The way of imagination

       Certain words frequently heard in the media these days serve to strike fear into the hearts of many individuals as well as many a nation – Ukraine, NATO, Gaza, Iran, Syria, China, etc.   Many countries are re-arming and increasing their defense spending in anticipation of imminent war.   As the subtitle of a book about the Russia—Ukraine war has it, we are currently witnessing “the return of history”.   If you’re wondering what it looks like to be a Christian leader in a time of violent upheaval and traumatic change, there is a 6 th -century figure which may have some relevant wisdom to offer.   Gregory “the Great” was appointed Bishop of Rome in the year 590, at the age of fifty, and fulfilled his role as “servant of the servants of God” until his death in 604.      Sixth-century Rome was a city (often literally) besieged with troubles.   The traditional date given for the fall of the Western Roman Empire is...

     The pioneers of 20 th -century Christian apologetics used the latest mass media technology to evangelize and offer a rational defense of the faith.   In the U.S.A., Fulton Sheen (1895—1979) used radio and TV to expound/defend Roman Catholic Christianity from 1930—1968.   In the U.K., C.S. Lewis (1898—1963) argued for “mere Christianity” on the BBC radio from 1941—43 and offered both rational and imaginative defenses of Christian doctrine through the publication of numerous books.   The 21 st century has seen many apologetics ministries avail themselves of the power of the internet to defend the faith.   American Catholic priest Robert Barron (b. 1959) founded Word on Fire Catholic Ministries [1] at the turn of the third millennium.   Fr. Barron began his evangelistic efforts by delivering homilies on a Chicago-area radio station at 5 a.m. on Sundays.   His first audience consisted of truckers!   Barron is the Fulton Sheen of this ...