IGNATIUSINSIGHT.COM ARCHIVES from JULY 2005 to DECEMBER 2005

DECEMBER 2005

• Walking To Heaven Backward | Interview with Father Jonathan Robinson of the Oratory | Carl E. Olson | The author of The Mass and Modernity discusses his new book about the effects of modern thought on the Church's worship.

• The Spanish Inquisition: Fact Versus Fiction | Marvin R. O'Connell | Many of the numerous myths and misunderstandings about the Inquisition are corrected and clarified by a noted historian.

• The Echo of Melos: How Ancient Honor Unmasks Islamic Terror | Dr. Jose Yulo | Ancient Greece holds sobering lessons about how honor is often readily discarded in favor of the heady liquor of political power.

• Homosexual Orientation Is Not a "Gift" | James Hitchcock | Those unhappy with the Vatican's instructions about homosexuality and the priesthood are playing the spin game.

• The Problem of the Rigid Seminarian | Diogenes | Zealous to find seminarians who aren't rigid, seminary gatekeepers are weeding out the positive attribute of tenacity.

• A Theology of Anxiety? | Hans Urs von Balthasar | The renowned Swiss theologian von Balthasar dedicated an book to the topic of anxiety. Here's why.

• Balthasar and Anxiety: Methodological and Phenomenological Considerations | Fr. John Cihak | A professor of fundamental theology considers what can be learned from von Balthasar about anxiety and the modern world.

• Am I a Christian? | Malcolm Muggeridge | In this excerpt from Seeing Through The Eye the famed British journalist reflects his faith in Jesus Christ.

• The Incarnation | Frank Sheed | What does it mean to say that Christ is God-made-man - that is He is truly God and He is truly man?

• "Born of the Virgin Mary" | Paul Claudel

• The Old Testament and the Messianic Hope | Thomas Storck

• Christmas: Sign of Contradiction, Season of Redemption | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

• "Hail, Full of Grace": Mary, the Mother of Believers | Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger

• "Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary" | Hans Urs von Balthasar

• Archbishop Fulton Sheen on Advent and Eternity

• The Hour That Makes My Day | Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

• The God in the Cave | G.K. Chesterton

• Immaculate Mary, Matchless in Grace | John Saward

• "Conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary" | Hans Urs von Balthasar

• What a Homily Should Be: Doctrinal, Liturgical, and Spiritual | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Lip service to the Gospel message is not enough. Zeal can (and must) be rekindled.

• Immaculate Mary, Matchless in Grace | John Saward | As Mother of God, our Lady is without equal, surpassing by far all other created persons, whether angels or men.

• Is Religion Evil? Secularism's Pride and Irrational Prejudice | Carl E. Olson | There is a growing chorus of voices insisting that religion is evil. You could even say it's a religious movement.

• Archbishop Fulton Sheen on Advent and Eternity | Archbishop Fulton Sheen | The great bishop, priest, preacher, and author reflects on the meaning and purpose of Advent.

• Christ, the Priest, and Death to Sin | Blessed Columba Marmion | In this excerpt from Christ, The Ideal of the Priest, the great spiritual writer and monk reflects on the heart of the priesthood.

• A Marian Spirituality of the Eucharist | Rev. Dwight P. Campbell | The purpose of the Holy Eucharist is to transform us so we may become more like Him whom we adore.

• The Eucharistic Vision of Guitmund of Aversa | Rev. Mark G. Vaillancourt | What is the connection between appearances of Christ in the Eucharist and on the first Easter morning?

• The Horrible "H" Word | Mary Beth Bonacci | "If I hear 'Happy Holiday' one more time, I'm going to scream!"

NOVEMBER 2005

• Seducing Minds With the Socratic Method | An Interview with Peter Kreeft | Valerie Schmalz | Socrates meets the world's most influential thinkers, courtesy of the creative and prolific Dr. Kreeft.

