Garry Wills
I've been a bit of a fan of Garry Wills since I read his "Meant" books on Christianity, and I see he has come out with an autobiography. Honestly, I doubt I'll be catching it, but I will keep this paragraph from a good book review:
I was surprised to read Wills’s avowal of being a churchgoer who’d believe in the Catholic Church even if God didn’t exist. In this respect he reminds me of a character from Brian Moore’s 1972 novel Catholics, the abbot of an Irish monastery who stalwartly defends the passionate traditionalism of his monks and holds the mass in Latin. The abbot vigorously prefers his monks to the post-Vatican II Church that, in his view, has capitulated to secularism-even though he himself doesn’t believe in God.
Okay, some might blanch at that. Why not keep God and forget the Church? Though, it should be known that he has also made a name for himself as a strong critic of the Church. Maybe it is more meaningful to think of wanting to keep the faith, even if their is no God and no heaven.
(Source: Michael McDonald for New Criterion)
_ _ _
In the clear light of morning, I can see why one would want to give primacy to the church, even if the leadership is straying, because what is most real is the people and our interrelationships. It is understandable that I would overlook that. Solipsistic faith would be a dubious virtue.
_ _ _
June 11, 2011
Sully gives us a post that gets at this more human-centered notion of faith:
“God is just what happens when humanity is connected; humanity connected is God.”
-- Jim Gilliam
Of course, this is what the more egalitarian-minded atheists will say too, but I still wonder if the effect may be better if we are talking about people who are earnest in their faith. Though, it is true you can have people who are earnest in their faith and who are far from egalitarian.
I suppose the main point I come away with is that if you struggle with faith, you need not feel horribly cheated, because the sense of community you enjoy with fellow-believers is not nothing.
Neverthemore, this still leaves me in a sore position, because I obviously don't have others. For me, faith may have no more to offer than a wistful hope for a better kingdom to come.
I was surprised to read Wills’s avowal of being a churchgoer who’d believe in the Catholic Church even if God didn’t exist. In this respect he reminds me of a character from Brian Moore’s 1972 novel Catholics, the abbot of an Irish monastery who stalwartly defends the passionate traditionalism of his monks and holds the mass in Latin. The abbot vigorously prefers his monks to the post-Vatican II Church that, in his view, has capitulated to secularism-even though he himself doesn’t believe in God.
Okay, some might blanch at that. Why not keep God and forget the Church? Though, it should be known that he has also made a name for himself as a strong critic of the Church. Maybe it is more meaningful to think of wanting to keep the faith, even if their is no God and no heaven.
(Source: Michael McDonald for New Criterion)
_ _ _
In the clear light of morning, I can see why one would want to give primacy to the church, even if the leadership is straying, because what is most real is the people and our interrelationships. It is understandable that I would overlook that. Solipsistic faith would be a dubious virtue.
_ _ _
June 11, 2011
Sully gives us a post that gets at this more human-centered notion of faith:
“God is just what happens when humanity is connected; humanity connected is God.”
-- Jim Gilliam
Of course, this is what the more egalitarian-minded atheists will say too, but I still wonder if the effect may be better if we are talking about people who are earnest in their faith. Though, it is true you can have people who are earnest in their faith and who are far from egalitarian.
I suppose the main point I come away with is that if you struggle with faith, you need not feel horribly cheated, because the sense of community you enjoy with fellow-believers is not nothing.
Neverthemore, this still leaves me in a sore position, because I obviously don't have others. For me, faith may have no more to offer than a wistful hope for a better kingdom to come.