Tag Archives: original sin

Sifting Through the Ash Heap of History 0 (0)

Petrarch called Rome “a rubbish heap of history.” That’s what Ferdinand Gregorovius says Petrarch wrote in a letter, at any rate. “…Petrarch, who was then in Avignon, wrote on this occasion his patriotic epistle in Latin verses to Aeneas Tolomei … Continue reading

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Marlowe’s Faustus: Chorus, Soliloquies and Film Noir 0 (0)

“Doctor Faustus…” starts with a 194-word soliloquy. Sort of. It’s delivered by Chorus, named last in Marlowe’s “Dramatis Personae.” Ancient Greek tragedies had a chorus, acting like today’s narrators. Again, sort of. Aristotle said that chorus was a character, so … Continue reading

Posted in Discursive Detours, Marlowe's Faustus, Series | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Space Aliens: Perceptions, Assumptions 0 (0)

Throughout the ages, Saints and sages have pondered the big questions. Who are we? What are we? Why are our lives so messed up? Storytellers and movie makers — these groups overlap — also reflect on human nature from time … Continue reading

Posted in Discursive Detours, Exoplanets and Aliens, Series | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Saint, Genesis, Animals, Me and Being Human 0 (0)

Today’s Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time. It’s also Saint Apollonia’s feast day. She’s one of several folks killed in 249, during an Alexandrian effort to stamp out Christian influences. Emperor Decius put imperial clout behind such efforts, … Continue reading

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Joy and Shadow, Free Will and Something Silly 0 (0)

Advent started November 29, a couple Sundays back. It’s my faith’s Christmas warmup. I’ll get back to that. My culture’s Christmas begins after Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Our traditionally-frenzied holiday shopping season does, at any rate. This year’s liturgical Christmas … Continue reading

Posted in Being Catholic, Discursive Detours | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments