Grant Wood, New Road, 1939
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
| In the Nation's Capital |
| HUMAN AFFAIRS Dialogues on events that shape our world |
"Certainly there were many
evils that
the men of ancient times
suffered.
But there were, however, the
men of wisdom.
These would teach to other
men the principle
of mutual cohabitation and
of mutual support.
These wise ones chose their
rulers and teachers.
They put to flight the reptiles,
serpents and wild beasts,
and they established man's
primacy.
For those who were cold,
they made clothes;
for those who were hungry,
they prepared food;
for those who lived in trees ...
or in caves ... they made
houses.
They instructed the workers
that they might make utensils;
the merchants that they
might trade things
that they had or of which
they were lacking;
the doctors who would use
the medicines ...
They inculcated recognition
toward benefactors;
they instituted norms that
would assign each to his
proper place.
They created music that
would dissipate the sadness
built up in the
heart,
the government that would
give a shock to negligence,
the punishments that would
break down obstinance.
And since men were
cheating one another
the wise ones dictated to
them...
bushels, liters, weights and
scales in order that they keep
faith in
selling.
And now there are those who
say:
"let's smash these bushels, let's
smash these scales
and then the people won't
have anything to argue
about anymore."
Han Yu (768-824 B.C.),
Fragments of Chinese Doctrine
evils that
the men of ancient times
suffered.
But there were, however, the
men of wisdom.
These would teach to other
men the principle
of mutual cohabitation and
of mutual support.
These wise ones chose their
rulers and teachers.
They put to flight the reptiles,
serpents and wild beasts,
and they established man's
primacy.
For those who were cold,
they made clothes;
for those who were hungry,
they prepared food;
for those who lived in trees ...
or in caves ... they made
houses.
They instructed the workers
that they might make utensils;
the merchants that they
might trade things
that they had or of which
they were lacking;
the doctors who would use
the medicines ...
They inculcated recognition
toward benefactors;
they instituted norms that
would assign each to his
proper place.
They created music that
would dissipate the sadness
built up in the
heart,
the government that would
give a shock to negligence,
the punishments that would
break down obstinance.
And since men were
cheating one another
the wise ones dictated to
them...
bushels, liters, weights and
scales in order that they keep
faith in
selling.
And now there are those who
say:
"let's smash these bushels, let's
smash these scales
and then the people won't
have anything to argue
about anymore."
Han Yu (768-824 B.C.),
Fragments of Chinese Doctrine
| MEMORY AND IDENTITYExploring our heritage Testing our tradition |
| BEAUTY WILL SAVE THE WORLD Discovering the world of arts: performances and presentations |
MEETINGS AT
THE CROSSROADS
Face to face with...
THE CROSSROADS
Face to face with...
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
A place where roads meet. A time of change.
| MEMORY AND IDENTITY Exploring our heritage Testing our tradition |
| IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE THIS WAY? An Unusual Approach to Christian Existence |
| H.E. Arch. Pietro SAMBI Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the U.S. Msgr. Lorenzo ALBACETE Theologian, Author, Columnist Prof. Roger SCRUTON writer and philosopher, Research Professor at Institute for the Psychological Sciences in collaboration with COMMUNION AND LIBERATION (CL) |
This book addresses important issues on the state of the Western world, offering a significant contribution to the discussion on the relationship between faith and reason, along with science and religion. There has been a strong trend in our culture to identify reason with the methods of the natural sciences, and to dismiss all other forms of knowledge as necessarily non-objective and irrational. This tendency to diminish the scope and depth of human reason has been one of the main concerns of Pope Benedict XVI, who has repeatedly called for a "broadening of reason," pointing out that even science builds on philosophical foundations that it does not give itself. His Excellency Archbishop Pietro SAMBI, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the United States, along with author and columnist Msgr. Lorenzo ALBACETE, and writer and philosopher Roger SCRUTON, Research Professor for the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, will present a compilation of conversations on faith and reason between young people and Msgr. Luigi Giussani, the founder of the international Catholic movement Communion and Liberation (CL). A discussion on how faith broadens reason in its capacity to apprehend reality. |
| Wednesday, October 1, 2008, 8:00 PM The Pope John Paul II Cultural Center 3900 Harewood Road, NW Washington, DC 20017 Metro: Red Line, Brookland/CUA |
