Tag Archives: augustine

We Believe in One God (Ancient Christian Doctrines)

Posted on January 26, 2018 by J. B. Aitken

Bray, Gerald. ed. We Believe in One God (Ancient Christian Doctrines). Intervarsity Press, 2009. I think I have found the best primary source intro to the Fathers. The only drawback is the somewhat steep price. Gerald Bray (in this volume) gives a … Continue reading →

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Self-Love and Augustine: Analytical Outline

Posted on October 3, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

This is an outline of Oliver O’Donovan’s The Problem of Self-Love in St Augustine. Thomas Aquinas identified three different froms of self-love: friendly, hostile, neutral. Augustine’s own use of it identifies with the eudaimonist tradition (O’Donovan 2). Four Aspects of … Continue reading →

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Rejoinder to Goldberg/National Review

Posted on May 6, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

I normally despise anything National Review writes, but every now and then they can be very helpful even if very wrong.  In “Denationalizing Politics” Jonah Goldberg notes, Donald Trump almost never uses the language of traditional American conservatism, with its … Continue reading →

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Organic Communities

Posted on April 22, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

I have several goals in this post: Rebut extreme racism Rebut multiculturalism Show that the promoters of (2) secretly believe in (1). Point towards how all races and communities can flourish What does the word racism mean?  Who invented it? … Continue reading →

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Theses on community and politics

Posted on April 1, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

I’ve had these ideas for about 6 years now but felt I should publish them after reading the execrable article from National Review on how white communities should go ahead and die. Neo-Cons, exemplified by National Review, are interested in … Continue reading →

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The felicity of Christian Emperors

Posted on March 26, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

City of God, Book V. But we say that they are happy if they rule justly; if they are not lifted up amid the praises of those who pay them sublime honors, and the obsequiousness of those who salute them … Continue reading →

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Outline of Resurrection Moral Order

Posted on March 22, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

Labour of love a long time in the making. O’Donovan, Oliver.  Resurrection and Moral Order: An Outline for Evangelical Ethics.  Eerdmans, [reprint 1994].                                                                                                                                   Prologue Easter Principle In Christ’s resurrection creation is restored and fulfilment promised; ethics had a foundation (xv). … Continue reading →

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Augustine, Spirit and the Letter

Posted on March 18, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

Initial argument: to respond to Pelagius’s claim that one can live a sinless life. Other topics addressed: justification by free grace, spiritual interpretation, the nature of human willing and choosing. Observations:  There are many important topics in this book, yet … Continue reading →

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Readings in Christian Ethics (O’Donovan list)

Posted on March 12, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

Focusing mainly on more classical and patristic texts.  These are the texts in the O’Donovans’ work.  So, if you wanted to read in the patristic tradition and how earlier Christians engaged in political reflection, this is a good list. Justin … Continue reading →

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An Ethics Bibliography

Posted on March 11, 2016 by J. B. Aitken

With some autobiographical vignettes.  One theologian I have repeatedly came back to over the past ten years is Oliver O’Donovan.  His command of Scripture, Theology, and the Western Philosophical tradition is awe-inspiring. He forms the backdrop of this post.  The … Continue reading →

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