Roman Catechism vs. New Catechism

I discovered the Roman Catechism or the Catechism of the Council of Trent a few days ago when I selected my books from the library run. I passed it by in favor of the latter Catechism (published in '94) but decided to check it out the following days.

I love it. The prose is stately and compelling, combining the grace of the medieval Church with the polemic power of Trent. Cardinel Joseph Ratzinger (more popularly known now as Pope Benedict XVI) said it's the most important catechism penned, and he even worked on the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC). Thus, to kick off my theology studies, I shall read the Roman Catechism. I've got to about page 50 of 600, and I should finish in less than six weeks if I read about 10 pages a day, and 50 during the weekends. However, I am also reading the introductory theology text by Alister Mcgrath, which I rather adore, despite his being an evangelical Anglican (though the bias is scarecely noticable).

The Catechism is divided into expositions of four sections of Christian life: the Credo, the Sacraments, the Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer. The Apostles' Creed, Sacraments, the Ten Commandments, and the Our Father are the fourfold manner of instruction according to the Medievals. Incidentally (or probably purposefully) this pattern is replicated in the '94 Catechism.

Now we know what I will be studying! After dear old Trent I will likely read (quickly) through the '94 Catechism and see what's different. All of them should be finished by the end of the semester and then it's on to something exciting.

Theology Minor

Often I wish I had been able to become a theology minor. If I were at a standard university, I probably would have double majored in philosophy and theology with a minor in music performance. But since I attend St. John's, which has language and history of math/science instead, I pursue both of these studies independantly. To this end, I am beginning a study of theology, and over the next two years, hope to read the greatest theological classics ever penned, from Irenaeus to Barth, though I'll likely focus on the Patristic Period and the Scholastics - my true heart and soul. I will shortly compose a list of authors and titles, but here is my preliminary interest, the major thinkers of the Patristic Period:

• Irenaeus, Against Heresies
• Justin Martyr, Apologies
• Tertullian
• Athanasius, On the Incarnation
• Augustine, City of God, etc.
• Origen, De Principiis

There are lots of other brilliant theologians, but these will give me plenty of thought food. I will begin them next summer at the earliest; my first attempt will be reading the entire Summa Theologica, which I should like to begin next semester.

A Mild Success

I did get to read a good deal this summer, so I am more or less satisfied, but I accomplished less (surprise surprise) than I hoped. I have not yet finished Don Quixote, so I'll put in that work till Thursday seminar. I am going to follow Lewis' reading advice; three old books per new book. Every now and then I like reading modern literature, especially science fiction and fantasy, e.g. Weis, Heinlein, Herbert, etc. I have found that I rebel against myself and indulge in modern literature when I focus too much on ancient work. This summer I read a fair bit of modern literature, especially Wilson Rawls, but I also discovered Christian Theology: An Introduction. Written by an evangelical Anglican, it is nonetheless a fabulous introduction to that dazzling darkness of theology. After finishing Don Quixote (and sneaking in time between seminar readings) I wish to complete that work, and then begin reading all (or most) of freshman year again, beginning with the Iliad. Interspersed with this will be random modern works, starting with Dune.

Let's get to work then. Finish Don Quixote by Wednesday or so and then read my theology book. Alister McGrath is on deck, with Homer in the hole.

Book List!

I have lots of books to read this semester and summer. Let's make list, shall we? In order to proceed, I must state the reading goals I have:

First, I must read Don Quixote. This should not be difficult, for I can likely read it in a fortnight. I then hope to read some more Aristotle and Plato, and begin an introduction to Kant and thus the Enlightenment. So: Theaetetus, Republic, and Phaedrus will comprise my Plato readings. Politics, Ethics, On the Soul, and Metaphysics will be more than sufficient Aristotle, Prolegomena to Future Metaphysics for Kant, Dune and Starship Troopers will be my fun/science fiction reading, and maybe a Greek Tragedy I haven't read, or some more Shakespeare.

This list is more than enough, and I likely won't finish it. My highest priorities will be The Republic, Politics, On the Soul, and Prolegomena, after I have finished Don Quixote. I will be more than satisfied if I can do that, and I would very much like to reread the Nichomachean Ethics and finally finish Menger's Principles of Economics. Let's put this in prioritized bullet form:

• Don Quixote
• Prolegomena to Future Metaphysics
• Nicomachean Ethics
• Politics
• Republic
• Principles of Economics
  
• Theaetetus
• On the Soul
• Dune
  
• Starship Troopers
  

That said, let's finish Phaedrus and Metaphysics this semester, and we'll see what the summer brings.

