Mirror of Justice

A blog dedicated to the development of Catholic legal theory.
Affiliated with the Program on Church, State & Society at Notre Dame Law School.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

I second Michael S's recommendation

I was going to recommend that MOJ-readers read an op-ed, and then noticed that Michael S had already done so (here).  So let me just second Michael's recommendation.  The author of the op-ed, Leah Ward Sears, "stepped down this week as Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. In 1992, she became the first woman -- and youngest person -- appointed to Georgia's highest court."  And since we're talking about Georgia, where I now live (assuming that Atlanta is part of Georgia, which is not clear), let me add that Justice Sears is African American.

After reading the op-ed (here), consider this:  The emergence of same-sex marriage is no threat to the future of traditional marriage, but even if you disagree with me about that, our casual attitude toward divorce is (as Mary Ann Glendon once suggested to me) a much more serious threat--and yet we spend much less time and energy addressing *that* threat.  Why are our priorities so skewed?!

The Obama Administration calls for increased abortion access at UN

Story here.

Place, flourishing, mobility, meritocracy, etc.

It's too big to summarize well here, but I think MOJ readers would enjoy the fascinating conversation that is rollicking along at First Things' "Postmodern Conservative" blog (here) and "Front Porch Republic" (here).  Take a look also at Jody Bottum's contribution, at "First Thoughts (here).  And, for a refresher, check out the many MOJ posts -- including this one -- regarding Philip Bess's work on urbanism.  Great, challenging stuff.

Welcome to Greg Alexander

I am pleased to announce that Prof. Greg Alexander, an accomplished Property scholar at Cornell -- and the colleague of our own Steve Shiffrin and Eduardo Penalver -- has agreed to join our merry MOJ band of Catholic Legal Theory bloggers.  Welcome, Greg!  (For a very helpful electronic collection of Greg's scholarship, go here.)

"Let's end disposable marriage"

Leah Ward Sears, former Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, writes from a gut wrenching personal persptective:

The coupling and uncoupling we've become accustomed to undermines our democracy, destroys our families and devastates the lives of our children, who are not as resilient as we may wish to think. The one-parent norm, which is necessary and successful in many cases, nevertheless often creates a host of other problems, from poverty to crime, teen pregnancy and drug abuse.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Forgiveness

I have just posted a new paper in which I try to develop a Thomistic account of interpersonal forgiveness.  Aruging that forgiveness is the form love takes on the part of a person who has been offended, I resist the claims of those who would assimilate forgiveness to a conditional act such as reconciliation.  My account of forgiveness begins in natural human teleology and proceeds to consider what grace adds in terms of our ability to love ourselves and then our offenders. Comments would be welcome.

"Honduras Defends its Democracy"

From a WSJ op-ed yesterday:

Hugo Chávez's coalition-building efforts suffered a setback yesterday when the Honduran military sent its president packing for abusing the nation's constitution.

It seems that President Mel Zelaya miscalculated when he tried to emulate the success of his good friend Hugo in reshaping the Honduran Constitution to his liking.

But Honduras is not out of the Venezuelan woods yet. Yesterday the Central American country was being pressured to restore the authoritarian Mr. Zelaya by the likes of Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Hillary Clinton and, of course, Hugo himself. The Organization of American States, having ignored Mr. Zelaya's abuses, also wants him back in power. It will be a miracle if Honduran patriots can hold their ground.

For the rest, click here.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Congratulations and Best Wishes to Dean Patricia O'Hara

Today is the last day of Dean Patricia O'Hara's deanship at the Notre Dame Law School.  I joined the faculty of the Law School in the summer of 1999, at the same time that she became our dean.  Ten years later, my colleagues and I are in a beautiful new building, working with outstanding students among excellent scholars, and we are as strongly committed as ever to the project of building a law-school community that is interesting and important, and preeminent, precisely because it is distinctively Catholic.  Everyone who thinks the "Catholic legal education" project is a worthy one -- and I hope many do! -- have many reasons to be grateful to Dean O'Hara for her leadership and good stewardship.  Best wishes to her, and God's blessings.

Can property crimes be "extraordinarily evil?"

Hofstra law prof (and MoJ-friend) Ron Colombo and his friends at The Conglomerate are having an interesting debate about whether Bernie Madoff's actions are properly labeled "extraordinarily evil."

President (Obama) Will Soon Meet Pope (Benedict XVI)

Doug Kmiec's reflections on the upcoming meeting are here.