Michael Bowen of the Gutless Pacifist has been posting some thoughts on Orwell on his blog A Minority of One. Here he quotes Orwell’s well-known argument that pacifism is “objectively pro-fascist”: Pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help that of the…

In comments to this post, “Joshie” (who is much better read theologically than I am) criticized (rightly, I think) any doctrine of vocation that would encourage us “to stay in our little corners of the world and ‘do our thing.’” Part of the problem is that I don’t think I adequately presented Forde’s position, which…

Hugo Schwyzer on moving towards veganism as part of a consistent ethic of life. Jim Henley on why he’s still a libertarian: What I come back to everytime is that I am viscerally anti-bully and government still seems like the biggest bully around. I don’t believe government is inherently a force for good. I do…

GO EAGLES!! UPDATE: Dammit…

Here’s another nugget from Fr. Jape on “practicing the discipline of place”: It is the idea that to suffer one’s place and one’s people in the particularity of its and their needs is the only true basis for finding love, friendship, and an authentic, meaningful life. This is nothing less than the key to the…

Maybe you’d like to revive the ancient practice of abstaining from meat during Lent (a practice still observed by many Orthodox Christians, who, as I understand it, also fast from eggs and dairy making them virtual vegans!). If so, check out this site.

So, I noticed among the much-discussed Time magazine list of the “25 Most Influential Evangelicals” is Brian McLaren who, it appears, is the founder/guru/grand poobah of something called the “Emerging (emergent?) church.” Can somebody fill me in on what this is all about? From what I’ve been able to glean, it seems to be made…

The New Pantagruel 3.1 is up and, as usual, it offers a feast of meaty articles from a variety of perspectives. I haven’t has a chance to dig in yet, but this article on the resurrection of Caelum et Terra looks good, as does this piece by Michael Baxter on the notion of “one nation…

Is suffering redemptive? There is certainly no rule to say it is. If there were, it would only be a new law, a new way. We are not promised, however, a life free from suffering for the time being. Indeed, we are led to expect that anyone who sets out on a journey of faith…

Via Hugo I found a link to Home, Throne & Altar, the blog of John, a conservative, royalist, pentecostal-holiness New Zealander! (Ain’t the blog-world grand? (N.B. I refuse to employ the barbaric neologism “blogosphere.” Trying saying that out loud and see how dumb it sounds.)) Anyhoo, John has a post on abortion and how he…