Tertullian was a prominent Latin Church Father of the second and third century, probably a jurisconsult in Rome, and one of the best legal minds in the history of Western Civilization. Among his writings are the earliest and most coherent formulations of legal principles now commonly known as “freedom of conscience” and “consent of the governed”. In more than one ways, these principles are corollaries of Judeo-Christian morality. First, the […]
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Demosthenes: On the Crown
Demosthenes was one of the most popular authors and the most influential orator in the ancient world, if the number of extant manuscripts is any indication, as I noted in a previous post. On the Crown is Demosthenes’ most popular oration, having thirty-two extant manuscripts, by contrast, Cicero’s prosecution speech In Verrem, which launched his remarkable political career, has six extant manuscripts. In his treatises on oratory, Cicero acknowledges Demosthenes […]
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Suffering and Christian Hope: V. Wounds of Glory
The Wounds and Glory of Alexander When the thigh of his father Philip had been pierced by a spear in battle with the Triballians, and Philip, although he escaped with his life, was vexed with his lameness, Alexander said, ‘Be of good cheer, father, and go on your way rejoicing, that at each step you may recall your valour.’… How, then, think you, did he glory in his own wounds, […]
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On the Dignity of the Person: The Paradox of Sacrifice
Disclaimer I recently read a blogpost titled Kierkegaard is wrong in which the author critiques Kierkegaard’s notion of “faith” in Fear and Trembling. In short, he argues that the notion of a God who demands the sacrifice of one’s child by faith is not only absurd, but also immoral. It is a very thoughtful and balanced article. As I’m somewhat of a fan of Kierkegaard, and have pondered the subject, […]
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On the Dignity of the Person: II. A Lesson from Leonard Bernstein
The following is a transcript of Leonard Bernstein’s address to the audience before a performance of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, with soloist Glenn Gould and the New York Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall on April 6, 1962 [1]. I find his speech both remarkable in itself and highly relevant today. Among other things, it demonstrates how people with strong convictions and disagreements can get together and “achieve a unified performance”. […]
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Kierkegaard: The Concept of Anxiety
Reading Kierkegaard without sufficient knowledge of Christian theological tradition and the Western philosophical tradition, Hegel in particular, is like watching a boxing match where one opponent is invisible to the audience: you see the movement of only one boxer, you might appreciate his physique and agility, but you don’t know at all whether his attacks and dodges are effective. I’ve read eight of Kierkegaard’s works, and enjoyed them all, but […]
Read moreOn the Dignity of the Person
I just came across a NPR report that Pope Francis rejects the death penalty on the ground that “it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person”, and is leading the Catholic Church to work for its abolition worldwide.[1] Coincidentally, I recently appealed to “the dignity of the person” in a heated online exchange with a self-professed Christian, who treated me repeatedly with hostility and scorn. I asked, […]
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