Category Archives: from Paul

Paul’s posts.

The State of the Arts: Historian Paul Johnson Weighs In

The historian Paul Johnson has written on just about every subject, with wisdom, perspective, and passion. His latest book, Art.A New History is no exception. While his conclusion focuses on the fine/fashion arts, one may substitute any art – theater, film, music, dance – and find some truth concerning the current situation: The most worrying aspect …

March 23, 2013 – 7:53 am | By Paul | Posted in Art, Books, from Paul, History, Quotations, Theater | Comments (0)

John Steinbeck Goes to Church

 Penguin Classics commemorated the 50th anniversary of Steinbeck’s Nobel Prize (1962) with a new edition of his best-loved works, including Travels with Charley. In Search of America: “At age fifty-eight, John Steinbeck and his poodle, Charley, embarked on a journey across America. This chronicle of their trip meanders from small towns to growing cities to glorious …

March 10, 2013 – 3:27 pm | By Paul | Posted in Books, from Paul, Quotations, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (0)

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL. A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back

My review:   “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”  - Hamlet (1.5.166-7)

March 10, 2013 – 7:21 am | By Paul | Posted in Books, from Paul, Quotations, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology | Comments (0)

A CAROL FOR CLEVELAND: A Christmas Classic

Having been involved in several myself, I can attest to that fact that nothing is more exhilarating or harrowing than the production of a new play. Without a track record, all involved proceed on a wing and a prayer, with faith in great hopes and detailed plans. To produce a new play at Christmas time …

December 24, 2012 – 2:32 pm | By Paul | Posted in from Paul, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theater, Theology, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

BASEBALL AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

October is when baseball winds down and football starts up. George Carlin’s classic routine “BASEBALL, FOOTBALL, AND HOW WE HAVE CHANGED” comes to mind. In fact, baseball has caused many people to philosophize, including A. Bartlett Giamatti, the former President of Yale University and, more importantly, the former Commissioner of Major League Baseball. Mr. Giamatti …

October 2, 2012 – 4:25 am | By Paul | Posted in Current Events, from Paul, Sports, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

EAST OF EDEN (1955): Life without God

 ”I can’t believe your fickleness – how easily you have turned traitor to him who called you by the grace of Christ by embracing a variant message!  It is not a minor variation, you know; it is completely other, an alien message, a no-message, a lie about God.” St Paul, Letter to the Galatians[i] Even …

September 25, 2012 – 3:50 am | By Paul | Posted in Books, from Paul, Men and Women, Movies, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (0)

MARGARET (2011): Life without Law

Margaret isn’t a character in Kenneth Lonergan’s Margaret (2011). Lisa is the name of the main character in this film. Margaret characterizes Lisa by contrasting the Margaret of Gerald Manley Hopkins’ poem “Spring and Fall” (1880) to the film’s Lisa. Lisa is a student at a posh New York private school. In her English class …

September 18, 2012 – 4:16 am | By Paul | Posted in from Paul, Movies, Poetry, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (1)

HOSTAGE: STORYTELLER AND RESCUE

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in instructing catechumens, wrote: “The dragon sits by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.” No matter what form the dragon may take, it is of this mysterious …

September 7, 2012 – 5:32 am | By Paul | Posted in Books, from Paul, History, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology, World Affairs | Comments (0)

Voting in Two Kingdoms

It’s the time of the year when Christians ponder how to “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” The gospel writer Mark adds “And they marveled at him.” Marveled, indeed. Because Jesus provides no details, where, the adage has it, the devil resides.  Nothing about voting, since …

August 31, 2012 – 6:46 am | By Paul | Posted in Current Events, from Paul, History, Politics, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (0)

ARE YOU ALIGNED?

Clearly righteousness is important to God: “The LORD will repay each man for his righteousness and his faithfulness.” 1 Samuel 26:23 “You love righteousness and hate wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.” Psalm 47: 7 “Righteousness delivers from death.” Proverbs 11: 4 Jesus underscored the …

August 17, 2012 – 7:26 am | By Paul | Posted in from Paul, The Gospel of the Kingdom, Theology | Comments (0)