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Fr Kevin Seaver's avatar

A fantastically presented and informative thesis. I look forward to learning more about the intersections of Pure Land Buddhism and de Lubac’s supernaturalized nature.

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Jack Leahy's avatar

I must admit the whole postmodern situation (broadly conceived, if it even can be) gives me a headache. Can anyone of a more or less of an intellectual bent honestly survey the current mess and say to himself, "ah, yes! All is going swimmingly". Forgetting for a moment that few people use the word 'swimmingly' anymore. But the point remains.

Nonetheless, we keep at it as if the correct answer is just around the corner. "A few more books read, experiments done, etc. and we'll have it!" Are we getting 'closer'? How would we know? How would we know if we *weren't* capable of the universe? (if I am even understanding that term correctly). An infinite forest of diverging opinions, perhaps.

And the stakes keep getting higher as our technological means make our differences and contentions inescapable. Our political conflicts and ambitions are no longer containable. We are fighting for the whole enchilada! How does this ever get resolved except through power, control and propaganda--but I don't believe that will work either.

Humility isn't our strong suit, or we wouldn't have to go to such trouble to learn how to do it, or why we should. To think we can return to simplicity, at least en masse, is extremely unlikely. And at what point does the complexity of the situation (and it may not even be *a* situation to be grasped) exceed our limited ability to understand it. Are we already there? Even a recourse to postmodernism, at least in my eyes, falls well short.

Of course all of what I am groping to express here is itself highly contestable. And will be contested, if anybody cares to even bother with it. The whole thing is making me want to read Thoreau again, which I haven't since High School. But what good will *that* do me?! Other than a day or two of pleasant reading. If there were an available hermit hut out there, I might take up residence.

How about The Cloud of Unknowing meets Zhuangzi meets Nagarjuna? What would *that* look like!?

Anyway, I will end my screed here. Thank you.

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