I'm with Michael on Rob's marriage question (except the penalizing adultery part, which I think allows the state to intrude too far into the bedroom for my taste). In fact, I included a little paragraph criticizing no-fault divorce in my article, Property as Entrance. It's because I support marriage and family that I support gay marriage.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Me Too
Good Friday
From the Education for Justice website (http://www.educationforjustice.org/Thoughts for Your Consideration
Our commemoration of Good Friday can sometimes be taken over by a “spirituality of sentimentality.” We might force ourselves to feel bad because of someone who died 2000 years ago. We might force ourselves to feel bad because we are told that we did something to make this Jesus of Nazareth suffer. Our art, our music and our prayer can box us into such sentimentality; however, this need not be the case.
We may avoid the extremes or limits of such a spirituality and move to a more healthy spirituality of Good Friday, by making sure that we ground our spirituality in the “real world.” The suffering of Jesus is connected with the suffering of the world and its people – people of all times and places – especially the poor and powerless.
This suffering continues today:
in any situation where people experience injustice
in the violence that continues in the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Iraq
in the extreme poverty in places like Haiti or nations in Sub-Sahara Africa
in the more than 800 million people in the world who go to bed hungry
in the lives of those who affected by last year’s hurricanes and struggle to recover
in the experience of those who are denied human rights or are even unjustly imprisoned
in the lives of all those who experience racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination
in the “suffering” of planet earth as it feels the effect of the human abuse of the environment
in the lives of forced migrants (refugees, migrant workers, the undocumented
in the experience of indigenous peoples at home and abroad
in the experience of anyone who has lost family members in acts of war and violence
in the experience of the people of the Darfur region of the Sudan
in the millions who have died in the ongoing war and unrest in the Congo
in the suffering experienced by individual people and families in abusive relationships
in the experience of those who are sick and cannot afford medical care
in children who are denied an adequate education
in the frustration of those who cannot find work at a just wage.
The list could go on and on.
The events of Good Friday call us not into an unreal, sentimental sorrow, but into a deeper awareness of life today with its struggles and sorrows. Our Good Friday experience calls us into a deeper desire to work for an end to injustice and suffering. We are called to a deep solidarity with our God and a deep solidarity with each other. In solidarity, Jesus “became the source of eternal salvation.” Through such solidarity we will experience resurrection.
Three Reminders of Social Teaching from John’s Passion Story
1) Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard.”
Catholic Social Teaching is committed to peace, reconciliation and nonviolence.
It is absolutely necessary that international conflicts should not be settled by war, but that other methods better befitting human nature should be found. Let a strategy of non-violence be fostered also, and let conscientious objection be recognized and regulated by law in each nation.
1971 Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World
In all of his suffering, as in all of his life and ministry, Jesus refused to defend himself with force or with violence. He endured violence and cruelty so that God’s love might be fully manifest and the world might be reconciled to the One from whom it had become estranged. Even at his death, Jesus cried for forgiveness for those who were executioners: “Father, forgive them.”
US Bishops, The Challenge of Peace
2) Jesus answered the high priest: “I have spoken publicly to the world.”
Catholic Social Teaching encourages political and economic processes that are “transparent” so that all people can fully participate in their human and political rights.
Is this not the time for all to work together for a new constitutional organization of the human family, truly capable of ensuring peace and harmony between peoples, as well as their integral development? . . . It means continuing and deepening processes already in place to meet the almost universal demand for participatory ways of exercising political authority, even international political authority, and for transparency and accountability at every level of public life.
John Paul II, World Day of Peace, January 1, 2003
3) Jesus said to Pilate: “For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”
Catholic Social Teaching invites the whole world and its institutions to speak the truth whether it is through a free and truthful press, open and honest government, or the courageous speaking up about situations of injustice.
The fundamental moral requirement of all communication is respect for and service of the truth. Freedom to seek and speak what is true is essential to human communication, not only in relation to facts and information but also, and especially, regarding the nature and destiny of the human person, regarding society and the common good, regarding our relationship with God.
John Paul II, World Communications Day, June 1, 2003....
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Wolfe's "Natural Law Liberalism"
Ryan Anderson has a review (subscribers only) of Chris Wolfe's new book, Natural Law Liberalism, in National Review. Here is an excerpt from the review:
Central to Western political liberalism is the notion that disagreement can be resolved through common deliberation and that representative constitutional democracy is the best institution for such deliberation. This makes us think that any kind of clash can be solved through rational discussion of the truths we share. At the same time, however, our modern system is founded on skepticism about the ability of people and their governments to define and enforce a universal vision of the good life. This makes us think that there aren’t any real truths to be shared.
