Category Archives: Alasdair MacIntyre

Positive and Negative in United Methodism

Posted on September 9, 2022 by Richard Heyduck

Since reading Alasdair MacIntyre’s Whose Justice? Which Rationality? thirty-something years ago, I’ve found great value in the definition of a tradition that he he offers there (p. 12). A tradition is an argument extended through time in which certain fundamental … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Discipline, Diversity, Doctrine, Ecclesiology, Theology, Tradition, United Methodism | Leave a comment

Church as Ecology

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Richard Heyduck

In his Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity, Alasdair MacIntyre draws from W. Edwards Deming and Wendell Berry: “Individuals who farm need to regard themselves as contributing to a larger project, that of making their particular farm productive while sustaining its … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, church growth, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Leadership, United Methodism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The problem of judgment

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

In Dependent Rational Animals Alasdair MacIntyre writes: In the context of particular practices we generally have no one else to rely on but those who are our expert coworkers, to make us aware both of our particular mistakes in this … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Ethics, Jesus | 2 Comments

Contending Views of Morality and Sociality

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Richard Heyduck

In After Virtue, Alasdair MacIntyre claims that moral theories are always tied to accounts of sociality. “Every moral philosophy offers explicitly or implicitly at least a partial conceptual analysis of the relationship of an agent to his or her reasons, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Ethics | 2 Comments

Downside of Demonizing

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Richard Heyduck

“Demonizing” our opponents can be great fun. When we demonize groups we offer reasons why any compromise or shared action must be ruled out before we begin. Knowing that over demonization is not politically correct, we never admit to it … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Clash of Civilizations, Diversity, Ecclesiology, Islam | Leave a comment

Muslim Outreach

Posted on October 12, 2007 by Richard Heyduck

A group of Muslims from around the world have issued an open letter to Christian leaders everywhere. The call for peace is summed up in the beginning of the document: Muslims and Christians together make up well over half of … Continue reading →

Posted in Al Qaeda, Alasdair MacIntyre, Clash of Civilizations, Current events, Islam, Theology, Tradition, War | Leave a comment

Islam & Tradition

Posted on August 22, 2007 by Richard Heyduck

In my position as a pastoral leader of a church, I have been frequently asked lately, “What is a Muslim? What do they believe? Are terrorism and violence part of their religion?” Although my expertise is not in world religions, … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Clash of Civilizations, Current events, Globalization, Islam, War | Leave a comment

Thinking about diversity

Posted on August 16, 2007 by Richard Heyduck

Much of my current research focuses on the connection of Christian political theology with three popular streams of social study/philosophy: Samuel Huntington’s work on the Clash of Civilizations. (I’m familiar with Huntington’s work through his books The Clash of Civilizations … Continue reading →

Posted in Alasdair MacIntyre, Clash of Civilizations, Diversity, Globalization, Robert Putnam, Samuel Huntington, Social Capital, Tradition | Leave a comment