Aaron Crofut > Recent Status Updates

I read a couple of pages, mostly because the book was physically in front of me. Now I’m elbow deep in it, as one does with Chesterton. Not a “history” per se, but something better. I have to wonder if Churchill read this.

The Frankish empire is about to go to pot. The flicker of civilization returning in the West is just barely hanging on. I might need to find a good book on the Byzantines after this, but they frankly sound crazy most of the time.

Working my way through the Hymns on the Nativity. The first four are simply amazing. The fourth one in particular mediates upon the nature of the day itself, how it has this past (much longer now) and future, both of which far outstrip our own lives. Anyone who has a liturgical understanding of time will appreciate it. I mean to find my books of his hymns after this.

Started with his Hymns against Julian, as probably the most topical and time bound. Shades of St Augustine, which is to be expected. His first hymn on the Nativity is simply beautiful. I had to listen to a hymn of his in the original language, and while I couldn’t find this specific hymn, the one I found was fascinating. Definitely unlike the Latin hymns I know, but still powerful.

A small read; half the book is an introduction, and half of the remainder is in Greek! Fascinating read, though. St. Maximus was making an appearance in the History of the Popes book I have been reading, so took this opportunity to double up on him. Not disappointed.

Finished the story of St. Martin. One can only wonder what he would think of most modern prelates. Pope Martin took on the wrath of the Emperor rather than drop the issue of one will/two wills in Christ. Ends up imprisoned and banished to Kherson (as in Ukraine), where he dies. What many of us would do to have such a Pope again, rather than siding with the indifferent "let's not discuss differences" inanity.

It hadn’t dawned on me that Gregory and Mohammed were contemporaries. Unfortunately, a 20 year period after Gregory’s death is a historical black hole concerning the Popes. The Muslims rise out of the desert dust just as the Patriarch in Constantinople is making claims to being the Universal Patriarch, and his support is instantly blasted away by the new power. Hard not to see Providence in that.

The Amazon copy I bought helpfully omitted page numbers. In any event, St. Gregory the Great has passed. A fascinating and greatly underrated historical figure. Mann does a good job explaining the situation the world found itself in Gregory’s time; it was rough one. Surprised by how far afield Gregory’s mind reached, even in temporal affairs. Established the temporal role as a vacuum existed in a era of crisis.

A wild ride. Men of genius (and other characteristics) fly by. Wrapping one's head around the history of the Church is a very different experience than comprehending, say, the United States. I have Horace Mann's first two volumes sitting on my shelf, will be happy to move back into the realm of physical media rather than reading on a screen. A testament to this book that I'm still enjoying it despite being digital

Reading two books on a screen is frustrating me, so I grabbed almost the first thing I saw. Some profound points (in particular concerning the origin of the Apostles' Creed as a baptismal response, and hence individual, whereas the Nicene Creed is very much a statement of a group of bishops, and hence a collective statement). The importance of "hearing" faith; not a philosophy one works out by oneself.

The Schism is brought to an end by a Pope doing the right thing at personal cost, not by a revolution in the Church's structure and governance; indeed, the Council's goals of putting a Council at the head created yet more confusion and a third bloody pope. On to Book II and Martin V.

The great evil of the Western Schism; probably the reason I'm reading this. What an unfathomable mess. That the Catholic Church survived this is a miracle. Good men and women on both sides.

The Western Schism; heart breaking hardheadedness of Urban. St. Catherine of Siena is one of those saints I need to read somewhat soon.

Very readable. The financial scandals of the time were obviously moral in nature, but also structural, as the court lost its income from Rome itself. The new methods were wildly unpopular and stoked considerable national hatred. A whole host of scribblers began appearing who embody the French Revolution some four hundred years before the fact. The Avignon Papacy has left a scar on our world to this day.

Fascinating book. The corruption and the sanctity, side by side. Interesting focus on the political and economic factors pushing the corruption. Definitely not the standard "all was bad" narrative, even if it was a catastrophe.

Speed reading, but it's literally Volume 1 of 40! Won't finish it any other way. Fortunately, it's quite good so far, focusing on the beginning of the Renaissance and the position of the Church to pagan learning (as in Greeks and Romans). They took the reasonable approach of take the truth you can find, avoid the error.

Bishop Sheen's commentary on the woman caught in adultery is spot on. Christ could forgive because He could judge, being the one without sin. But He will only forgive those seeking forgiveness. There's a great danger in seeking salvation in casting stones at others, but also in believing there is no sin at all.

Finished the five books of Moses. The blessings and curses at the end are interesting; if God is Goodness, Life, Truth, what could exist except curses for whomever left that? And if anyone follows the Truth, the Life, what else could there be but blessings?

My Lenten read. A beautiful book focusing on Christ, His time on Earth and His purpose.

Halfway through Cur Deus Homo. A fascinating work attempting to show the means of salvation through Christ is not only logical, but really the only way salvation could be achieved.

On The Incarnation: important text about the nature of Christ and how it reflects upon the nature of the Trinity. "For one who understands the Son's incarnation believes that the Son assumed a human being into the unity of his person and not unity the unity of his substance." In the Trinity, multiple persons in one substance; in the Incarnation, multiple natures in one person. Those distinctions really matter.