by Daniel S. Trout
In 2 Cor. chapter 4, St. Paul sums up, not only the overarching theme of his epistle, but the basic ethos of the Christian life in this world: “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is [...]
Archive for the ‘Ethics/Law’ Category
…a Christian Pacifist? 4: Refocusing Our Eyes
Posted in Ecclesiology, Ethics/Law on April 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
…a Christian Pacifist? 3: The Scripture-formed Community
Posted in Ecclesiology, Ethics/Law on April 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
by Daniel S. Trout
The essence of genuine theological ethics is that they be unequivocally indebted to the authority of Scripture–its commands, its stories, and its ever-present power to transform the lives of its hearers into a virtuous people, or as some have described it, a “community of character.” The implications of this formation are, [...]
…a Christian Pacifist? 2: The Church and the New Politic
Posted in Culture, Ethics/Law on April 13, 2007 | 4 Comments »
by Daniel S. Trout
This second installment of “What does it mean to be a Christian Pacifist?” could also be titled “Hating the World but Loving the world.” This distinction is crucial because it is precisely the posture one must take if due regard is given to the ethics of the New Testament. While [...]
Maundy Thursday: Extreme Humility
Posted in Ethics/Law, Liturgical Arts on April 5, 2007 | 1 Comment »
by Daniel S. Trout
Today is Maundy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum (the three-day period before Our Lord’s Resurrection) and specifically the feast devoted to remembering Christ’s institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper with his disciples. Much could be said about the significance of this event, as certainly the Church’s communion [...]
What Does it Mean to be a Christian Pacifist? Part 1
Posted in Ethics/Law on March 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
by Daniel S. Trout
The terms “peace” and “pacifism” have been so robbed of their meaning these days that I wonder if people can possibly understand what someone might mean if he claims to be a “Christian pacifist.” To begin with, from a biblical perspective, peace is not (as the world might present it) an [...]
“I” and the “Other”: Levinas and Ontological Violence
Posted in Ethics/Law on January 26, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
by Daniel S. Trout
Is it possible to treat with respect the transcendence of that which is “Other” to myself? The Jewish philosopher Emmanuel Levinas argued that this is precisely the problem overlooked in the history of the ontology-soaked West. Levinas criticized that Western philosophy has been so concerned with both the epistemological and ontological [...]
Hauerwas on Forgiveness
Posted in Ethics/Law on November 14, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
“…as Christians we cannot learn to confess our sins unless we are forgiven. Indeed as has often been stressed, prior to forgiveness we cannot know we are sinners. For it is our tendency to want to be forgivers such that we remain basically in a power relation to those we have forgiven. [...]
Why “Freedom of Religion” is NOT Beneficial for Christians
Posted in Ethics/Law on November 14, 2006 | 1 Comment »
by Daniel Trout
The first amendment right of free religious practice is perhaps the most cherished feature of the Bill of Rights for American Christians, however I wonder if those approving ever consider why freedom of religion is such a good thing for their faith. Those who understand the origin of the first amendment realize [...]
After Election Day: The Proper Christian Response
Posted in Ethics/Law on November 9, 2006 | 1 Comment »
by Daniel Trout
With an imminent shift in congressional power apparent on the U.S. horizon (at least for the present), disenfranchised and frustrated conservative Christians are pondering the causes of this dramatic turn-of-events. Whether or not they themselves might have been personally responsible for the increase in Democratic influence, most of the voters would [...]
Colossians and the Community of Peace
Posted in Ethics/Law on April 14, 2006 | Leave a Comment »
by Daniel S. Trout
I think in chapter 3, verses 13-15, Paul sums up what it means for the Church to be the Church: that it be a community of love and forgiveness. Since we have been united with Christ and have put off the sins and desires of our old nature, the selfishness and hatred [...]