• An Hour and a Lifetime with C.S. Lewis: An Interview with Dr. Thomas Howard | Carl E. Olson | The beloved professor and author talks about meeting C.S. Lewis, reading his books, and examining his thought.

• The Presence of Christ in The Lord of the Rings | Peter Kreeft | Although The Lord of the Rings is not an allegory of the Gospels, it contains numerous parallels to them.

• Conspiracy or Communion? A Pastoral Response to The Da Vinci Code | Reverend Stephen F. Brett, S.S.J. | Dan Brown's novel shows that popular culture craves clever puzzles that fit and validate an ideological agenda of sexual libertinism. • Can I Quote You On That? Talking to the Media About Homosexuality and the Priesthood | Mark Brumley | An artistic (but accurate) representation of an actual conversation with a reporter from a major media outlet.

• Teens, Sex, and Real Love | An Interview with Mary Beth Bonacci | Carl E. Olson | For nearly twenty years Bonacci has spoken to teens about love, sex, and faith. Here's what she's learned.

• The Divine Authority of Scripture vs. the "Hermeneutic of Suspicion" | James Hitchcock | Did Vatican II give wholesale approval to modern biblical scholarship and a "demythologizing" approach to Scripure?

• The End Times: The Secret Hidden From the Universe | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | The end times, as they are presented to us, are designed to remind us that we are strangers in the universe.

• U.S. bishops Disagree Over Changes in Liturgy | Mark Brumley | A hot topic at the annual November meeting of the USCCB is the possibility of a new English translation of the Sacred Liturgy.

• Why God is Father and Not Mother | Mark Brumley | Should the allegedly "sexist" language of Divine Fatherhood be replaced with so-called gender-inclusive terms? No - and here's why.

• Charles de Foucauld: From Playboy to Beatified Hermit | Valerie Schmalz | The one-time pudgy French playboy was beatified recently at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

• The Brighter Side of Hell | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Hell is usually either ignored or given a bad name. But rightly understood, it is a positive teaching, even a freeing one.

• St. Therese of Lisieux: Patron Saint of Common Sense | Stephen Sparrow | For Therese, spiritual doubts were not stumbling blocks; she used them as stepping-stones.

• The "Vatican" Endorses "Darwin"? The MSM Gets It Wrong Once Again | Mark Brumley | A Cardinal makes some remarks about science and faith and suddenly Darwin is a saint? What's going on

• Are God's Ways Fair? | Ralph Martin | "Modern man" protests that a God who would allow people to be damned is unfair. Perhaps he protests too much.

• Paganism and the Conversion of C.S. Lewis | Clotilde Morhan | The author of The Chronicles of Narnia abandoned Christianity in his teens. Here's how he regained faith in his thirties.

• The Truth About Conscience | John F. Kippley | The author of Sex and the Marriage Covenant clears up misconceptions and falsehoods about the conscience.

• Happy Thanksgiving from IgnatiusInsight.com! | Assorted Authors | A selection of thoughts and prayers from some Ignatius Press books and authors about thanksgiving and gratitude.

Two New Articles from Homiletic & Pastoral Review:
• Unscientific Medicine: A Thomistic Analysis | Dr. Kevin G. Rickert
• The Resurrection of Jesus: Our Eucatastrophe | Rev. James Flint, O.S.B.

OCTOBER 2005

• "God's Little Trojan Horse on Crutches": Raymond Arroyo on Mother Angelica | Valerie Schmalz | The host of EWTN's "The World Over" talks about his biography of "a Nun" and her "Network of Miracles." • The Right Man for the Job? The Nomination of Samuel Alito | Valerie Schmalz | If Judge Samuel Alito is confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, the dominant judicial philosphy of the nation's highest court will probably shift.

• Dialogue Is Never Enough | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Dialogue is meant to arrive at a conclusion by seeking truth. All too often it doesn't.

• The Inequalities of Equality, or All Things Being Equal, Not Everything Can Be Equal | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Talk of "equality" can quickly become slippery, ambiguous, and even dangerous.

