This post is surely not for everyone. But if anyone out there is yearning for more religious surety in today's world, this short reflection might be for you. I believe that our society is living in an era of epistemic crisis: normalized exposure to conflicting information from seemingly equally credentialed, enthusiastic sources on just about … Continue reading Spiritual Advice for the Weary Soul
Paganism
Anonymity: A Halloween Special
My family celebrates the Halloween season. We decorate the house accordingly. We watch spooky shows and movies. We find thematic snacks and meals. And we dress in costumes and trick or treat. As a quick aside, I think the popular level religious custody battles over Halloween--which make it no further than a Hegelian level of … Continue reading Anonymity: A Halloween Special
Agent -> Structure = Soil -> Roots
Whilst in the throes of a grueling leg day this morning, lost in lectures on Heidegger and Gadamer, I had a flash of insight related to yesterday's post that I thought might pardon interrupting your regularly scheduled programming: the meta-level concept, posture, orientation, or approach underlying Polytheism that I was after is pre-metaphysical. In my … Continue reading Agent -> Structure = Soil -> Roots
One Before Each
Summer is almost over, dear reader, but what a summer it was. No exotic trips, or unforgettable moments in the sun. It was a lot of work, actually, with coordinating, juggling, managing, all through a jam packed semester--though with only two weeks left. But, for all of that, it was a time of self-confrontation, destruction, … Continue reading One Before Each
Dialoguing with Aquinas on Polytheism
We are at a point in two of my courses where we are deep-diving into Thomas Aquinas. While studying various of his texts, such as his Disputed Questions, his Summas, and various Commentaries, I decided to return to Aquinas' interaction with polytheism. There was one objection of his that particularly struck me as a fruitful … Continue reading Dialoguing with Aquinas on Polytheism
(Mis)appropriating Polycentricity
It can sound mysterious to say that there is no determinate upper bound number of Gods; or, that this upper bound amount cannot be counted, or that this kind of state of affairs is due to the fact that Deity precedes everything, even Number. This can make it sound like at the highest level of … Continue reading (Mis)appropriating Polycentricity
Reflections on The Consolation of Philosophy
I read Boethius' Consolation of Philosophy many years ago, but hastily, I should say, and I allowed my impressions of it to all but fade over time. Grad school has recently given me the chance to return to this text and to do so with the injunction to read it carefully. I can say now … Continue reading Reflections on The Consolation of Philosophy
Dumsday on Polytheism: Part II
Dumsday makes a lot of engaging, interesting, and provocative points throughout his work, but this final post will focus on two of his points in particular: (iii) inferring plurality from transcendence, and (iv) mapping the abstract to what's on the ground. Of these, the first will take far more of our time. I. Inferring plurality … Continue reading Dumsday on Polytheism: Part II
Dumsday on Polytheism: Introduction
Travis Dumsday recently published 'Alternative Conceptions of the Spiritual: Polytheism, Animism, and More in Contemporary Philosophy of Religion' with Bloomsbury Academic. This is a much needed, and much appreciated work that seeks to bring to the fore and engage with various substantive but neglected philosophical alternatives to prevailing paradigms like Christian theism or Naturalism. He … Continue reading Dumsday on Polytheism: Introduction
Growing through the Sidewalk
Hello dear reader, it's been some time. I was not sure what would come of this place, but I'm very glad to find it still here.I want to share something with you if you'll humor me. I'm told it is not that uncommon of a story, but it is now mine to tell. It's about … Continue reading Growing through the Sidewalk
The Analytic Pagan 