Category Archives: politics

The End of a “Catholic Moment”?

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Ross Douthat mourns (prematurely, I fear) ‘the end of a Catholic moment’: The mid-2000s were the last time the Catholic vision of the good society — more egalitarian than American conservatism and more moralistic than American liberalism — enjoyed real … Continue reading →

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The Return of Alexander III?

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Yet another reminder of why the Pussy Rioters went to the Cathedral. The Moscow Times reports: President Vladimir Putin said Friday that the Russian Orthodox Church should be given more say over family life, education and the armed forces in … Continue reading →

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First Amendment, Second Amendment

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

The Economist picks up on this letter from 64 Roman Catholic theologians in favor of gun control. With so much talk of late of the supposed attack on religious freedom represented by Obamacare’s contraception mandate, this passage caught my eye: … Continue reading →

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More on Morsi

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Cross-posted on the Corner: Der Spiegel: To comprehend the Egyptian president and grasp how the Muslim Brotherhood shapes its members, it helps to speak with men who knew Morsi during his time with the Islamist organization — and who also … Continue reading →

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Just Another Foolish Priest

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

A cleric talking nonsense is hardly news, but when it’s the right sort of nonsense, the Washington Post can be relied upon to gush: Ambitious and outspoken, the new head of Washington National Cathedral has attracted more attention over the … Continue reading →

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Ah, the Civility….

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Gleanings (“important developments in the church and the world”!) reports: President Barack Obama is not the only one preparing for a heavy push on comprehensive immigration reform in the coming months. Today evangelical leaders launched fresh efforts to raise support … Continue reading →

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Watching the Bishops

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Joe Biden: “Yesterday we finished up in this room with … 17 members of the faith community … [I]n all the years I have been doing this, the first time there has been an overwhelming consensus, from the evangelical groups … Continue reading →

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A World Without Guns? No Thanks.

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

Cross-posted on the Corner: Sam Harris is a “New Atheist” and a Second Amendment skeptic too — wait, wait – and there’s a lot to disagree with in this new piece of his (“collective psychosis”, good lord). Nevertheless, agree or … Continue reading →

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A Skeptic

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

From a Guardian interview with Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s neo-Thatcherite, euroskeptic UKIP: He won a lot of Tory support by opposing gay marriage, chiefly because it was an affront to religious values. “Tolerance is a two-way street, and … Continue reading →

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Same Old, Same Old

Posted on January 1, 2013 by Andrew Stuttaford

It’s no great secret that the Vatican has never been particularly fond of the idea of free markets, but here is yet more nonsense from Benedict XVI to remind us of just that. The BBC reports on the Pope’s New … Continue reading →

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