Some of you may have read Jeffrey Hart’s piece in the WSJ on modern conservatism. Some of you might even have been following the discussion of the piece on various blogs – well, this blogger has, and has very nicely summarized the discussion and what various commentors have been saying about Hart’s piece.

Much of interest, including Hart’s lamenting of conservatism’s supposed stubborn insistence on the priority of the pro-life position as "utopian." Much of the discussion on this point has centered on the meaning of "utopian" and whether the usage is appropriate here, but I would actually contest whether the contemporary conservative movement, as a whole, cares very much about this issue at all, except as a means of preserving a portion of the political base. In ever "conservative" secular institution you will find strong pro-lifers – but you will also find mild pro-choicers and others who don’t care and wish the issue would go away. I do believe there is a tension, even within "conservatism" on this score.

Then, there’s Hart’s wish for a new metaphysic:

"What the time calls for is a recovery of the great structure of metaphysics, with the Resurrection as its fulcrum, established as history, and interpreted through Greek philosophy."

Hmm….