Islam, Islamism, and the Crisis of the Political
Is Islam a political threat? That might depend on where you live. Is there a distinction between Islam and Islamism. Some say yes. Others say no. Naive leftists who are anti-political (in the Schmittian sense) believe the universal ark of fraternity triumphs over the tribalisms of politics. The boisterous liberal right, spearheaded by anti-religious libertarians … Continue reading Islam, Islamism, and the Crisis of the Political
Jean Paul Sartre: Being and Nothingness
Jean Paul Sartre was among the most famous of the modern existentialists and phenomenologists, perhaps second only to Martin Heidegger. Sartre’s great text of fame was his “essay on ontology,” Being and Nothingness. In typical French fashion, the text is weighty, dense, and draws heavily from the history of philosophy, especially Christianity, Bacon, Descartes, Hegel, Husserl, … Continue reading Jean Paul Sartre: Being and Nothingness
Dialectic and the Wisdom of Listening: Reflections on the Book of Job
“You’re not listening.” This simple phrase is one of the most cliché, but poignantly true, sentences concerning human existence. Just a Kohelet stated that there is time for everything under the sun, it is important, then, to know when the time is to speak and when the time is to listen. This is especially true … Continue reading Dialectic and the Wisdom of Listening: Reflections on the Book of Job
