Prof. Hamilton's Book etc.

Having just viewed Mark’s commentary on Marci Hamilton’s new book, I would like to join those who wish to read her interesting and provocative work. As a priest and believer and lawyer and teacher of the law, I am not sure that I would want to merge so quickly and without further detailed study her work in clerical (or for that matter anybody elses’s) sexual abuse with matters dealing with freedom of religion and the First Amendment. It will be difficult to get a copy of her book here in Rome, but, all things are possible. I would like to point out to MOJ readers that the Boerne/Flores case had a rather interesting outcome. The city won before the Supreme Court. When it did, it then told Archbishop Flores that he could go ahead with the renovations to the Church. This subsequent action in itself raises serious Constitutional questions, but like the absence of any review in the NYT of the Hamilton book, this fact seems to have escaped attention as well. Nevertheless, I would very much like to hear her perspective and to read her book, but I find it intriguing that American Atheists, Inc., amongst other like-minded groups, consider Prof. Hamilton to be a heroine for their causes. For a long time I have been troubled by the “accommodation” view. So, perhaps I have something in common with the author on this point. But having met some of the good people of the San Antonio Archdiocese in Rome a year after the Supreme Court issued its decision and learning from them the degree to which outsiders, including Prof. Hamilton, were telling them how they could exercise their faith, I am troubled by her understanding of the meaning of the First Amendment. Well, now, I just have to get a hold of a copy of her book…    RJA sj