Ivan Strenski

Concerned as we rightly are about the immediate human cost of Lori Gilbert Kaye’s awful murder and the trauma inflicted on the Poway and national Jewish communities, hardly anyone has delved into the theological causes behind Earnest’s actions, as confused as they may be.

The question of the “Christian” nature of Tarrant’s terrorism cannot be answered by appeal to a neutral umpire or standard. Hard as it may be to accept, I do not think a single, uncontested, objective yardstick exists against which to measure the “Christian” character of his act. What is “Christian” is—and always has been—TBD.

Someone like Mattis may have imagined that his quiet resignation would save both his honor and conscience. But such a conventionally dignified resignation may have put both at risk.