Harvard’s Harvey Mansfield is creating quite a buzz with his new book Manliness, which I’m only just beginning to read. It strikes me that he’s describing a quality possessed by the Fathers. Mansfield is especially taken with the Greek word “thumos.” He says, “Thumos is a quality of spiritedness, shared by humans and animals, that induces humans, and especially manly men, to risk their lives in order to save their lives.” Sound familiar? Try Matthew 16:25.

Thumos is also the name of one of my favorite blogs. It’s more perennial and present-day than patristic, though its host, a Mr. Penn Jacobs, has an Augustinian turn of mind. Lately he’s turned his attention to the problem of evil. Join him. And while you’re there, check out his archives.