• What To Look for in Nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court? | Valerie Schmalz | Constitutional scholar Robert George believes Catholics shouldn't be focused in getting Catholics or even pro-life justices on the U.S. Supreme Court. Here's why.

• Protect Our Daughters: Support Proposition 73 | Valerie Schmalz | California's Parents' Right to Know initiative would reduce under-age abortions by 25%.

• Will This Catholic Senator Be the Next President? An Interview with Senator Sam Brownback | Valerie Schmalz | The Republican Senator from Kansas discusses politics, policies, and his decision to become a Catholic.

• Encountering Christ in the Gospel | Excerpts from Cardinal Christoph Schonborn's My Jesus | Cardinal Christoph Schonborn | The Archbishop of Vienna offers challenging reflections on Sunday readings from the Gospel of Matthew.

• Designed Beauty and Evolutionary Theory | Thomas Dubay, S.M. | Contrary to the impression given by the popular media, the problems with gradualism in evolution are scientific.

• Thin, Dark, Foreboding, and Happy... | Valerie Schmalz | A National Catholic Register "InPerson" interview with Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J.

• Doctor, Convert, and Mystic: The Life and Work of Adrienne von Speyr | Hans Urs von Balthasar | She was a doctor, wife, convert, author and one of the greatest mystics of the past century.

• Liturgy, Catechesis, and Conversion | Barbara Morgan | Authentic catechesis is prophetic, passing on the Word of the Lord, total and complete.

• There's More to Prayer Than "Saying Our Prayers" | Mary Beth Bonacci | A warm, loving environment can teach us a lot about a warm, loving God.

• The Liturgy Lived: The Divinization of Man | Jean Corbon, O.P. | Through the living liturgy man is transformed, filled with the Holy Spirit, and partakes of God's divine life.

• The Church Is the Goal of All Things | Christoph Cardinal Schönborn | "The world was created for the sake of the Church", said the early Christians. What did they mean?

• How Not To Share Your Faith With a Mormon | Mark Brumley | Catholics and Mormons usually talk past one another in religious discussions. Here's an example...

• The Blessed Sacrament is Truly Emmanuel | Regis Scanlon, O.F.M. Cap. | When our tongues touch the Host, we come into bodily contact with a living physical divine Person and Being.

• Is A Total Ban on Homosexual Priests Workable? | Mark Brumley | Some say that a ban of homosexuals from the priesthood is impossible. Are they right?

• The Cardinal, Intelligent Design, and Evolution | Carl E. Olson | Cardinal Schoeborn comments on evolution. The media reports. Confusion ensues.

• Eucharistic Adoration: Reviving An Ancient Tradition | Valerie Schmalz | Spending regular time before the Blessed Sacrament is making a comeback in American parishes.

• Courting Disaster? Why Many Conservatives Think That Someone So Right Could Be So Wrong | Valerie Schmalz | Criticism of the nomination of Harriet Miers has come from many sides. Will she make it to the U.S. Supreme Court?

• Do Boys Need Dads? | Valerie Schmalz | A conversation with Maggie Gallagher, President of the Institute for Marriage and Public Policy

SEPTEMBER 2005

• The Powers of Fantastic Fiction | An exclusive interview with acclaimed novelist (and Catholic) Tim Powers.

• Bishop Asks People to Pray for Pro-Abort Politicians | Valerie Schmalz | An exclusive interview with Bishop Michael A. Saltarelli, Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware.

• Are We In the "Days of Chastisement"? | Sandra Miesel and Juanita Coulson | Was Hurricane Katrina an act of God's wrath? • Ordeal By Ideology: The Grilling of Judge Roberts | James Hitchcock | The recent hearings in the Senate revealed a lot - about the critics of Judge Roberts.

• Is "Under God" Going Under? The Fight Over the Pledge of Allegiance | Valerie Schmalz | Atheists and judges are trying to destroy the Pledge of Allegiance. Will they succeed?

