Writing this series of columns, using insights from Catholic, existentialist novelist Walker Percy (1916-1990), has been an exceptionally pleasing experience for me.
Arts and Culture
Fr. Robert Lauder is a philosophy professor at St. John’s University and the author of “Pope Francis’ Spirituality and Our Story” (Resurrection Press).
Stories of Faith
The Catholic novelist Walker Percy (1916-1990) first appeared in print writing scholarly essays about the nature of language. However, such essays did not reach a wide audience. Percy believed that he had something important to say and he wanted to reach a wide audience so he turned to writing novels.
Walker Percy, Prophetic Voice
Besides scientism, another subject, perhaps the subject that Percy deals with more than any other is the mystery of the human person. In his six novels and his books of essays, Percy focuses on what it means to be a human person, what it means to be an image of God. Right now I cannot think of a more important topic.
A Pandemic Gift
The experience of the pandemic is an experience that we should never forget and pray that we never have again. Probably for each of us, the experience has been in some way a learning experience. It probably forced all of us to reflect deeply on our lives and our relationships. I have come to believe that all of us are a product of our relationships — our relationships with God and with others.
A Reflection on Life Commitments
I think it was back in the 1960s, or the early ’70s, that I became very interested in the nature of life commitments, the kind of commitments that people make when being baptized, when marrying, when being ordained, or when taking religious vows.
An Ontological Need
I am hoping that what unifies and ties together this series of columns is my attempt to use insights from philosophy to deepen religious faith. It strikes me that the philosophy of Gabriel Marcel can help in this effort.
What Is Holiness?
I have a priest friend who regularly mentions people he thinks are holy. Almost everyone he mentions would not be someone I would think of as an exceptionally holy person.
Interpersonal Relationships
Re-reading Steven Knepper’s essay about existentialist-personalist philosopher Gabriel Marcel in Commonweal (March, 2020), I was reminded that great philosophers frequently transcend the time in which they think and write. Knepper’s essay is entitled “From Problem to Mystery.”
My Favorite Philosopher
Around the middle of March, I received in the mail the issue of America magazine (March 16th, 2020) containing the essay on existentialist philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, which I discussed in the last three columns.
The Faith of an Unbeliever
In the last two columns, motivated by an interesting essay on Kierkegaard in the March 18 issue of the Jesuit weekly America, I commented on the philosophy of the Danish existentialist Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855).