The Los Angeles Times recently described the growing field of neurotheology the intersection as one would suppose of the neurological underpinnings of religious experience Geoffrey Mohan writes Other animals have hierarchies organized behaviors even a semblance of norms Only humans have relig
Matt Emerson
Matt Emerson's essays have appeared in a number of publications, including America, Commonweal, and the Wall Street Journal. The Catholic Press Association named his September 2012 essay "Help Their Unbelief," published in America, as the "best essay" in the category of national general interest magazine for 2012. He is the author of the book Why Faith? A Journey of Discovery (Paulist Press 2016).Articles:Fruitful Searching (Jan. 5-12, 2015)Preambles for Faith (May 13, 2013)Help Their Unbelief (Sept. 10, 2012)Posts at The Ignatian Educator
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Worcester’s Transformation
The New York Times nbsp recently profiled the transformation of the city of Worcester M A location of the College of the Holy Cross which was founded by the Jesuits in 1843 It looks like students will no longer need to be trekking to Boston for a slice of city life and things to do nbsp From o
Posted inThe Ignatian Educator
The Ignatian Reinvention
My colleagues and I began the new semester on Monday of this week with a day of retreat led by a Jesuit priest who offered three reflections on the spiritual life The first of his talks was on some of the lessons of the life of St Ignatius Noting that Ignatius had been kicked out of the Holy Land
Posted inThe Ignatian Educator
Should believers use science to make the case for God?
Responding to Eric Metaxas 39 s recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal nbsp concerning the scientific evidence suggesting a creator nbsp Francis Beckwith writes at The Catholic Thing that Metaxas quot confuses a question of natural science with a question of natural theology quot nbsp Beckwith
Posted inThe Ignatian Educator
Assessing Catholic Identity in San Francisco
Drawing upon a Dec 10 story in Catholic San Francisco the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Dan Morris-Young at the National Catholic Reporter recently gave further background nbsp on the archdiocese 39 s newly formed Office of Catholic Identity Assessment What will this of
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Spiritual Breakthroughs from the Ending Year
What were your spiritual breakthroughs this year As you look back on 2014 what did you learn about the spiritual life about your Christian faith about discipleship that you hadn 39 t known or fully appreciated What insight from this past year can you share with readers What books or articles
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So Long to the Lecture Hall?
Richard P rez-Pe a at the New York Times nbsp recently described a new mdash and yet in some ways traditional mdash way of teaching science In short it involves ditching lecture for in-class activities and problem-solving a move toward the project-based learning frequently championed by today
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Christmas Season Perspectives on Faith
The Christmas season has evoked a number of essays on faith and religion including essays from two nbsp regular columnists at the New York Times and one from Eric Metaxas in the Wall Street Journal nbsp T M Lurhmann professor at Stanford in quot Religion Without God quot 12 24 wrote Religio
Posted inFaith in Focus
Fruitful Searching: Wandering my way toward God
I know a Jesuit whose father worked at the same company for 56 years. A friend and mentor just retired after 35 years at the same company, and my father has only recently begun to decelerate after practicing orthopedic surgery for almost 40 years.I am 33. After graduating from college
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The Ignatian Educator on Hiatus
To my readers I will be taking a break from blogging over the next ten days as I will be on my honeymoon Thank you for your support this last year and may you have a blessed Christmas Christ s peace Matt Emerson