Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Death, Fear of

For the record: Virgil Nemoianu is William J. Byron Distinguished Professor of Literature and Ordinary Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. He writes at The Catholic Thing, Fear of Death.
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2 comments:

David Nybakke said...

"Death, Fear of" Okay, let's talk... okay, so much for talking...

Well, I think you summed it up pretty well with a previous post Going merrily in the dark (skipping past the Scimitar reference).

"But the men signed with the Cross of Christ
Go (merrily) in the dark ...
I tell you naught for your comfort,
Yea, naught for your desire,
Save that the sky grows darker yet
And the sea rises higher.
Night shall be thrice night over you,
And heaven an iron cope.
Do you have joy without a cause,
Yea, faith without a hope?"

At some point in the contemplation of the mystery (of death) one falls silent. One falls into the mystery either merrily (in the dark...) or one falls in despair, hopelessness and misery.

I feel that this way of dealing with "Death, Fear of" opens us up to a sense of doubt concerning salvation and all of its mystery and it has developed, for modern day Christians, into a great chasm and relativism of our faith.

All this to say that I think that this way of conversing about the "fear of death" leads us further a stray from the mystery of salvation and faith rather than closer to the love of God and His redemption and salvation of our souls.

It is like wanting to discuss death and the fear of it within the university - miles from the nearest altar. I really believe that we need to bring this discussion back in proximity to the altar.

June 10, 2009 at 10:25 AM
David Nybakke said...

Fear of death? phooey.

June 10, 2009 at 2:30 PM

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