When I was in college, I took a year-long survey course in art history. We began with a deep dive into Greek and Roman art, and then lingered long and hard on the cathedrals of Europe, particularly the Gothic variety. … Continue reading →
It’s such a familiar story. After acts of terrorism (or even non-terrorist mass shootings) we hear one of two refrains: he (or she, but it’s almost always a “he”) was a quiet and regular guy and no one saw it … Continue reading →
Recently something reminded me of a book I had first read back in the 1980s, one I would recommend to everyone. It’s called Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust, and it’s quite different from most Holocaust literature: An important work of … Continue reading →
Georgetown is a Jesuit school trying to atone for an episode in its past: In an effort to acknowledge its ties to slavery, Georgetown University will offer the descendants of nearly 300 slaves preferential treatment in its admissions process. In … Continue reading →
Leo Tolstoy lived from 1828 to 1910, and was probably just as famous for his political and religious/social beliefs as he was for his writing (maybe even more so). Tolstoy was a Titan of energy and creativity who later in … Continue reading →
I’ve had many an argument—um, discussion—with my son on the topic of artificial intelligence. How far can it go? Could it ever include consciousness? Suffice to say we have not answered the question. Nor have scientists, although there is no … Continue reading →
Worth reading: Though the internecine conflicts wracking the Arab world ensure the war against the Islamic State is hardly a war on Islam, the jihadis are bent on a clash of civilizations. And by martyring French Catholics who are Old … Continue reading →
[NOTE: This is a very big topic, and I’m pressed for time at the moment so I’ll only scratch the surface.] Earlier today, commenter “Fred” made the following statement: The problem with religions is not the text in holy books … Continue reading →
The latest atrocity committed by ISIS followers/admirers/members in France had an overtly religious target: Francois Hollande says France is at war with ISIS after two Islamist knifemen butchered a French priest and left a nun fighting for her life before … Continue reading →
I recently came across an interesting book entitled Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know–And Doesn’t, written by religion professor Stephen Prothero. The subject matter is the lack of education in the US about religious history worldwide, and what … Continue reading →
In the aftermath of the Bastille Day terrorist attack in Nice, some in the press seem to be emphasizing the fact that the perpetrator probably was not trained directly by ISIS, and had had marital troubles and reportedly been depressed. … Continue reading →
It’s a terrible and repetitive story, this time occurring in the predominantly Muslim country of Bangladesh: Islamic terrorists, perhaps allied with ISIS, attack a restaurant. In this case they took the patrons hostage (after possibly killing some in the initial … Continue reading →