Marginal Christianity

Walker Percy writes a memorable scene in his novel The Thanatos Syndrome with this truth at its heart. It is a conversation between Dr. Tom More and a presumably mad priest, Father Smith. The old priest is now a fire-spotter for the park service and the conversation takes place in the tower he lives in. We pick up the conversation with Father Smith speaking: “Words are signs, aren’t they?” “You could say so.” “But unlike the signs out there (the trees on fire), words have been evacuated, haven’t they.?” “Evacuated?” “They don’t signify anymore.” “How do you mean?” . . . The two proceed to spar verbally until Father Smith proposes a word association exercise. “Let me turn the tables on you and give you a couple of word signs and you give me your free associations.” “Fine.” “Clouds.” “Sky, fleecy, puffy, floating, white –“ “Okay. Irish.” “Bogs, Notre Dame, Pat O’Brien, begorra –“ “Okay. Blacks.” “Blacks.” “Negroes.” “Blacks, Africa, niggers, minorit...

Fr. Stephen Freeman 2 Comments   Nothing is as difficult as true theology. Simply saying something correct is beside the point. Correctness does not rise to the level of theology. Theology, rightly done, is a path towards union with God. It is absolutely more than an academic exercise. Theology is not the recitation of correct facts, it is the apprehension and statement of Beauty.   It is this aspect of liturgical life that makes it truly theological. It is also the failure of most contemporary Christian worship efforts. Gimmicks, emotional manipulation and a musical culture that barely rises above kitsch reveal nothing of God – and embarrassingly much about us.   This is equally a failure of theological argumentation in most quarters. Authoritative sources, managed like so-many hands of trump cards, are deftly played in order to dominate and destroy. But words have a divine origin, having preceded all of creation. They have a right relationship with ever...

As I was re-reading Walker Percy’s The Thanatos Syndrome this past fall I ran across this remarkable passage. I will quote it at length. It is a conversation between Dr. Tom More and a presumably mad priest, Father Smith. The old priest is now a fire-spotter for the park service and the conversation takes place in the tower he lives in. We pick up the conversation with Father Smith speaking: “Words are signs, aren’t they?” “You could say so.” ”But unlike the signs out there (the trees on fire), words have been evacuated, haven’t they.?” “Evacuated?” “They don’t signify anymore.” ”How do you mean?” . . . The two proceed to spar verbally until Father Smith proposes a word association exercise. “Let me turn the tables on you and give you a couple of word signs and you give me your free associations.” “Fine.” “Clouds.” “Sky, fleecy, puffy, floating, white – “Okay. Irish.” “Bogs, Notre Dame, Pat O’Brien,“ “Okay. Bla...