If you have benefitted from the writings of Touchstone Senior Editor Anthony Esolen–and there are many of us out there who have–you need to know that he is under severe attack at his school, Providence College, where he teaches Renaissance Literature. His “crimes” include 2 articles written for the Catholic web-magazine ‘Crisis’ which Rod Dreher links to in his post today at The American Conservative:
“We may wish to maintain a faithful presence in the institutions of culture, but that doesn’t mean the culture wants us there, or will let us remain without crossing lines that we cannot in good conscience cross. What then? At the present moment, the literature professor, Dante scholar, and orthodox Catholic Anthony Esolen is under severe attack at his own institution, Providence College, for having recently written a couple of essays criticizing the present conception of “diversity” on his Catholic campus, and reflecting on the persecutorial phase of our culture (here’s one, and here’s the other). Protesting students and even some faculty are attempting to drive him out of the college for wrongthink. They may not succeed, not if tenure means anything, but they are likely to succeed in making his life there hell, such that he would love to shake the dust off his feet and get out of town.
But where would he go? I can think of a few colleges that would love to have him on faculty. Ten years from now, will they? Besides, what about the younger orthodox Christian scholars who, unlike Tony Esolen and James Davison Hunter, don’t have tenure? If they disclose their faith commitments, they may not be let into the institution in the first place”
St. Dominic, founder of Order of Preachers, approved by Pope Honorious III in 1216.
How much worse can it get? It is one thing when an orthodox Catholic is hammered at a state school–and that’s wrong–but another thing when a school like Providence College, supposedly a Dominican college, goes after one of its own faculty.
Dominicans have been known commonly as Blackfriars for the black cape worn over their white robes. Will those now running the schools founded by the Blackfriars increasingly become fascists Brownshirts, seeking out and punishing any and all dissent from LGBT orthodoxy and other PC causes? Can you express doubt about man-caused global warming? Are schools for learning or for indoctrination?
Pray for the Catholic Professor Esolen, translator of Dante’s Comedy, and for his family, for whom a living hell has been made by students and some faculty at a college founded by Dominicans for the spreading of Catholic education.
It will be 900 years this coming December that the Dominican Order was formally approved by Pope Honorius III. What would St. Dominic say about Providence College today? A good question to ask. The phone number of the college is +1.401.865.1000.
I have benefited greatly from the writings of Anthony Esolen. The quality of his thought astounds as does the sheer quantity of it. It grieves me that some at his school have turned on him and I pray the administration will stand by him.
Good for Esolen. Bust ’em up, the whole lot of those cowardly, cringing, groupthinkers.
Anthony Esolen is one of the great essayists and stylists.
This is no surprise at all. MANY faithful Catholics have and are facing persecution for their faithfulness whether it be at work, in the family, or even in some countries to have life itself at risk. What are we willing to endure for the sake of Christ? I left a medical career. Big price but God has provided.
Okay . . . Tony Esolen goes onto the list of names which I mention during the Prayers of the People each Sunday morning during worship at St. Athanasius Anglican Church in Waxahachie, Texas. We have rejoiced at some amazing works of God’s grace as we have continued Sunday after Sunday after Sunday to pray for those on that list. As our Lord taught us, we will mimic the importunate widow, for we know that our heavenly Father is better than an unjust judge.
Prof. Esolen talks with Rod Dreher about his experience at americanconservative.com (Tony Esolen Contra Mundum), which includes at the end the anti-Esolen petition written by the aptly-named “PC Faculty”.
Carry on Professor, wherever you end up.
The world needs to hear people like you.
I’m a Brown alumnus who could not survive at Brown as it is now. Prof. Esolen’s voice is powerful and prolific. I don;t know how he produces so much fine writing in so many venues. Holy people are dedicating themselves to spiritual combat in his name; I will write to the people who run the college.
I’m a conservative Presbyterian and became friends with Tony on FB and have come to admire him greatly. This is sad but not so surprising given that we have a terrible enemy who roams about and an increasing number of his dupes running academic institutions.
Meanwhile, all these years, a professor at Princeton has advocated legalizing the killing of children post-birth. I don’t recollect any student protests about that, nor do I recall a faculty cabal to oust him. That’s because Peter Singer is, more or less, who they are and what they are all passively about.
Transport those same Princeton students and faculty to PC, and of course, they’d rise up in arms. They’d might even show the PC professors and students how it’s really done. That’s because it is who they are and what they are all about.
It’s awful that all these schools still get to call themselves “Catholic.” But who am I kidding? Of course the devil is active in the church–why wouldn’t he be?
I know how Prof. Esolen must feel when a CINO administration and many of the staff give lip service to being Catholic, while aiming to have your head. Formerly as a Catholic school teacher (where there is no such thing as tenure or even – heavens! – a union), the social (and invented) justice issues willed out.
Speaking out for the Church is not politically correct, nor is questioning a priest who (in front of other teachers) was asked about the Sins that Cry to Heaven for Vengeance, to which he replied that he had never heard of them!
Hillsdale would be happy to have him.
The bishop of Rhode Island should come out and condemn the ideological destroyers at Providence College.
Such intolerance against Professor Esolen by this secular Inquisition should be dealt with swiftly.
Patrick J. Walsh
He should, but he won’t.
The darkness has gotten bold.
James,
I’m totally in Tony’s corner. You may want to check your facts, however. The Dominican Order will be 800 years old not 900. I think St. Dominic would be ashamed of what Providence is doing. I am. My daughter graduated in 2014. I have 8 children. If this keeps up, none of the rest will be attending.
Probably won’t be going to any “Catholic” university. Government money and other worldly pressures have corrupted most academic institutions.
Don’t be too quick to throw the Dominicans under the bus. I too have 8 children and one of them is enrolled there now. At this point much of the facts have been distorted to fit agendas. I agree with much of Esolen points and I search out his writings often. But I’m not ready to say that Dominicans are sell outs on Catholic identity.
Too early perhaps, Ann, but the P.C. President’s reply the the protester’s was equivocal and wimpy not what a firm, determined leader would say. Thus, the pressure will continue. It’s been increasing for half a century right before our eyes and the pressure is almost always from one side–the one for revolution and fundamental transformation and change we can believe in, etc. They act up and make demands. We do little or nothing and whatever it is it is reactive and uncoordinated.
lxc
So saddened to hear this news. This kind of persecution is like a virus that is spreading through our Catholic institutions. So the President of Providence is caving into the secular world. Well Fr. Shanely may be comfortable now, but in the end he will fail. No one says being true to our Catholic faith is easy. It takes strength, courage and a strong faith to stay the course. And it takes the Catholic community that hasn’t caved in to speak up, take action, write letters and pray. I am lifting up Tony and his family to our Lord. God Bless the Esolen family. St. Dominic pray for us.