Thursday, March 23, 2006
On the Benedictine Article...
I've had some serious doubts about Pope Benedict for a long time. Though I am not Catholic, and really know quite little about the Catholic church, some of the high profile policies that the media has been tearing apart has made me incredibly cautious and sceptical about his papacy. I won't go so far now to say that all of my fears have been displaced by sheer hope, but an article he wrote for First Things really changed my view on him, his politics, and his policies as a whole.
For another Kingism (thats 2 in one day!), Benedict is da bomb, dawg!
His article begins by explaining what Europe is beyond the arbitrary geographical divide between Asia and Africa that it is today. Benedict breaks down what exactly formed the concept of Europe, and how it exists today. He points mainly to the establishment of the Roman Empire, it's conversion to Christianity, and the divide that began with the center of the Holy Roman Empire moving to Constantinople. He then examines how the Latins, Greeks, Slavics, Germanics, and Britains began this noble experiment in Europe, and how though their cultural identities may differ greatly, they share some common bonds. But this is all a fantastic history lesson that anyone probably could have synthesized by reading a Wikipedia article about it.
The greatness comes with his discussion of what many herald to be the dying throes of Europe. I share Benedicts view that Europe is certainly in a bad state of affairs right now, but Europe can be saved. Europe's ailments stem from a loss in faith, secularism, technology, newly introduced cultures, and self loathing.
Here's where the most interesting part of the article forms: Benedict's suggestions to cure Europe. To sum it up, the way to fix Europe is to ensure human rights, fix the family and marriage, and bring religion back into the picture. It seems like a pretty good idea to me.
¶ 6:17 PM
For another Kingism (thats 2 in one day!), Benedict is da bomb, dawg!
His article begins by explaining what Europe is beyond the arbitrary geographical divide between Asia and Africa that it is today. Benedict breaks down what exactly formed the concept of Europe, and how it exists today. He points mainly to the establishment of the Roman Empire, it's conversion to Christianity, and the divide that began with the center of the Holy Roman Empire moving to Constantinople. He then examines how the Latins, Greeks, Slavics, Germanics, and Britains began this noble experiment in Europe, and how though their cultural identities may differ greatly, they share some common bonds. But this is all a fantastic history lesson that anyone probably could have synthesized by reading a Wikipedia article about it.
The greatness comes with his discussion of what many herald to be the dying throes of Europe. I share Benedicts view that Europe is certainly in a bad state of affairs right now, but Europe can be saved. Europe's ailments stem from a loss in faith, secularism, technology, newly introduced cultures, and self loathing.
Here's where the most interesting part of the article forms: Benedict's suggestions to cure Europe. To sum it up, the way to fix Europe is to ensure human rights, fix the family and marriage, and bring religion back into the picture. It seems like a pretty good idea to me.
¶ 6:17 PM
