Our latest writing is now published on Substack. Follow our weekly content there at https://thinkingwest.substack.com/ We continue to highlight the great minds and ideas that built the West through in-depth articles on history, culture, literature, and the Great Books. We’d love for you to subscribe over there!
Category Archives: Christianity
How Christianity Civilized the Dark Ages
Many contemporary narratives cast the so-called “Dark Ages” as a period defined by intellectual stagnation and cultural regression, frequently attributing these trends to the influence of Christianity. Critics argue that the Church’s pervasive power stifled innovation and suppressed alternative modes of thought. However, a closer examination of the historical context reveals that the Church emergedContinue reading “How Christianity Civilized the Dark Ages”
The Great Tree of Western Civilization
By chance I was recently introduced to the ideas of Oswald Spengler – a German intellectual of the early 20th century whose claim to fame is the two-volume work The Decline of the West. The essential idea of Spengler is that civilizations may be described similarly to organisms, which either thrive, survive, or stagnate andContinue reading “The Great Tree of Western Civilization”
A Crash Course in Western Church Architecture
I recently posted about the need to return to traditional church architecture. In this post, I’d like to explain exactly what is traditional church architecture in the West, using a cathedral to illustrate each aspect. The design of a traditional cathedral is theologically based and instructive in the Faith. Though beautiful, its construction is notContinue reading “A Crash Course in Western Church Architecture”
The Capacity for Good of an Ordinary Man
Mother Teresa, M.L.K. Jr., and Gandhi stand out as a few of the most influential conduits of charity to the 20th century world. Though not perfect, such philanthropic leaders, whether bringing material or spiritual or ethical goods to many people, are recognized by general consensus to have brought an outsized proportion of good to theContinue reading “The Capacity for Good of an Ordinary Man”
Cathedral Building for Dummies: The Need for Traditional Churches
The towering spires, intricate masonry, and ornate stained-glass windows of a gothic cathedral attest to the vast sums of money and human labor required to construct it. The sheer opulence of such a building reflects a bygone society obsessed with power, authority, and beauty. The smallest details were painstakingly etched into stone, wood, and glass despiteContinue reading “Cathedral Building for Dummies: The Need for Traditional Churches”
The Aim of Technology from a Christian Perspective
Have you ever asked why create new technologies? Every year, companies and governments around the globe spend billions of dollars on the research and development of new technologies. The most common answer to the question will invariably be “technology makes life easier”, and it does that very well in most cases. However, is ease aContinue reading “The Aim of Technology from a Christian Perspective”
[Video] Christianity in the Lord of the Rings: Creation, Lembas, and Beyond
Middle Earth is full of characters exhibiting Christian symbolism through their words, actions, and relationships, as covered in Parts I, II, and III of this series on Christianity in The Lord of the Rings. However, the Christian symbolism extends beyond characters to include objects and places. Already, the Ring was covered in Part III dueContinue reading “[Video] Christianity in the Lord of the Rings: Creation, Lembas, and Beyond”
[Video] Christianity in the Lord of the Rings: The Bad Guys
In this part 3 of a series on Christianity in the Lord of the Rings, I cover the subject of Evil in Middle Earth, including Sauron, the Ring Wraiths, orcs, Saruman, and Gollum. Of course, no symbolic video on the Lord of the Rings would be complete without a breakdown of the symbolism behind theContinue reading “[Video] Christianity in the Lord of the Rings: The Bad Guys”
The Earworm that Rocked the Early Church
The manipulative power of music is well known to those who have a financial interest in persuasion. Popular jingles like “I’m Lovin’ It” and “Gimme a Break” have been used to sell billions of dollars worth of product through their simple, unforgettable melodies that stay with us whenever we’re deciding where to eat or whatContinue reading “The Earworm that Rocked the Early Church “