• God, Man, and Money, or How to Succeed in Business Without Going to Hell | Michael Novak | How should Catholics handle wealth and think about capitalism?

• Tuning In To The Truth: The Growing Witness of Catholic Radio | Valerie Schmalz | The story of the slow but steady growth of Catholicism on the airwaves.

• Entering Marriage with Eyes Wide Open | Edward Peters | Why do many marriages end by being annulled? A canon lawyer explains.

• Introduction to Church and State in Early Christianity | Hugo Rahner, S.J. | A church historian examines the Church and State relationship during early Christianity.

• Understanding The Hierarchy of Truths | Douglas Bushman, S.T.L. | Does the "hierarcy of truths" mean some truths are negotiable? No, it means they have an ordered relationship.

• On Praise and Celebration | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Catholicism is a religion whose essence directly concerns praise and celebration.

• Has the Reformation Ended? | Carl E. Olson | An interview with Evangelical historian and author Dr. Mark Noll.

• Our Triune God | Rev. John Navone, S.J. | We should spend more time contemplating the Trinity. Here's why.

• Hearing and Living The Truth | Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers | How do you react when the truth makes you uncomfortable?

• Eugenio Zolli's Path to Rome | Stephen Sparrow | The remarkable story of how the chief Rabbi of Rome became a Catholic.

AUGUST 2005

Three-part interview with Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.:
• On Learning and Education | Part 1 of 3
• On Writing and Reading | Part 2 of 3
• Chesterton, Sports, and Politics | Part 3 of 3

• Hot Water and Fresh Air: On Chesterton and His Foes | Janet E. Smith | Chesterton "devastated and lacerated his opponents," but "in a gentlemanly English way..."

• Sacred Blood, Sacred Image: An interview with Janice Bennett about the Sudarium of Oviedo | Did the Sudarium cover the face of Jesus in the tomb? Is it connected to the Shroud of Turin?

• The Life of the Mind: An interview with cultural critic Roger Kimball | Carl E. Olson | A noted author contemplates culture, the arts, deconstructionism, and the necessity of religion.

• A Good Writer is Hard to Find | Ronald Webber | Flannery O'Connor's violent and darkly comic stories flowed from a deep and intense faith.

• Four Priests of the Word | Anne Husted Burleigh | A profile of four men of the cloth who have inspired a new Catholic literary revival.

• Interview with Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted of Phoenix, Arizona | Valerie Schmalz | The new bishop of Phoenix has been controversial for all of the right reasons.

• Making Sense of Disasters | Fr. James V Shall, S.J. | What can we think and do in the face of apparently senseless death and destruction?

• Priestly Vocations in America: A Look At the Numbers | Jeff Ziegler | A thorough statistical look at the state of priestly vocations in the United States.

• Misgivings About Mary | Dr. James Hitchcock | An historian provides helpful context and suggestions to aid ecumenical discussion about Mary.

• Genesis 1: The Most Noteworthy Chapter in the Bible? | Reverend Stanley L. Jaki, O.S.B. | A theologian and physicist contends that Genesis 1 is "the most newsworthy chapter in the Bible."

• Approaching the Sacred Scriptures | Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch | A concise and helpful guide to reading the Bible and approaching Jesus, the Word of God.

• A Religion the New York Times Can Love | Donna Steichen | A once prominent Catholic theologian now travels the world promoting his syncretist cause. Here's his story.

• The Counter-Reformation: Ignatius and the Jesuits | Fr. Charles P. Connor | The story of Ignatius of Loyola and the Society of Jesus.

• Satan and Saints: Taking the Prince of Darkness Seriously | Carl E. Olson | Is Satan real? Yes. Does the Church say so? Yes. So why do many Catholics deny Satan's existence?

• The Eucharist: Source and Summit of Christian Spirituality | Mark Brumley | Here's why we need to better understand the Eucharist's role in Christian spirituality.

• Some Atrocities are Worse than Others | Mary Beth Bonacci | If you really want to talk about atrocities, you need to talk about the abomination of abortion.

