Clarion: Journal of Spirituality and Justice

Charles Taylor and the Hegelian Eden Tree: Canadian Compradorisim by Ron Dart

The fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom. Genesis 3:6 Canada

may produce more original work on Hegel than any other nation.   
David MacGregor, Literary Review of Canada (February 1994)

 

The fact that the well known Canadian philosopher, Charles Taylor, won the enviable Templeton Prize for Progress Toward Research or Discoveries About Spiritual Realities in 2007 has been noted and noticed by many. There are few that have won this prestigious award, and fewer Canadians have taken the trophy home.Taylor did so, and did so in a way that has made many a Canadian proud of their native born boy. But, philosophy is about asking critical questions, and critical questions keep us from slipping into
hagiography. Why did Taylor win the Templeton Prize, what questions need to be asked of Taylor, what intellectual agenda does he serve and are there other Canadians of equal worth and merit that might have won the Templeton Prize but did not?

Uncle Eddie--A Tribute by Laurel Braun

My earliest memories of Eddie are from when I was a little girl. My family attended Central Heights MB Church, and from where we sat, each and every Sunday – In the first row of the balcony on the far right side – I had an ideal vantage from which to view the faithful crew of Twin Firs, always located on the main floor, near the front, on the far left side. Week after week, the faces became familiar, as did their individual quirks and personalities. To me, Eddie was the Downs Syndrome guy that would occasionally utter what I thought were untimely and loud vocalizations. I remember, “That’s right!”, and many a hearty, “Amen”. I noticed his tendency to stand up and conduct either the choir or the congregation during times of song.  My thoughts about Eddie and his motley crew of companions, as well as my observations about how caregivers, the church leadership and congregation related to this population of “special” individuals, made an impression on me.

WhatEVER! Healing the Wounded Cynic by John VanVloten

“A cynic is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing” (Oscar Wilde) 

“I have seen all of the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” (Ecc. 1:14)

 The cynic is a wounded idealist. In order to summon a true bitterness toward the world, it is first necessary to greatly believe that the universe is fair and that you will be loved unconditionally. This idealism is especially evident when you spend time with adolescents. They are starry-eyed and truly believe in happy endings. When I was a history teacher, they always insisted on being told which side was in the wrong and which was in the right. There had to be a good guy and a bad guy. You see, the idealist looks at the world through rose-colored glasses: people are good, the poor are noble and the Sixties are still with us. “Come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody try to get together, try to love everybody right now.” And look! Here comes the New Jerusalem floating out of the heavens!

The Real Terror Network by Edward S. Herman book review by C. Kerr

The Real Terror Network has brought forth the understanding of issues in terrorism and human rights in specific to the post World War II era. Herman, formerly a professor of finance and co-author with Noam Chomsky, covers a broad spectrum of terrorist issues ranging from propaganda to injustices. He educates the reader by giving an understanding of the National Security States in mainly a Latin American context and where the United  States is heavily interested. Herman brings to light that since World War II, the growth of terrorism by states has increased enormously and that terrorism carried out by individuals – without association to states – has decreased. In addition, what is brought to surface is that terrorism is needed to carry out National Security State initiatives which includes preventing self determination for poor countries. The Real Terror Network espouses a left of center view which, interestingly, speaks equally of fact in today’s war on terror from a right of centre perspective.