"Fides quaerens Intellectum' which is Latin for "faith seeking understanding " was the tem used by Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033 -1109) to convey the duality of his (Christian) faith and reason (classical Greek philosophic traditions) and express the priority of the primary and the necessity of the latter in their marriage. St Anselm was arguing that it was good for and not antithetical to your Faith (what you believe without proof) to seek to better understand that Faith through the use of reason (an explanation or justification).
Now that you are thoroughly confused, let me make a political analogy and apologize to serious scholars for my invoking of Anselm of Canterbery to make a crude political statement regarding our current affairs.
With the victory of Barak Obama to the office of President and the great success of the democrats in congress and at the state level, the Republican Party is collectively wondering: what next?
Posted by: Will McCabe in Untagged on
Oct 29, 2008
At the beginning of every semester, Dr. Frank M. Sorrentino, a professor of history and political science at Saint Francis college in Brooklyn Heights would make a simple prediction: "Something will happen this semester" he would say.
"Something", of course always did happen whether it were sexual indiscretions of the presidential sort, high profile Supreme Court decisions or the attacks of 9/11. These real time events would become classroom fodder to help better understand the political systems or political history that were the semester's subjects of study. It was not an ominous prophecy so much as a statement of almost certain fact. Some thing would happen on the world or national stage that would allow the class to view the study of politics though the prism of current events. It was an effective technique in understanding the world as it develops.
This approach to understanding politics is forward facing. Unfortunately we do not look at our own political decisions as voters in the same light.
Posted by: Will McCabe in Untagged on
Oct 22, 2008
The last time I flew with the "Wild Geese" was earlier this year in New Hampshire during the Presidential Primary. Expenses were not covered and to save funds I rode to Boston on a "Chinese Bus" from downtown NYC for $15 and transferred to a New England based bus line to Concord N.H., McCain headquarters, for another 12 bucks. Add in my $2 subway fair from Brooklyn and I was able to deploy for under $30. Contrary to popular belief republican volunteers do not ride to campaign events in stretch limousines lined with champagne and caviar. It's not like we have DNC type cash on hand.
Posted by: Will McCabe in Untagged on
Oct 15, 2008
As he gazed out his passenger train window at the burning crosses that scattered the landscape in the moonlit countryside on his long ride west (clearly signs of his unwelcome), Al Smith could not help but be amazed at the hypocrisy before him. He remarked to an aide that the idea of a burning cross was a foolish oxymoron. The year was 1928 and New York Governor, Alfred Emanuel Smith was heading that night deep through the American wilderness to the Democratic National Convention being held in Texas.
That year was the first time a presumptive nominee of either major political party was of the Catholic faith. Aside from the vitriolic anti-Catholicism Al Smith faced, he also suffered from an anti-urban bias that was unfairly placed on him by an ignorant and prejudiced Midwestern electorate. He was also often referred to as speaking with the "Whisky Breath" a slur that acknowledged not only his raspy accent and his Northeastern roots but his noncommittal political opposition to prohibition (a wet).
The Herd: Have Your Say
