A Marriage of Personal Convenience: The Unity of Economic and Social Conservatism

By |2014-12-30T16:55:37-06:00November 20th, 2012|Categories: Bruce Frohnen, Civil Society, Conservatism, Natural Law, Neoconservatism, Social Order|Tags: , |

Over on the First Things blog, Robert George has blessed us, yet again, with the conventional and convenient wisdom of (Catholic) neoconservatism. The post, titled “No Mere Marriage of Convenience: The Unity of Economic and Social Conservatism,” is a sustained argument for just how convenient this marriage of utility and principle really is, and why [...]

Just Beyond Our Grasp: Personal Reflections on Christian Humanism

By |2016-08-03T10:37:23-05:00November 16th, 2012|Categories: Bradley J. Birzer, Christendom, Christian Humanism, Christianity, Christopher Dawson, Conservatism, J.R.R. Tolkien, Natural Law, Russell Kirk, Western Civilization|

Over the last decade and a half, as many readers of TIC have probably noted, I’ve had the blessed opportunity of researching and writing about Russell Kirk (1918-1994), generally agreed upon as the founder of post-war American conservatism. At first, I did this mostly as a hobby, having become intensely interested in Christian Humanism through [...]

Russell Kirk and the Tradition of Natural Rights, 1957

By |2017-06-29T15:45:13-05:00May 21st, 2011|Categories: Conservatism, Natural Law, Russell Kirk|

“From this concept of the dignity of man—dignity which exists only through our relationship with God—there has grown up recognition of what are called “natural rights.” These are the rights which all men and women are entitled to: rights which belong to them simply because they participate in human dignity. There are other rights in [...]

Homosexual Unions v. Incest – What’s the Difference? (Part II)

By |2017-06-26T12:28:21-05:00February 1st, 2011|Categories: Conservatism, Culture, Homosexual Unions, John Creech, Marriage, Natural Law, Politics, Sexuality|

As I mentioned in my previous essay, although we still think incest is wrong, we appear to be reaching the point where we can’t explain why its wrong. We’re in this predicament because, at some point, we began to that think that extra-marital heterosexual sex is morally permissible, and, more recently, that homosexual sex is as [...]

Homosexual Unions v. Incest: What’s the Difference? (Part 1)

By |2017-06-22T15:42:12-05:00January 18th, 2011|Categories: Culture, John Creech, Marriage, Natural Law, Politics|

The short answer: none—that is, if all that’s required for a morally permissible sexual relationship is that it involve: (1) adult partners; (2) who are mentally competent; and (3) who fully consent to the relationship (for good measure, we could even add that the partners have a sufficient emotional bond and that their sexual acts [...]

What is Marriage?: Reply to Objections

By |2017-06-26T12:20:45-05:00December 29th, 2010|Categories: Culture, John Creech, Marriage, Natural Law, Politics|Tags: |

As indicated in my essay last week on Dr. George’s article addressing the “gay marriage” question, following is a summary of his responses to certain objections. My summary of the main thrust of his argument can be found here and the complete text of Dr. George’s article can be found here. Objection I: Some, if [...]

What is Marriage?

By |2017-06-26T11:46:58-05:00December 23rd, 2010|Categories: John Creech, Marriage, Natural Law|Tags: |

Dr. Robert George, professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University, recently weighed in on the “Gay Marriage” debate. In his article, “What is Marriage?,” published in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Dr. George argues that the common good of our society requires that we legally enshrine the traditional view of marriage and that [...]

The Persuasiveness of Natural Law

By |2017-06-19T10:48:41-05:00October 29th, 2010|Categories: John Creech, Natural Law|Tags: |

Robert George This past Wednesday night, Dr. Robert George, McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence and Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideas and Institutions at Princeton University, gave the keynote address at the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston’s annual Red Mass. The Red Mass marks the traditional beginning of the judicial year and affords [...]

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