A very interesting read, to be sure. It has spawned too many thoughts for me to put here in a comment section. I've read a lot of Evola and Guenon, but haven't read Lings. Will have to add that to my already overfull reading stack. I heartily agree with the gist of your essay here. I think especially now there are two traps I see people fall into: 1) latching onto men, especially politicians, as saviors; 2) going full blackpill and embracing despair and nihilism. In the end, no matter how difficult, we must maintain faith in Christ. Look forward to more thoughts on this.
Thanks very much John. You're spot on about those two traps. That's exactly it. Trap 1 is my particular temptation but I know many as well who get sucked Trap 2. A Scylla and Charybdis moment you might say!
Do you know, I think I read that post back in the day! Certainly rings a bell and I think it influenced my thinking as it chimes greatly with my own thoughts on the subject. It's a very good blog by the way. Roger Buck and Valentin Tomberg are key figures for me too. Always salutary to read extracts from J. Ratzinger/Benedict XVI as well. How we miss him! I also think you're the only person I've come across with something to say about The Magical World of the Inklings. A criminally underrated book and one that played a huge role in guiding me back towards the Church after similar disenchantment with flat, tame liturgy and preaching. Good stuff!
Hah! How funny! Thanks for the kind remarks about the blog. And yes, The Magical World of the Inklings is great - I must read that again, I'm trying to catch up with some Barfield and Williams and go deeper into their ideas. We obviously have many similar interests - hopefully we shall meet one day! God bless.
A very interesting read, to be sure. It has spawned too many thoughts for me to put here in a comment section. I've read a lot of Evola and Guenon, but haven't read Lings. Will have to add that to my already overfull reading stack. I heartily agree with the gist of your essay here. I think especially now there are two traps I see people fall into: 1) latching onto men, especially politicians, as saviors; 2) going full blackpill and embracing despair and nihilism. In the end, no matter how difficult, we must maintain faith in Christ. Look forward to more thoughts on this.
Thanks very much John. You're spot on about those two traps. That's exactly it. Trap 1 is my particular temptation but I know many as well who get sucked Trap 2. A Scylla and Charybdis moment you might say!
I wrote this nearly 10 years ago, and I was clearly trying to say some of the things that you talk about here with the return of the King: https://golgonooza.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-russians-are-coming.html
Do you know, I think I read that post back in the day! Certainly rings a bell and I think it influenced my thinking as it chimes greatly with my own thoughts on the subject. It's a very good blog by the way. Roger Buck and Valentin Tomberg are key figures for me too. Always salutary to read extracts from J. Ratzinger/Benedict XVI as well. How we miss him! I also think you're the only person I've come across with something to say about The Magical World of the Inklings. A criminally underrated book and one that played a huge role in guiding me back towards the Church after similar disenchantment with flat, tame liturgy and preaching. Good stuff!
Hah! How funny! Thanks for the kind remarks about the blog. And yes, The Magical World of the Inklings is great - I must read that again, I'm trying to catch up with some Barfield and Williams and go deeper into their ideas. We obviously have many similar interests - hopefully we shall meet one day! God bless.
Excellent introduction John, look forward to the essays and the YouTube channel when it is up and running.
Cheers Steve!
I am looking forward to these! Thank you for doing this work.
Thanks Max. I appreciate it.
Good luck with the new venture, John. Now is certainly the time to start something like this. I look forward to reading your monthly essays
Thanks very much William. Good to hear from you. A very happy and blessed Easter to you and yours.