A “social imaginary” of the commons: Its ontology and politics

A “social imaginary” of the commons: Its ontology and politics by Marcia Pally and Adrian Pabst Abstract: This article suggests that the political and socio-economic difficulties burdening advanced economies, a factor as well in recent populist surges, are best addressed […]

‘The Invention of the Antichrist’: Karl Barth and Erich Przywara

‘The Invention of the Antichrist’: Karl Barth, Erich Przywara, & The Analogy of Being By Marcia Pally Commonweal, December 14, 2018  https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/-invention-antichrist In the 1920s and ’30s, Karl Barth, the renowned Swiss Reformed theologian, began what became a decades-long critique of the […]

Our artificial individualism needs to be re-embedded in communities

Our artificial individualism needs to be re-embedded in communities By Marcia Pally ABC RELIGION AND ETHICS 10 OCT 2012 BEING FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SEPARABILITY OR SITUATEDNESS, BETWEEN INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM OR COMMUNITY AND TRADITION, LEADS THE WEST TO THE WORST […]

Forgive Us Our Trespasses? What Does That Mean?

Forgive Us Our Trespasses? By Marcia Pally The Living Church Magazine, Tuesday, March 14, 2017 “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” What is it that we’re forgiving? As our various English translations have it, do we mean […]

Hardwired for Generosity

Hardwired for Generosity: Sacrifice & the Common Good By Marcia Pally Commonweal Magazine,  March 2017 The Good Samaritan, Pelegrín Clavé y Roqué In today’s America, “sacrifice” sounds like a bad thing—like having to give up what you deserve, like an […]

It’s the Genes! It’s “Cooperativity”: Evolution and Populism

It’s the Genes! It’s the Hair! It’s “Cooperativity”: An Evolutionary Account of Populism By Marcia Pally   It’s a virus, a friend of mine said about the far-right wins in the May elections for the European Parliament. A 31 percent vote […]