I grew up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s in a non-religious (even anti-religious) family and it was nothing like the priestly terror state of the official narrative now. It was certainly a poorer place but it was a kind and gentle little country. You could believe and say what you wanted without getting destroyed or even imprisoned. Very different now
I grew up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s in a non-religious (even anti-religious) family and it was nothing like the priestly terror state of the official narrative now. It was certainly a poorer place but it was a kind and gentle little country. You could believe and say what you wanted without getting destroyed or even imprisoned. Very different now
Kat L
1 year ago
After seeing the result of millions of single women rearing their unplanned children on western society at large, think I’ll give this one a hard pass.
Kat L
1 year ago
After seeing the result of millions of single women rearing their unplanned children on western society at large, think I’ll give this one a hard pass.
J Bryant
1 year ago
A very fine essay. I’ll look for the book in the local library. “Rather, the receding “sea of faith” that Matthew Arnold lamented as early as 1851 has left a homeless feeling filled with nostalgia, thwarted idealism, and unfocused goodwill.”
We read so much about the God-shaped hole in society these days, and how progressives have created a pseudo-religion to fill it, but I wonder if the above quotation might be a more generous way of describing their (largely subconscious?) motivations.
I’m convinced that those who endorse a God-shaped hole (the GK Chesterton-quoters, for instance) simply lack imagination. Those who pursue pseudo-religions are equally lacking, and the quotation you cite is a very useful attempt to move the debate forward in a positive manner.
You might be disappointed, if you are familiar with the situation the book describes. If I like a book I pass it on to family or friends; that book went straight into the Save the Children Booksale box.
I don’t feel that moving on from the Catholic Church needs to lead to nostalgia, thwarted idealism or unfocused goodwill. If you want the world to be better then you need to make it better, which you can do by volunteering, donating and contributing in other ways – you can focus your goodwill into practical good works. As for nostalgia, be realistic about the past – the best of it was fellowship & community, which can be found in other places, or with fellow ‘survivors’.
The quote is about Arnold’s “liberal” Christianity that he sees receding in front of Conservative evangelicalism. Ironic how conservatives that have never read Arnold use it as a reference to the decline of Conservative Christianity.
I don’t think that’s accurate. The source poem, “Dover Beach”, expresses a societal and personal loss of faith brought on in large part by the contemporary increase in scientific knowledge and the schools of cold rationalism that were correlated with that increase. Arnold laments a (seemingly) godless universe, not any particular branch of Christianity. Here are the concluding lines:
“[…] for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.”
I don’t think that’s accurate. The source poem, “Dover Beach”, expresses a societal and personal loss of faith brought on in large part by the contemporary increase in scientific knowledge and the schools of cold rationalism that were correlated with that increase. Arnold laments a (seemingly) godless universe, not any particular branch of Christianity. Here are the concluding lines:
“[…] for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.”
I’m convinced that those who endorse a God-shaped hole (the GK Chesterton-quoters, for instance) simply lack imagination. Those who pursue pseudo-religions are equally lacking, and the quotation you cite is a very useful attempt to move the debate forward in a positive manner.
You might be disappointed, if you are familiar with the situation the book describes. If I like a book I pass it on to family or friends; that book went straight into the Save the Children Booksale box.
I don’t feel that moving on from the Catholic Church needs to lead to nostalgia, thwarted idealism or unfocused goodwill. If you want the world to be better then you need to make it better, which you can do by volunteering, donating and contributing in other ways – you can focus your goodwill into practical good works. As for nostalgia, be realistic about the past – the best of it was fellowship & community, which can be found in other places, or with fellow ‘survivors’.
The quote is about Arnold’s “liberal” Christianity that he sees receding in front of Conservative evangelicalism. Ironic how conservatives that have never read Arnold use it as a reference to the decline of Conservative Christianity.
J Bryant
1 year ago
A very fine essay. I’ll look for the book in the local library. “Rather, the receding “sea of faith” that Matthew Arnold lamented as early as 1851 has left a homeless feeling filled with nostalgia, thwarted idealism, and unfocused goodwill.”
We read so much about the God-shaped hole in society these days, and how progressives have created a pseudo-religion to fill it, but I wonder if the above quotation might be a more generous way of describing their (largely subconscious?) motivations.
Cindy Carroll
1 year ago
Why is the painting that illustrates this article not attributed? The painting is Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Why is the painting that illustrates this article not attributed? The painting is Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
Miriam Uí Riagáin
1 year ago
My sister just recommended this book to me at the weekend – so I will definitely read it this Christmas. Claire Keegan’s Foster forms the basis of the film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ (the Quiet Girl), which is also winning all kinds of prizes.
Miriam Uí Riagáin
1 year ago
My sister just recommended this book to me at the weekend – so I will definitely read it this Christmas. Claire Keegan’s Foster forms the basis of the film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ (the Quiet Girl), which is also winning all kinds of prizes.
