Vox Nova

Blackadder is a 30 year old unmarried lawyer and Catholic convert, originally from Austin, Texas. He has a BA in Philosophy and Government from the University of Texas at Austin, and a law degree from Notre Dame. He can dance, just not well. He would sometimes describe himself as conservative, sometimes as libertarian, though both terms have a lot of baggage associated with them (for the record: no, he doesn’t want to nuke Mecca, and yes, he does have a job). It also doesn’t help that he changes his mind a lot.

Gerald L. Campbell was educated at Gonzaga University (Philosophy), St. Louis University (Philosophy), Georgetown University (Philosophy), and the Catholic University of America (International Relations). He was a senior staff member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1976 to 1985, the Director of Policy and Research for the National Security Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1977 to 1980, the Senior Advisor to the Director of the United States Information Agency from 1985 to 1990, and the Special Assistant to the Administrator, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Programs, at the U.S. Department of Justice from 1992 to 1993. From 1997 to 2001, Campbell was the Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of Health for the State of Texas. Until recently, he was President and a member of the Board of Directors of The Impact Group, Inc., a non-profit education foundation located in Washington, D.C. and Tyson’s Corner, Virginia. In June 1990, he began to inquire into the nature, root cause, and the spiritual dynamics of socially dysfunctional behaviors. He spent nearly five years exploring the streets of Washington, D.C., associating with and befriending the homeless, violent youth, and substance abusers. With camera and tape recorder in hand, he took black and white photographic images — and recorded the personal stories — of many of these individuals. He also recorded the stories of many teenagers who had been incarcerated for capital crimes.

Henry Karlson, born in Augusta Georgia, and raised in Indianapolis, is naturally a Southerner but culturally a Mid-Westerner. Ever confused by this enigma, he has taken a life-long interest in paradoxes, adding more and more of them to his life as he tries to work out his own salvation with much fear and trembling. Raised a Southern Baptist, he converted to the Catholic faith as a Byzantine Catholic on Pascha 1995. As a doctoral student in Systematic Theology working on his dissertation, he finds it difficult to focus on one theme and one theological tradition, explaining why his dissertation is a multi-religious examination on the theme of eternal perdition by putting the thought of Hans Urs Von Balthasar in comparative dialogue with Asanga the Yogacarin. While he has taught undergraduate coursework at both the Catholic University of America and Georgetown, in the fall of 2007, he is taking time off to focus on his dissertation research and writing. He is also a co-founder and contributor of the blog, The Well at the World’s End. He has also started a separate blog, The Road Goes Ever On, to act as a daily journal.

Jonathan Jones is from rural South Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in political science, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in public administration, and is now trying to earn a doctorate in Rhetoric and Public Affairs. Raised a Southern Baptist, he is a convert to the Catholic Church. His favorite book is Romano Guardini’s The Lord.

Katerina Ivanovna, originally from Venezuela, is a 26-year old Chemical Engineer working in the oil refining industry and is also pursuing an MA in Pastoral Studies at a small Catholic University. Her interests include mainly labor issues in a globalized economy, Personalism, Catholic social teaching, Political Theory, Social justice tradition in the Church, the Trinity and its social implications and the Scriptural foundations of Christian ethics. Her political view can be better summarized by Peter Maurin: “To bring the social order to Christ.” She is marrying Policraticus in September 2008. She also blogs at Civilization of Love.

Michael Iafrate, originally from West Virginia, earned a master’s degree in Theology from Wheeling Jesuit University and is currently a doctoral student in theology at the University of St. Michael’s College in Toronto, Ontario. His interests include ecclesiology, Catholic social teaching, liberation theologies, the Catholic peace tradition, and the intersection of religion and radical socio-political movements. He also blogs at CatholicAnarchy.org. He is also a singer-songwriter and has participated in a number of musical projects, most notably The Minus Tide, M Iafrate & The Priesthood, and COBRA. He and his wife Emily will welcome their first child into the world in October. Hate mail may be sent to m.iafrate [at] utoronto [dot] ca.

Nate Wildermuth was born and raised in a military family, and went on to join the Army in February of 2000. Four years later, he was discharged as a conscientious objector, confirmed into the Catholic Church, and started a new life in Washington D.C. He lives there now with his wife Angela, and teaches religion at a local Catholic High School. He runs the online magazine The Catholic Blues.

Policraticus, originally from just outside Pittsburgh, PA, is an instructor in the humanities at a small community college in Texas. He holds a BA in philosophy and theology from Franciscan University of Steubenville and an MA in historical theology from Saint Louis University. He is currently pursuing graduate work in philosophy at Texas A&M University, working toward a second masters degree. His interests include social and political philosophy, ethics, the history of Christian doctrine and spirituality, and continental thought (esp. phenomenology, hermeneutics, Critical Theory). He also blogs at The Crowd is Untruth.

Radical Catholic Mom is originally from Idaho, but lives in Alaska and loves it. She graduated from the University of Dallas with a degree in English Literature with a Spanish concentration and an emphasis in Theology. Her real learning came during and after college when she volunteered for short term and long term missions throughout the Southern US and Latin America. She is married to a wonderful Catholic man and the proud stay at home momma of two children, one on Earth and one in Heaven. Her passion is pro-life issues and all other Catholic Social Justice issues. She is also a convert to Catholicism from Lutheranism. She blogs at Radical Catholic Mom.