Blaise Pascal

[landon13]

I was wondering…was Blaise Pascal a Catholic?

I’m just wondering since I bought a book by Dr. Peter Kreeft entited Christianity for Modern Pagans: Pascal’s Pensées Edited, Outlined & Explained published by Ignatius Press. This book is supposed to go through a bulk of Pascal’s Pensées and help break them down for better understanding as a sort of apologetics book.

Has anyone on here read the book?

 

[tonyrey]

Although Pascal was accused of being a Jansenist because he opposed Jesuit casuistry he was undoubtedly a Catholic and received the Last Sacraments from a priest.

 

[Theophorus]

Although Pascal was accused of being a Jansenist because he opposed Jesuit casuistry he was undoubtedly a Catholic and received the Last Sacraments from a priest.

He was close to Jansenism and port-royal, his sister entered there as a postulant, and the jansenist outlook is evident in his works, especially The Pensées. This must be borne in mind when reading Pascal

 

[Charlemagne_II]

Pascal was a brilliant mathematician and philosopher. He also invented the first calculating machine. In the last part of his life he turned his interests almost entirely toward theology (as did Isaac Newton) and began to write an apologetics book in defense of the Christian faith. He died before he could complete his notes and organize them. After his death the materials were organized by others and published as Pensees (Thoughts). I have read the book in its entirety at least twice. It is a brilliant defense marred only by the fact that he did not finish it, as he would have doubtless connected the dots far better than they are connected in the posthumous publication.

Anyone who wants an in depth look at the life and writings of Pascal can hardly do better than to read Pascal’s Joy and Anguish by Charles S. MacKenzie (1973).

I am NOT Charles S. MacKenzie.

 

[tonyrey]

He was close to Jansenism and port-royal, his sister entered there as a postulant, and the jansenist outlook is evident in his works, especially The Pensées. This must be borne in mind when reading Pascal

Can you cite evidence of Jansenism in the Pensées?

 

[Charlemagne_II]

tonyrey
**
Can you cite evidence of Jansenism in the Pensées? **

I never saw evidence of it. Not that he didn’t intend to add something in the final version that touched on Jansenism. But the whole plan of the book was not to argue Jansenism, but to defend generic Christianity, as suggested by the original title he intended to give this book : “The Vindication of Christianity.”