Ecclesia et Civitas

The Church and Social Programs

October 16, 2012 James Kalb 0

A couple of months ago I noted that the Church generally supports and cooperates with political authorities. She interprets their efforts charitably, supports whatever can be justified, and, when some particular measure is undeniably bad, […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

The State and the Sacred

September 17, 2012 James Kalb 0

Every functional society is based on a system of common understandings about man, the world, and the common good. Otherwise those who take part in it won’t be able to cooperate effectively in the network […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

Equality and Catholicism

August 7, 2012 James Kalb 0

America has taken freedom and equality as her highest political goals, and her most basic problems have to do with that commitment and how it should be interpreted. Recent events have focused attention on changing […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

The Left, the Right, and Catholicism

July 9, 2012 James Kalb 0

Catholicism sees freedom as directed toward the good life, and fills in the details with its understanding of God and man. Liberalism likes to avoid big issues like God, man, and the good, because they […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

In the Middle of the Journey

June 14, 2012 James Kalb 0

The Church favors peace, and her basic concern—leading men to God—is not specifically political. For that reason, her approach to politics has generally been irenic. She urges the faithful to obey the law, respect the […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

Liberalism, Catholicism, and the Good

May 8, 2012 James Kalb 0

Many people today find it obvious that what’s good is getting what we want, justice is getting it equally, and social justice is an overall system that promotes those goals in every setting. If you […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

God and Liberal Modernity

March 7, 2012 James Kalb 1

“How were we able to drink up the sea? Who gave us the sponge to wipe away the entire horizon? What did we do when we unchained the earth from its sun?” — Friedrich Nietzsche […]

Ecclesia et Civitas

The tyranny of misunderstood freedom

February 14, 2012 James Kalb 0

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” — John 8:32. “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the […]