It is in response to such worries that Christopher Wolfe has written his new book, Natural Law Liberalism. Wolfe is a Marquette University political scientist who focused his early work on constitutional interpretation and judicial activism. He founded the American Public Philosophy Institute to support the efforts of such thinkers as Robert P. George, Russell Hittinger, and Hadley Arkes, who have been working to rearticulate the natural-law foundations of political life. Natural Law Liberalism is Wolfe’s contribution to the effort.
By liberalism, Wolfe means the whole range of modern political thought, from the early Enlightenment through the American Founding the philosophical theory of government that emphasizes human equality, personal liberty, individual rights, participatory government, and the rule of law. And natural law, as Wolfe conceives it, is the long Western tradition of reflection on the nature of human flourishing and the rational principles that can guide human action and choice. His thesis is simple: If political liberalism is to justify itself at home and abroad, it must return to the classical tradition of Western thought and embrace natural-law theory as the account of its foundations.
"Text and Truth"
For those in or near Chicago, this series, sponsored by Holy Trinity Church in Hyde Park, might be of interest:
Text and Truth, Spring 2007: Christian Scholars Intentionally Engaging their Disciplines | |||||||||
| Join us Tuesdays at 12:00pm, in the South Lounge, 2nd floor the Reynolds Club, at the University of Chicago. | |||||||||
|
Called to be Witnesses or Philosophers?
I realize that Stanley Hauerwas would not embrace every premise of the Catholic legal theory project, but I find this passage from A Community of Character to be a helpful reminder of the significance that the story of Easter has for us Christians:
The task of the Christian is not to defeat relativism by argument but to witness to a God who requires confrontation. Too often the epistemological and moral presuppositions behind the Christian command to be a witness to such a God have been overlooked. The command to witness is not based on the assumption that we are in possession of a universal truth which others must also 'implicitly' possess or have sinfully rejected. If such a truth existed, we would not be called upon to be witnesses, but philosophers. Rather the command to be a witness is based on the presupposition that we only come to the truth through the process of being confronted by the truth.
Invitation to June meeting of Conference on Catholic Legal Thought
Following up on our meeting last summer at Fordham, the Conference on Catholic Legal Thought will be meeting again on June 13, 14, and 15 at UST Law in Minneapolis. We'll begin with a day of introduction to basics of Catholic social teachings, and then continue with two days of more in-depth workshops on the following topics:
- Corporations. An examination of one of the most significant liturgical/doctrinal events in Catholic social teaching in the 20th century -- the institution of the Feast of Christ the King and the encyclical establishing it - Quas Primas. This encyclical provides the clear teaching and liturgical expression of the primary principle that Christ is the king of every person, family, society, corporation, partnership, city, state and country, which has significant ramifications for how to approach every area of law. Case Study: An ecumenical examination of how the teachings of Quas Primas relate to the ordering of the business world from both Catholic and Protestant perspectives.
- Feminism/Life Issues. A roundtable discussion on the tensions between resort to arguments based on emerging scientific knowledge and resort to arguments based on theological principles, in developing CLT in some currently contested areas. Topics under consideration include assisted reproduction, stem cell research, contraception, and the theology of the body.
- Legal Theory. A discussion on the challenges that modern legal theories pose to traditional modes of conceptualizing law, such as natural law theories. The discussion proceeds from within political theology, which seeks to evaluate the particular forms of imagery embedded in political discourse (which includes legal theory) against Christian doctrines such as Trinity, Church and eschatology. The focus here will be on why and how modern legal theories offer an alternative to traditional Catholic understanding of law.
- Constitution/Public Life. A book in progress, tentatively titled To Bind Up the Nation’s Wounds: Rekindling the Spirit of Our Living Constitution, will be the subject of a workshop. CLT either overtly or covertly will provide the underlying structure for the book.
The conference is free, and, thanks to Our Sunday Visitor Foundation, we even have some limited funds available to cover travel expenses for those who would otherwise not be able to attend. More details and registration forms are available here. I'll post more details in a few weeks, when the speakers and the schedule are finalized.
Holy Thursday
From the Education for Justice (http://www.educationforjustice.org/) website:
Thoughts for Your Consideration
The events of Holy Thursday connect us with Catholic Social Teaching. The Holy Thursday scriptures challenge us to move beyond ourselves into the freedom and joy of Jesus Christ which is shared in community. This divine spirituality inspires social change in the Christian community and in the whole world community.
The Exodus: In the first reading we are invited into the exodus story, the great story of God leading people from slavery to freedom, the great story of God bringing people together into a community. God’s spirit inspires the liberation of those who are enslaved. Liberation is at the heart of Catholic Social Teaching.
