Father | Collector of Old Books | Tutor
Tulsa, OK
Joined July 2023
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Every October I break out Professor M.R. James’ ghost stories. A great way to spend a cold, rainy Fall evening.
J Spencer retweeted
We had a full room tonight at Becoming Catholic!
A special thanks to our guest speaker, Dr. Joey Spencer, for an exciting talk about Angels. @thermopyly
The currently reading stack on my desk keeps growing. Hopefully it will lead to a bountiful harvest.
The weather was glorious this morning. Coffee, a cigar, a cool breeze and An Axe for the Frozen Sea after Mass.
J Spencer retweeted
YES GOD IS GOOD - BUT WHY?
Friends,
In the Euthyphro, Socrates asks: “Is the pious being loved by the gods because it is pious? Or is it pious because it is being loved by the gods?” Known as the "Euthyphro dilemma," this perplexing question is asking whether the gods are adhering to an objective standard of goodness or is whatever is the gods will what is good?
It is transformative question--one that has been brewing since Homer--that shows the distinction between an objective reality where truth is intelligible and may be discovered and a subjective or voluntaristic reality where truth is what the gods declare it to be--a creation of the will.
🏛️Whether reality is objective or subject still rages at the heart of our debates today.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be studying the Euthyphro with some incredible people.
📚On Tuesday (8.26), we'll introduce the dialogue and take up the first definition of piety (5d) with Dr. Grabowski, Thomas Lackey, and me alongside a special guest: Dr. Joey Spencer, a Tutor in Theology, who specializes in angels and demons.
📚On the next Tuesday (9.2), the same group will discuss the second and third definitions of piety and conclude the dialogue. We go deep into Euthyphro, but it is certainly worth the time and effort.
📚On the next Tuesday (9.9), we welcome back Dr. Donald Prudlo, a wonderful theologian, to discuss St. Thomas Aquinas and the Euthyphro dilemma. In short, we'll look at the Euthyphro dilemma as Plato presents it but then ask it of a monotheistic God: Is God good because he adheres to an external standard of goodness? Or is whatever is good called good because God wills it? To wit, what is the Christian response to the Euthyphro dilemma, as both answers seem problematic - a fantastic conversation.
We'll have a substantial guide to the Euthyphro, which should be published by this coming Monday evening.
And then we'll be off to Plato's Apology, which gives Socrates' famous defense (or sorts) at his trial. We'll be joined by Fr. Justin Brophy, a Dominican friar, who has a heart for Plato and the wisdom of his dialogues.
Plato is philosophy.
And it is a joy to read him alongside all of you.
Dcn. Harrison Garlick
“Beauty is the full, clear, and inevitable expression of the inner truth in the external manifestation.” Fr. Romano Guardini, The Spirit of the Liturgy.
J Spencer retweeted
Memorial Mass for Bishop Emeritus Edward J. Slattery
Bishop Emeritus Edward Slattery died on Sept. 13, of last year. The Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma will hold a Memorial Mass commemorating the first anniversary of his death.
The Mass will be celebrated by Bishop David Konderla and will take place at 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 12, at Holy Family Cathedral. A reception will follow.
In Wichita for the weekend for a friend’s son’s wedding which means I had to make a stop at Eighth Day Books. These are the books who wanted a new home on my bookshelves! If you are ever in Wichita, Eighth Day Books is one of the best independent Booksellers in the U.S.A.
Bishop Elliott was not only a great theologian he was also a really nice guy and had a great sense of humor. He visited our diocese to give a few talks once and I had the pleasure of driving him to visit Clear Creek Monastery where he gave a talk to the monks.
This is incredibly disturbing. Dr. Peters was one of the best professors I had in grad school and completely orthodox in everything he taught and did. A great professor and a great man.
This is where I was blessed to be able to do my doctoral work surrounded by prayerful and wise professors, nature, and beauty. Floreat Nashotah!
I love this story!
In his autobiography Blessings, Alec Guinness writes about one occasion when he was he was on location in France. He was playing the role of the local Curé and one evening was walking back to his caravan to change, dressed in the clerical soutane. A small boy came running along beside him and took his hand and in a very natural way began just talking away to him. When he had finished what he had wanted to say he let-go of his hand and ran off towards home. The Actor concluded that a religion which could instil such trust in a child in his relations with a priest – regardless of whether or not he knew him – must be a good thing. Shortly after this he became a Catholic himself.
J Spencer retweeted
Should Christian ministers read Plato?
