I love this confession from Catholic blogger Andrew Sullivan today:

If by doctrine, you mean the core tenets of the Creed I recite at Mass by heart… then I do not favor any changes in doctrine. I believe in what I say. Sometimes, of course, it is hard to believe something that is beyond my real understanding. I’ve thought about, meditated on, puzzled over and marveled at the doctrine of the Incarnation, for example – for me, the most radical of all Christianity’s improbable claims. I believe in it until I can’t, at which point, I embrace a mystery – what Pascal called “the use and submission of reason.” But I am utterly unworthy – morally and intellectually – to offer any real critique of these mysteries; and because I feel and know the living presence of Jesus in my own life, because that presence seems to me both human and divine, and because Jesus has rescued me so many times from myself and from the world, I accept what I cannot understand.

Sullivan is such a conundrum to me. British transplant to the States, gay Catholic, politically moderate, fairly serious about his theology, running a prolific blog that is equally delightful and at times infuriating. He went to a reader-supported format on his blog last year, and after a year of continuing to read it via the RSS feed and feeling like a moocher, I ponied up for a subscription this year.

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