Why the indefinite article, “A”?
“The” implies that there is only one.
“A” implies that I am one of many.
I hope for there to be many.
Why “Post-Liberal”?
That’s the main question I’ll be considering in this blogging project.
In short, I’m deeply suspicious of liberalism in theology and politics.
So I’m trying to sort out what comes next.
Why “Papist”?
Admittedly, the word “Papist” has a derogatory connotation and has historically been used as an insult to Roman Catholics like myself. Therefore, it is not without careful reflection that I use the word. Historically, the word seems to have become popular during the early years of the Church of England. Used then as a slur, it implied that Catholics had their loyalties out of order: they placed the spiritual authority of the Bishop of Rome above that of the King of England. This implied disloyalty to the earthly ruler of the land in favor of something higher. Then, as now, devout Catholics were a “sign of contradiction.” That is the meaning that I wish to recover by using the word “Papist” as a title.
There is a certain playfulness to this act of self-naming. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t drawn to the alliterative ring of “Post-Liberal Papist” and the subversive use of an archaic insult.
Why “.com”?
It’s short for “.communitarian.”
Why write?
I believe that the ideas considered here are worthy of consideration.
On top of that, writing is a way of clarifying my thinking for myself and sharing it with others.
Why write publicly?
In short, to avoid solipsism. I want to engage with the truth and that means being open to correction. Please comment if you disagree or if my analysis is lacking in any way. Plus, I’m hopeful that my meager contributions might help advance a conversation towards the Good.
Why write anonymously?
To the greatest degree possible, I want to focus this blog on ideas.
Keeping my identity private allows me to separate my intellectual endeavors here from my professional life. In other words, I have a job that I quite like that provides an income that I quite need. I don’t want things that I’m trying to think through here to negatively impact that. So, for now, the prudent path is anonymity.