I grew up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s in a non-religious (even anti-religious) family and it was nothing like the priestly terror state of the official narrative now. It was certainly a poorer place but it was a kind and gentle little country. You could believe and say what you wanted without getting destroyed or even imprisoned. Very different now
I agree!
Agreed
I agree!
Agreed
I grew up in Ireland in the 70s and 80s in a non-religious (even anti-religious) family and it was nothing like the priestly terror state of the official narrative now. It was certainly a poorer place but it was a kind and gentle little country. You could believe and say what you wanted without getting destroyed or even imprisoned. Very different now
After seeing the result of millions of single women rearing their unplanned children on western society at large, think I’ll give this one a hard pass.
After seeing the result of millions of single women rearing their unplanned children on western society at large, think I’ll give this one a hard pass.
A very fine essay. I’ll look for the book in the local library.
“Rather, the receding “sea of faith” that Matthew Arnold lamented as early as 1851 has left a homeless feeling filled with nostalgia, thwarted idealism, and unfocused goodwill.”
We read so much about the God-shaped hole in society these days, and how progressives have created a pseudo-religion to fill it, but I wonder if the above quotation might be a more generous way of describing their (largely subconscious?) motivations.
I’m convinced that those who endorse a God-shaped hole (the GK Chesterton-quoters, for instance) simply lack imagination. Those who pursue pseudo-religions are equally lacking, and the quotation you cite is a very useful attempt to move the debate forward in a positive manner.
You might be disappointed, if you are familiar with the situation the book describes. If I like a book I pass it on to family or friends; that book went straight into the Save the Children Booksale box.
I don’t feel that moving on from the Catholic Church needs to lead to nostalgia, thwarted idealism or unfocused goodwill. If you want the world to be better then you need to make it better, which you can do by volunteering, donating and contributing in other ways – you can focus your goodwill into practical good works. As for nostalgia, be realistic about the past – the best of it was fellowship & community, which can be found in other places, or with fellow ‘survivors’.
Well said. I agree with you and upticked you.
Well said. I agree with you and upticked you.
The quote is about Arnold’s “liberal” Christianity that he sees receding in front of Conservative evangelicalism. Ironic how conservatives that have never read Arnold use it as a reference to the decline of Conservative Christianity.
I don’t think that’s accurate. The source poem, “Dover Beach”, expresses a societal and personal loss of faith brought on in large part by the contemporary increase in scientific knowledge and the schools of cold rationalism that were correlated with that increase. Arnold laments a (seemingly) godless universe, not any particular branch of Christianity. Here are the concluding lines:
“[…] for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.”
What sort of faith do those lines express?
I don’t think that’s accurate. The source poem, “Dover Beach”, expresses a societal and personal loss of faith brought on in large part by the contemporary increase in scientific knowledge and the schools of cold rationalism that were correlated with that increase. Arnold laments a (seemingly) godless universe, not any particular branch of Christianity. Here are the concluding lines:
“[…] for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.”
What sort of faith do those lines express?
I’m convinced that those who endorse a God-shaped hole (the GK Chesterton-quoters, for instance) simply lack imagination. Those who pursue pseudo-religions are equally lacking, and the quotation you cite is a very useful attempt to move the debate forward in a positive manner.
You might be disappointed, if you are familiar with the situation the book describes. If I like a book I pass it on to family or friends; that book went straight into the Save the Children Booksale box.
I don’t feel that moving on from the Catholic Church needs to lead to nostalgia, thwarted idealism or unfocused goodwill. If you want the world to be better then you need to make it better, which you can do by volunteering, donating and contributing in other ways – you can focus your goodwill into practical good works. As for nostalgia, be realistic about the past – the best of it was fellowship & community, which can be found in other places, or with fellow ‘survivors’.
The quote is about Arnold’s “liberal” Christianity that he sees receding in front of Conservative evangelicalism. Ironic how conservatives that have never read Arnold use it as a reference to the decline of Conservative Christianity.
A very fine essay. I’ll look for the book in the local library.
“Rather, the receding “sea of faith” that Matthew Arnold lamented as early as 1851 has left a homeless feeling filled with nostalgia, thwarted idealism, and unfocused goodwill.”
We read so much about the God-shaped hole in society these days, and how progressives have created a pseudo-religion to fill it, but I wonder if the above quotation might be a more generous way of describing their (largely subconscious?) motivations.
Why is the painting that illustrates this article not attributed? The painting is Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
it’s attributed – top right corner
it’s attributed – top right corner
Why is the painting that illustrates this article not attributed? The painting is Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
My sister just recommended this book to me at the weekend – so I will definitely read it this Christmas. Claire Keegan’s Foster forms the basis of the film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ (the Quiet Girl), which is also winning all kinds of prizes.
My sister just recommended this book to me at the weekend – so I will definitely read it this Christmas. Claire Keegan’s Foster forms the basis of the film ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ (the Quiet Girl), which is also winning all kinds of prizes.