The Passover Meal – The Eucharist: In the second reading, we are invited into the Passover meal which Jesus celebrated with his friends. We are invited into the Eucharist to receive the body of Christ and to become the living body of Christ. This solidarity with one another is essential to Catholic Social Teaching.
The Washing of Feet: In the Gospel story, we are invited into the Passover meal and the profound ritual of washing feet – the profound ritual of service. Service is what being a follower of Jesus is about. (It is so central to what Jesus is about, that some have proposed that we do this each Sunday, just as we share the Eucharist each week.) Service, especially to the poor and all those in need, is at the heart of Catholic Social Teaching.
Service and Mutuality: The interaction between Jesus and Peter reminds us of the mutuality of service that is essential to the Christian life. Peter, along with all the other disciples, is told to go and do the same, but first he is also told that he has to have his feet washed. The Christian community is not a community of “domination over,” or a community where some have it and others do not, or a community divided by those in need and those not in need. We all need to serve and we all need to be served. In community we share our needs as well as our gifts with each other. Without this attitude Catholic Social Teaching can become a shallow charity.
Priestly Ministry: It is in light of the gospel story of the washing of the feet that the ministry of priests makes sense in the Christian churches. Through our baptism we are all priests. We all have things to learn and things to teach. Priesthood means humble service. It is in a spirit of humble service that we preach and live the gospel and work for social change....
Prayers of Intercession
Response: God, bring us together as one people.
For all those who do not have enough to eat this evening, we pray. . .
For all those who do not have a home this evening, we pray. . .
For all those who live in fear of war, terrorism, and violence, we pray. . .
For all those who need to be set free from political and economic oppression, we pray. . .
For all those called to service, especially to service of those most in need, we pray. . .
For our church, that we may be renewed in the spirit of Jesus, we pray. . .
Prayer
Father-Mother-God
Sister-Brother-God
Friend-Companion-God
Mystery-God
Thanks for sight
sight that comes in Jesus
insight about ourselves and the world
insight about the way of Jesus
the way of compassionate love.
Thanks for life and all that nourishes life
the food of bread and grain,
fruits and vegetables,
meat and fish,
milk and all proteins
air and water
sun and breeze
earth and sea
space and mystery
friend and companion
stranger and refugee
young and old
the familiar and the new.
Thanks for the life of the spirit
for prayer and meditation
for silence and sound
for sacrament and scripture
for community and tradition
for poverty and wealth
for wisdom shared
for conversation and silence
for unity and diversity.
Thanks for all the challenges
for the call
to act for justice
to serve others
to live in peace
for the feelings that teach us
to know ourselves and others and you
to be restless for what is right
to speak out for what is good
to witness to what is of God.
Glory to you through all the ages! Amen!
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Benedict and Karl
The Guardian
April 05 2007
Pope's book accuses rich nations of robbery
Benedict hails Marx's analysis of modern man; Publication planned for 80th birthday
John Hooper in Rome
Pope Benedict appeared to reach out to the anti-globalisation movement yesterday, attacking rich nations for having "plundered and sacked" Africa and other poor regions of the world.
An extract published from his first book since being elected pope highlighted the passionately anti-materialistic and anti-capitalist aspects of his thinking. Unexpectedly, the Pope also approvingly cited Karl Marx and his analysis of contemporary man as a victim of alienation.
The Pope's 400-page book, entitled Jesus of Nazareth, is to be published on April 16, his 80th birthday. Yesterday the newspaper Corriere della Sera, which is owned by the book's publishers, Rizzoli, presented a lengthy extract. It includes Benedict's thoughts on the parable of the Good Samaritan, who went to the aid of a traveller shunned by other passers-by after he had been stripped and beaten by robbers. While many commentators accuse the rich nations of not acting like the Samaritan, the Pope goes a big step further and compares them to the thieves.
"If we apply [the story] to the dimensions of globalised society we see how the peoples of Africa, who have been plundered and sacked, see us from close-up," he wrote. "Our style of life [and] the history in which we are involved has stripped them and continues to strip them."
The Pope wrote that the damage was not just material. "We have wounded them spiritually too," he said. "Instead of giving them God - and thereby welcoming in from their traditions all that is precious and great - we have brought them the cynicism of a world without God in which only power and profit count."
His judgment is bound to be seen as a condemnation of colonialism. But it could also be read as a confession of the failures of the Roman Catholic church's own missionary activity, which often followed in the wake of conquest and colonisation.
Pope Benedict went on to say that the poor of the developing world were not the only people who could be regarded as victims in need of help from a Good Samaritan. He said narcotics, people-trafficking and sex tourism had "stripped and tormented" many, leaving them "empty even in [a world of] material abundance".
