Announcing Verba Vitae by ILT Press
Announcing Verba Vitae by ILT Press
Announcing a new journal published by ILT Press, and with support from Lutherans for Life entitled, Verba Vitae: A Serious Christian Journal of Life and its Significance.
Everywhere we look these days we see conversations politicized. Reasoned argument is skipped in the effort to discern what an author’s political opinions really are, and whether they accord with what they should be. The Left and Right collide, hurling slogans at each other, often baiting and belittling the other to advance their own agendas. Throughout vast regions of academia, power has seemingly replaced reason, with all thinking now being understood ideologically.
But while people on opposite ends of the political spectrum organize to persuade, they eschew the less glamorous task of analysis. However, for conversation to proceed rationally, presuppositions from each side must be examined calmly, and words must be understood properly. Analysis can allow disputants to become conversation partners, for common ground can often be found where none seemed possible before.
Verba Vitae is committed to bringing the classical Christian tradition into conversation with life issues now confronting us. Modeling the reasoned logos of the theological tradition, Verba Vitae explores the truth-claims made by thinkers and examines the grounds upon which these assertions are made. It is interested in what is being talked about when thinkers employ the language of rights and goods, or when thinkers speak of God. It is accordingly interested in fostering and modeling informed conversation. How do people talk to each other respectfully when holding differing conceptions of the good?
Verba Vitae will investigate academically the question of the ontology of life. What is the “be-ing” of life, and what rights do entities with this be-ing have with regard to existence. While the journal seeks articles on the traditional subjects of abortion, euthanasia, bio-ethical quandaries, etc, it will also deal with questions of the borders of life, e.g., when could a machine be said to have life, if ever, etc.?
You will recognize some of the contributors to this first issue because some have perhaps been your professors. You will recognize the editorial staff:
- General Editor: Dennis Bielfeldt
- Managing Editor: David Patterson
- Associate Editor: Doug Morton
- Production Editor: Ph.D. Student, Martin Christiansen
- Technology Editor: Ph.D. Student, Kevin Swift
- Assistant Editor: Ph.D. Student, Robert Henry
The journal will be distributed internationally and will do all things necessary to become a respected academic journal. We encourage you to check out our premier issue at verba-vitae.org. Follow the link or click the button below!