Cannato, Field of Compassion

Cannato, Judy. Field of Compassion: How the New Cosmology Is Transforming Spiritual Life. (Notre Dame, IN: Sorin Books, 2010).

When people set out to engage with science from a faith perspective, they often do so at the level of propositions or at the level of methodology. Very rarely, however, does one find what Cannato has attempted in Field of Compassion, namely an attempt to mesh faith and science at their most essential levels. It really is a very laudable goal. Sadly, I think it is one that fails miserably due to Cannato taking an approach which, rather than extending a hand of friendship to science, offers it instead a metaphorical slap in the face. Not only does she choose to make appeal to some very dubious scientific theorems, she does so in a most unscientific way.

What’s the Bible Even For?

Roland Boer makes an interesting comment on the irrelevance of the Bible in Western society with particular reference to the Netherlands. I find interesting his remark that Bible reading occurs only amongst a small minority, and their interests can at best be described as individualistic and pietistic to the  exclusion of concerns regarding political influence or societal reform. Boer is, I think, about right—although I predict an outpouring of objection from those who think the US Bible belt is to be taken as normative for World Christianity;

Where Necessary Use Words…

There’s an adage attributed to St. Francis of Assisi which runs “Preach the Gospel at all times, where necessary use words.” [1] Quite a few times I have heard this cited as though it meant words are never necessary, that all we need to do is “preach” the Gospel by our actions. Which draws an inevitable reaction from those who appreciate the fundamental importance of propositional truth and therefore of a clear articulation of the message of the Gospel. It’s as if people have in mind a choice between either living as a Christian or proclaiming the message of the Gospel, but never doing both together.

Put so starkly, I think most people will recognize a false dichotomy at play. We know, even if only in our guts, that the Christian life and the Christian message just can’t be torn apart in that sort of way. In a recent interview musician David Bazan articulated the connection between life and message perhaps as well as anyone I have ever encountered.  That he did so “from the outside” makes his remarks all the more poignant.