Columns
The New Class and Religion
By Mark Silk — February 15, 2011
One of the sovereign beliefs of the culture warriors of the right is that the problem with America is that it is in the grip of over-educated elites who don’t uphold the traditional values of God and country. Especially God. And one of the sovereign beliefs of the culture warriors of the left is that […]
American Catholic Exceptionalism
By Mark Silk — February 14, 2011
“Will it never end?” Michael Sean Winters asked last week in contemplating the indictment handed up by a Philadelphia grand jury for sexual abuse against three priests, a lay teacher, and–most importantly–the high archdiocesan official who managed the cover-up. The answer I’d give is no, not as long as the Catholic church in America is […]
The challenge for Egypt
By Mark Silk — February 12, 2011
From Anthony Shadid’s report in today’s NYT: “I think the most important challenge for Egypt the next few years is how to build a new civil culture,” said Hanna Grace, an opposition leader. “Not military, not religious, but a civil culture. How do you build a secular modern state for religious people?” As the United […]
Oaks on Religious Freedom
By Mark Silk — February 11, 2011
Dallin Oaks, one of the LDS Church’s dozen Apostles, spoke last week on “Preserving Religious Freedom” at the Chapman University School of Law, and an interesting speech it was. Not least interesting was the way Oaks surrounded what he had to say with statements from non-Mormon religious authorities like Cardinal Francis George and Rabbi Harold […]
No experience necessary
By Mark Silk — February 9, 2011
seems to be the philosophy of the Obama administration when it comes to its top religion jobs. Joshua DuBois, head of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, had no background in social service provision. The ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel Diaz, came to his position with a background in academic theology, not diplomacy. […]
John Allen’s advice
By Mark Silk — February 8, 2011
Another document that reveals a Vatican official urging a bishop to be, ah, less than forthcoming with the civil authorities about a priest sex offender has inspired reflections from the NCR’s veteran Vatican hand, John Allen. Like a lot of reporters who have been on the beat a little too long, Allen has gone a […]
New Advisors for OFANP
By Mark Silk — February 7, 2011
Last Friday, the White House rolled out the first dozen names of those who will serve on the second iteration of the 25-member Advisory Council of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (OFANP). Given that the last Council wrapped up its work a year ago, you wonder why not just wait for the full […]
Pope turns in organ donor card
By Mark Silk — February 4, 2011
I’m a medievalist, so forgive me. But I’m sorry to learn that Pope Benedict decided to turn in his organ donor card when he became pope. I don’t believe scholastic theologians would have had a problem had he decided to do otherwise. Pace Polish Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, the head of the Vatican’s health office, who […]
More religion, or less?
By Mark Silk — February 3, 2011
Here is how Americans have, over the past decade, responded to Gallup’s question about whether they want organized religion to have more or less influence in their nation. What’s the interpretation? I’d say the relevant correlation is with the politically party of the president. When POTUS is a Republican, there’s a drift toward wanting less […]
Fundamentalism at WaPo
By Mark Silk — February 2, 2011
“Evolution runs directly counter to most major world religions, which teach that God created the world in some form or another.” That pithy, “Voice of God” sentence was written yesterday by Julia Duin, late of the Washington Times, now anchor of the Washington Post‘s On Faith daily discussion of religion in the news. Come again? […]
Holocaust Abuse
By Mark Silk — January 28, 2011
As yesterday’s public letter from 400 rabbis declares, Glenn Beck’s promiscuous use of Holocaust and Nazi imagery to characterize those with whom he disagrees is disgraceful, and perhaps the recent outcry against the use of such imagery will tamp it down. But Beck’s effort to discredit George Soros by painting the financier of liberal causes […]
Obama stands up
By Mark Silk — January 26, 2011
You’ve got Rep. Peter King, who after 9/11 turned his back on his Muslim constituents, once his friends, and is now leading a GOP congressional charge against radical Islam in the American population, claiming, “We are under siege by Muslim terrorists.” You’ve got Richard Land, the Southern Baptist Convention’s grand pooh-bah of religious liberty, withdrawing […]