Describing humanity's alienation, Marx had "provided a clear image of the man who has fallen victim to brigands". But the Pope said he had failed to get to the nub of the issue "because he only developed his thoughts in the material sphere".
The emptiness of modern life is a theme to which Benedict has warmed. He told a congregation at a Palm Sunday service that "earnings, success and career must not be the ultimate scope of life". He used the same sermon to warn of damnation for those who took backhanders in business or politics, saying that only those with hands not "soiled with corruption" could expect to reach God.
Here I am
In his post below, Rob writes that he is "fairly certain such people do exist"--that is, people who support gay marriage and also believe that
(1) marriage is not an outdated institution, (2) divorce should be made harder to get, (3) adultery should be discouraged and perhaps penalized in some fashion, (4) it is better for children to be born within marriage than without, (5) it is better for a committed couple to get married than to stay unmarried, (6) it is better for children to be raised by two parents rather than one, and so on.
You're right, Rob: Such people do exist. I am one. So is my wife, Sarah. We know many others. David Blankenhorn has been in the trenches too long.
Is the Same-Sex Marriage Movement Anti-Marriage?
Last week I posted Dale Carpenter's critique of David Blankenhorn's new book, The Future of Marriage. Carpenter made two basic points: first, the correlation between countries' embrace of gay marriage and the weakening of marriage as a social institution does not establish causation between those two phenomena; second, Blankenhorn's quotation of gay marriage supporters who would like to destroy marriage as a social institution does not mean that the entire movement for gay marriage is premised on a desire to destroy marriage as a social institution. Now Blankenhorn responds to Carpenter's critique. On the correlation vs. causation point, Blankenhorn writes:
Here is a causal assertion: Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. But wait a minute! Do all cigarette smokers get lung cancer? Is everyone who gets lung cancer a smoker? Of course not. So all we have is a correlation. There is no beyond-any-doubt proof of causation. Therefore, it is illegitimate for anyone to suggest that smoking causes lung cancer. See how easy it is? The tobacco industry made this exact argument for many decades, and some in the industry still do make this ludicrous claim.
It is ludicrous because our common sense observations in many societies over many decades, backed up by a great number of careful studies, have convinced almost everyone by now that the demonstrated correlations between smoking and lung cancer are not spurious or merely coincidental, but in fact are causal.
In my article, I lay out new evidence strongly suggesting that, around the world, a cluster of marriage-weakening trends and attitudes (one of which is the embrace of gay marriage) hang together and appear to be mutually reinforcing. No, I cannot prove causation beyond any doubt (no one could); and no, scholars cannot measure with scientific precision the exact degrees and instrumentalities of causation. But to me, the evidence suggesting mutual reinforcement, a kind of syndrome of related attitudes and behaviors — i.e., evidence suggesting some form of causation — is quite persuasive. Carpenter is free to disagree, of course, but to be taken seriously, he needs to do more than simply repeat back to me that correlation does not prove causation.
I agree that statistical correlation should not necessarily preclude public policy conclusions, but I'm not sure that the comparison to smoking helps Blankenhorn's case much. We have some understanding of the paths by which smoking actually leads to cancer. It has never been made clear (at least to me) what the path is by which gay marriage will lead to the end of marriage as a social institution. Undoubtedly, it will change the nature of marriage, but that's a different question.
As for the second point, Carpenter asserted that "many conservative supporters of gay marriage" also believe that:
(1) marriage is not an outdated institution, (2) divorce should be made harder to get, (3) adultery should be discouraged and perhaps penalized in some fashion, (4) it is better for children to be born within marriage than without, (5) it is better for a committed couple to get married than to stay unmarried, (6) it is better for children to be raised by two parents rather than one, and so on.
Blankenhorn asks Carpenter to name one supporter of gay marriage who holds those beliefs, explaining: "I am not saying that no such person exists. But, to the best of my knowledge, I have never come across such a person." I'm fairly certain that such people do exist. Indeed, I thought the whole reason why Blankenhorn's Institute for American Values issued Marriage and the Law: A Statement of Principles without addressing gay marriage is because many of the signatory scholars wanted to speak in support of marriage as a social institution without condemning gay marriage. Here's an excerpt from that document's executive summary:
We do not all agree on individual issues, from the best way to reform unilateral divorce to whether and how the law should be altered to benefit same-sex couples. We do agree that the conceptual models of marriage used by many advocates are inadequate and thus contribute to the erosion of a marriage culture in the United States. We seek to work across the divisive issue of gay marriage to affirm the basic importance of marriage to our children and to our society. We call on all the makers of family law -- legislators, judges, the family law bar, and legal scholars who create the climate in which other players operate -- to develop a deeper understanding of and commitment to marriage as a social institution.
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