Category: Uncategorized

Here is an interview with Rene Girard.  The interview itself is not fantastic, but perhaps it might turn some people on to Girard.  I think he is among the most profound of living thinkers, and would highly recommend his work (he has been extremely influential in literary criticism, particularly his insight on the mimetic quality of desire).  I have written a few papers on Girard, if there is interest I could present one sometime to the Philosophy Club.

‘God on Trial’ will air this Sunday on PBS (I think at 8pm, listed under ‘Masterpiece Collections’ in tv guides) – it sounds like a provocative and interesting exploration of the problem of evil (set in Auschwitz, a handful of prisoners put God on trial).  First Things gives it a great review here.  Judging from the First Things review, it seems the show explores the problem/mystery of suffering in the right way in at least one sense – no one (atheist or believer) should feel comfortable after watching it.

What more could you want?

It is All Saints Day today, and I’ve been reading Ratzinger/Benedict this week and came upon this interesting remark about apologetics:

“The only really effective apologia for Christianity comes down to two arguments, namely, the saints the Church has produced, and the art which has grown in her womb. Better witness is borne to the Lord by the splendor of holiness and art which have arisen in the community of believers than by the clever excuses which apologetics has come up with to justify the dark sides which, sadly, are so frequent in the Church’s human history.” —  
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), from The Ratzinger Report

We run back into the same old issue – teleology, teleology, teleology (both art and saints disclose what we might be, what we ought to strive for).  I think Ratzinger might be right, these telic significations are most powerfully met and felt in art and in the encounter with morally and spiritually excellent people (saints).