Deacon James H. Toner (M.A., William & Mary; Ph.D., Notre Dame) is Professor Emeritus of Leadership and Ethics at the U.S. Air War College, a former U.S. Army officer, and author of Morals Under the Gun and other books. He has also taught at Notre Dame, Norwich, Auburn, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Holy Apostles College & Seminary. He has contributed numerous columns to The Catholic Thing, Crisis Magazine, One Peter Five, and the Wanderer. He and his wife Rebecca have three sons and eleven grandchildren.
Author: Deacon James Toner
Our Modern Teacher, Adolf Eichmann
“The priests are to teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is not” (Ezekiel 44:23 GNB). “But now you priests have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has led many to do wrong” …
Currentism: The Perennial Lie
“Justice being taken away, then, what are kingdoms but great robberies?” —St. Augustine, The City of God Precis: Currentism is any political ideology which insists that it is rapidly progressing toward some vision of a human paradise. It recognizes only …
Follow the Science, Man!
“Do not be led astray by diverse and strange teachings” (Hebrews 13:9 RSV). ———- Precis: Jesus–“Follow me” (Mt 10:38//Mk 8:34//Lk 9:23//Jn 21:19, 22). Saint Paul–“Be ye followers of me, as I am also of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1, DRB). Joe …
Study Truth, Not Bias: Recalling the Purpose of Catholic Education
Background: A few years ago, a friend graciously asked me for permission to nominate me for a one-year visiting professorship at a Catholic College which was beginning a study of bias (as the focus for that professor’s teaching and research). …
Now that the Foundations are Destroyed
“Relativism, that terribly effective bleach, has wiped out everything in its path.” –Robert Cardinal Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent Precis: The foundations of the good political order are grounded upon, and are faithful to, virtues discovered by …
The Fraternal Fallacy
“He that walketh with the wise, shall be wise: a friend of fools shall become like to them” (Proverbs 13:20 DRB). There are, I know, exceptions to this “rule,” but let’s stipulate that men who enter the priesthood are good …
The Origin of Moral Calamity
Agere sequitur esse—What you do follows upon what you are. Let us resolve to be who we should be, know what we should know, and do what we should do, so that “Posterity may know we have not loosely …
Chicken Little Was Right: A Jeremiad
“If we deny Him, He will also deny us.” (2 Tm 2:12; cf. Jude 1:4) A number of commentators are telling us that it’s alarmist and unwarranted to suggest that the political sky has fallen. John Paul Jones-like, they assure …
Glorify God, Save Souls, Teach Truth
My pastor was trying to write a parish mission statement when, forsaking all modesty, I blurted out, “Father, you can write our mission statement in six words: Glorify God, Save Souls, Make Saints. He liked it and promptly had it …
On the Authentic Practice of Social Justice
Pope Pius XI: “No genuine cure can be furnished for this lamentable ruin of souls, which, so long as it continues, will frustrate all efforts to regenerate society, unless men return openly and sincerely to the teaching of the Gospel” …
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