• Martyrs and Suicide Bombers | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Terrorists are not martyrs, no matter how their defenders try to say they are.

• Cells and Souls: Is OAR an Acceptable Cloning Technique for Pro-Lifers? | Vivian W. Dudro | Should we be concerned some pro-life theologians are endorsing Oocyte Assisted Reprogamming?

• Can Your Daughter Get An Abortion Without You Knowing? The Battle Over California's Proposition 73 | Valerie Schmalz | How parents are fighting NARAL, Planned Parenthood, and the ACLU to regain their rights.

• Fighting for a Healthcare Culture of Life: An Interview with Mike O'Dea, founder of Christus Medicus Foundation | Valerie Schmalz | The founder of Christus Medicus Foundation discussees faith-based healthcare.

• Embryonic Stem Cell Research - What Happens Next? | Valerie Schmalz | A summary of where things stand with stem cell and cloning legislation.

JULY 2005

• Papal Authority in von Balthasar's Ecclesiology | Raymond Cleaveland | How von Balthasar brilliantly defended papal authority from "progressives" and radicals.

• St. John Vianney's Pastoral Plan | Fr. John Cihak
The Cure of Ars ministry provided a timeless fundamental blueprint for a pastoral plan.

• A Short Introduction to Atheism | Carl E. Olson | What do you know about what John Paul II called"the striking phenomenon of our time"?

• Mary in Feminist Theology: Mother of God or Domesticated Goddess? | Fr. Manfred Hauke | Radical feminists don't like Mary. radical feminists, the Mother of God. Here's why.

• A Short Guide to Ancient Heresies | Kenneth Whitehead | A pithy guide to the many heresies faced by the early Church - and which still appear today.

• The Hour That Makes My Day | Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen | Sheen offers a beautiful and inspiring explanation of the importance of Eucharistic Adoration.

• Chesterton and the Delight of Truth | James V. Schall, S.J. | Chesterton had the unique ability to see truth and to delight in it. So can you.

• Does Pro-Life Cloning Exist? The Debate Rages On | Valerie Schmalz | The possible consequences of potential cloning and stem cell legislation.

• Interview with Bob Casey, Jr. | Valerie Schmalz | Bob Casey, Jr., (D), discusses his senatorial campaign, life issues, and Sen. Rick Santorum (R).

• The Supreme Court's Penumbra of Politics | Dr. James Hitchcock | Politics have radically changed perceptions of the Supreme Court and how it operates today.

• Wars Without Violence? | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J. | Nearly everyone wants a world without war. But can we always avoid war and is war always morally wrong?

• Does Pro-Life Cloning Exist? The Debate Rages On | Valerie Schmalz. In this feature article, Valerie Schmalz examines the key questions, the pressing issues, and the possible consequences of potential cloning and stem cell legislation. A companion piece, "Cloning and Stem Cell Bills Set To Be Up For Senate Debate," outlines the specific pieces of legislation being considered and debated. And "Cloning and Stem Cells: Definitions of Key Terms" is a pithy guide to the often bewildering array of terms and phrases used in discussing these issues.

• The Gospel According to Joel | Carl E. Olson | What to make of the controversy surrounding neo-televangelist Joel Osteen?

• The Myth of the Gay Gene | Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco

• The One War, The Real War | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

• The Disciple Contemplates the Mother | Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis | An excerpt from The Way of the Disciple.

• Catholicism: Simply Complex or Complicated Simplicity? | Fr. James V. Schall, S.J.

• The History and Purpose of Apologetics | An Interview with Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. | Carl E. Olson | An interview with the acclaimed theologian and author of A History of Apologetics.

• Foreword to A History of Apologetics | Timothy George

• A Short Introduction to Atheism | Carl E. Olson

• The Source of Certitude | Epilogue to Faith and Certitude | Thomas Dubay, S.M.

• Evangelization 101: A Short Guide to Sharing the Gospel | Carl E. Olson