Describing the political effects of Original Sin, Professor Budziszewski shows how man's suppression of his knowledge of right and wrong corrupts his conscience and accelerates social collapse. The depraved conscience grasps at the illusion of "moral neutrality," the absurd notion that men live together without a shared understanding of how things are. After evaluating the political devices, including the American Constitution, by which men have tried...
"The Revenge of Conscience" is a well written, thoroughly reasoned approach to conscience (and its relation to politics) from a somewhat unique (but conservative) theological position (a position that is neither quite typically evangelical nor quite typically catholic).Budziszewski is obviously brilliant and his reasoning solid. He defines conscience based upon Paul's description in the book of Romans about gentiles evidencing...
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A number of other reviewers have summarized the general theme of "The Revenge of Conscience," as well as commenting on Prof. Budziszewski's considerable gifts as a writer. In short, his basic thesis is that the underlying cause of many of the battlegrounds in our modern "culture wars" can be traced back to mankind's Fall (i.e. sin) and continuing unwillingness to face the reality and consequences of that Fall.However, while...
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J. Budziszewski's mind is so superior, I can only assume God delights in giving him insight in order to enlighten the reader. No, this is not a work you can hurriedly consume. You will want to slowly absorb and contemplate each idea as it is presented. It is not for anyone new to philosophy and is in fact the most complex book I have ever read that made complete sense. The desire to underline every word was a great temptation...
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The best and most readable book yet on the cultural freefall of America. With his customary humor and clarity, the good Professor traces the roots of our national rebellion against authority and of the decay of our political system to--well--to our roots.But he doesn't leave us there, at the fall, with the typical incoherent or impractical solution that so many of the prophet-type writers do today. Nor does Dr. Budziszewski...
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This is an excellent book. Speaking as both a Christian and a political scientist, it's the best single volume I've come across on this subject. Its depth far exceeds books put out by better-known, more-lightweight thinkers (e.g., Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, Rush Limbaugh). There's really no comparison. Budziszewski (!) consistently gets to the heart of the matter. He displays impressive philosophical knowledge and...
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