The Theology Pugcast

A proposal has been circulated among global elites and it goes by the name, ‘The Great Reset’. The values undergirding it are the standard cant—‘inclusion’, ‘fairness’, ‘equality’. It also includes promises of debt forgiveness and universal basic income. Alarmingly, the people behind it are some of the wealthiest and influential in the world. And wouldn’t you know it, their plan just so happens to include the abolition of property and the investiture of power in a global authority of some kind. Today on the Pug the guys grumble and bark back in defense of property rights as the most basic of human rights

This week Tom introduces the topic about our intellectual appetites in relation to classical Christian insight. He looks into the virtue of proper studiousness as part of our intellectual vocation and its sinful distortion by the vice of curiosity. Glenn and Chris bring in plenty of additional insight and reflective comments to move the topic along.

Glenn and the guys share thoughts on the liturgical year and the ways that holidays and sacraments guide us both in remembering the past and finding our place in God’s story.

In today's show Chris presents a book review published in First Things. The title of the review is "Postconstitutional America" and the book being reviewed is "The Stakes: America at the Point of No Return" by Michael Anton. The review can serve as an introduction to Leo Stauss and his followers, particularly the west coast Straussians of the Claremont Institute. These thinkers contend that America is experiencing a crisis of two constitutions--the original constitution of 1787 and what has been overlaid on it--the unwritten progressive constitution of expertise. These two constitutions emerge from two different philosophies and understandings of history and the nature of freedom and rights. If you've listened to the show before, you know that the Pugsters had plenty to grumble about--especially about the rise of the cult of expertise.

As Christians dwell in societies given over to nihilism, and as they encounter nihilism’s dreadful impact on institutions that once propped classical intellectual, spiritual, and moral virtues, they are left with limited options in preserving and protecting those virtues which sustain creaturely flourishing and aim towards their fulfillment in God. Tom, Glenn, and Chris consider ‘The Boniface Option’, a designation which Chris and Glenn bring out in relation to our friends in Idaho.

The Pugcast is pleased to welcome to the show another one of Chris's dangerous friends--John Zmirak, Senior editor of The Stream. Chris describes John as "Don Rickles meets Pope Benedict"--when you listen, you'll see why. John is a frequent contributor to the Eric Metaxas Show, and was the editor Chris's book, Man of the House. Join the gang for an at times hilarious and rambling discussion--and learn, among other things, John's nickname for David French! Article Referenced: https://stream.org/secondamendment/ John's Bio: https://stream.org/author/johnzmirak/ John on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/John-Zmirak/e/B001JS5XJU?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1602456384&sr=8-1

In today's show the Pug is proud to welcome Professor Rachel Fulton Brown! Rachel is a professor of medieval history at the University of Chicago and has begun a new video series entitled The Forge of Tolkien in which she examines Tolkien's creative process and sources of inspiration. She's also a friend of Milo Yiannopolous and has written a book about their friendship. Chris met both Rachel and Milo a couple of years ago when Rachel and Chris both spoke at the annual Touchstone conference in Chicago. The show is the typical Pugcast--it rambles all over the place, investigating all sorts of fascinating terrain. Join us! And here are some links for Rachel's work: Fencing Bear at Prayer (blog): https://fencingbearatprayer.blogspot.com/ The Forge of Tolkien (episode guide, with instructions on how to subscribe): https://fencingbearatprayer.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-forge-of-tolkien.html The Poetry Project: https://fencingbearatprayer.blogspot.com/2020/06/up-drakes-its-time-for-teaand-prosody.html Milo Chronicles: Devotions 2016-2019 (Castalia House, 2019): https://shop.aer.io/castalia/p/Milo_Chronicles_Devotions_2016__2019/9789527303573-1875 Academic homepage: http://home.uchicago.edu/~rfulton/index.html

Glenn starts this episode with an overview of the medieval understanding of the liberal arts, then focuses in on music. Music was part of the quadrivium, the mathematical arts that described objective reality. Why is that? Why is music so significant for medieval thinkers? How does music relate to the human body or to the proper functioning of the universe? Glenn explores these questions, aided and abetted by Tom and Chris. We also get into more modern ideas about music, including its role in Christian thought and practice.

"Life is short, but art is long"--so the saying goes. And anyone who has undertaken any significant task would probably say, "Amen". But when it comes to works of art there can be a sense of loneliness and futility that is singular. That was the case for J R R Tolkien. He had labored for decades on his great work--his legendarium of Middle-earth. It included histories, and languages, and mythical heroes. It was the world that The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings were situated in. It's all been published now, most of it posthumously. But when Tolkien wrote Leaf by Niggle the only thing he had to show for all of his work was The Hobbit. So Tolkien wrote a little allegorical short story of great profundity--Leaf by Niggle. And in it he proffers a consoling thought--our works will follow us. Join the Pugcast guys as they attempt to plumb the depths of Leaf by Niggle.

Tom engages the theme of how technology is increasingly being used in ever advancing ways to promote propaganda and cultivate people without many being aware of it. He reflects on how theologian Karl Barth was able to resist similar forces during the rise of National Socialism because of his deep immersion in Scripture, Reformed tradition, and Classical Christian teaching. Chris and Glenn join the conversation with fascinating insights and details related to the topic at hand. Please excuse some of the bumps and rumbles as we get used to using our new mics!