One Down, Three to Go

I knocked off the Physics just before spring break. I enjoyed it far more than last year and understood it far better, though I only grasp a minority of his arguments. Surely it is a book that will grow with my intellect, which is not yet strong enough to comprehend it fully. I also finished On the Soul, which, in two guerilla seminars, absolutely floored me. The concept of soul and mind have never been so expertly treated. The tripartate Aristotelian soul came alive for me, and I've loved every second of it. I'm now tackling his Metaphysics, which is absolutely delicious. To be honest, I'm still not understanding all his arguments, so like the prequel, it will have to be read and reread as I strengthen my intellect. I wish to finish it soon, and begin the Nicomachean Ethics and finally the Politics, both of which are easier than his theoretical works. 

However, my time has not been solely Aristotle. I have reread the Prydain series series by Lloyd Alexander and Orthodoxy by Chesterton, and even a new DragonLance book by Weis and Hickman. I picked up Pride and Prejudice again, but quickly set it down. How it got onto the Program is beyond me, but I will never venture that view outside this blog - I haven't finished it yet and most of the girls would probably tear me to shreds were I to pose such a...controversial view. But pose it I must. She's nice, and Flannery O'Conner is okay, but compare them to Plato? Forget it! Are they even worthy to be studied alongside the ancients? I wonder.

At any rate, I continue to plug away at the Metaphysics and I will try to finish Dune.

Forth Eorlingas!

I grew up on Tolkien. Dad read The Hobbit aloud when I was just a wee lad, and I shivered hearing Riddles in the Dark. I heard The Lord of the Rings read aloud from when I was nine or so till I was twelve, and then I began reading them on my own. I read them every year for five years. Two or three years ago I stopped, and save for a devouring of The Hobbit, my Tolkien reading was stinted. 

I fixed that last month. The final two days of break I began the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. I devoured it (a verb I use frequently with respect to Tolkien) in a few readings, and borrowed the entire volume from Greenfield Library. I finished The Return of the King yesterday. 

What a magnificent piece of storytelling! No other author can move me to awe, tears, and laughter in less than ten pages! Reading about the Riders of Rohan hurtling to their doom at Minis Tirith and the death of Theoden, weeping over Eowyn, and laughing at Merry and Aragorn (if you do not laugh at the chapter "Houses of Healing" you need a new sense of humor) has never meant so much to me. I have seldom identified more with character than in Middle-Earth. Once again I will put The Lord of the Rings on the top of my permanent reading list, the List whose constituents fit on one numbering hand; so far the Bible and Dante's Commedia are on it, but this is the third. 

Tolkien also reminded me why I love good writing and great literature. I doubt I shall ever read Rowling's work ever again - there is simply nothing there. Any urge I could have towards her work is met fuller and deeper by far in The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Unifinished Tales, and Silmarillion. Even her fourth book, which I think was the best of the lot, holds little interest now. A nice story, but not much there. Thus I rededicate myself to the book I loved as a child. It is inexhaustible; rather, it has grown with me, and I think it shall continue to do so. Farewell, Middle-Earth! I will see you in my dreams, and ride with Theoden as a Rider of Rohan. Forth Eorlingas!

Second Semester, Aristotle

I am reading a lot of Aristotle this semester. I wish to devour his Physics, Metaphysics, and On the Soul. I did not understand the first two last year, a sad fact I wish to straighten. It will take a tremendous amount of work, but I am willing to do it.

Second semester of Sophomore year is the Poetry Semester. Almost everything we read is English lyric poetry or Shakespeare. We read eight plays, one of which (King Lear) we study in Language, and study his sonnets and early English poetry like Wyatt and Spenser. We also read the Commedia, a tremendous literary achievement from Dane Alighieri.

I am terribly excited. My studies of poetry have sucked, though I have (I think) always rather appreciated it, if you will consider my childhood and my Language Arts classes in eighth grade and first two years of high school. Now I will read the majority of the Shakespeare corpus and become intimately familiar with a few of his sonnets, two of which I will memorize. And Dante! Glorious Dante! Chaucer! Poetry! I will let my dialectic-loving side relax a little and enjoy myself. After all, I will be studying Aristotle's Logic in Language and reading his two greatest treatises. Poetry is good for the soul. I will never enjoy it so much as straight up philosophy or theology (Aquinas is a river of gold!), but I certainly hold it in the highest respect.