In his latest book, "Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation Between Church and State", Daniel Dreisbach exposes the history of the wall metaphor and argues that the wall is rooted in anti-Catholicism and the fear of religious influence on public life.
Canada has become rather impatient with public manifestations of religious belief. Having decided we are a secular society, we assume that all institutions should follow secular rules, even if those rules keep changing. When religious beliefs collide with individual rights, we tend to come down on the non-religious side, if necessary using the courts to impose our vision of Canadian life.
I approached this essay by reading Daniel Jonah Goldhagen's "A Moral Reckoning: The Role of the Catholic Church in the Holocaust and its Unfulfilled Duty of Repair" (2002) in conjunction with its polar opposite, Eugenio Zolli's "Why I Became a Catholic" (1953).
Does the radical form of Islam behind the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, represent true Islam? or is it an aberration? Is Islamic doctrine compatible with religious pluralism and constitutional democracy? How are we to think of Islam in the context of the war against terrorism? The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto and David F. Forte respond.
17 years ago I decided I could no longer face life. I wanted to die a strong wish that lasted over 10 years. If euthanasia were legal then, I would no longer be here to write this. But I have changed my outlook on life.
Stephen Baskerville explains how the government actually encourages divorce.
On Oct. 21, an event of enormous importance, certainly symbolically, occurred at the White House. The president, I am thrilled to report, signed the Sudan Peace Act into law.
All over the country, the ACLU has been filing suits to remove the Ten Commandments from public buildings, winning some, losing some. The oddest thing is, if the ACLU project of removing God from public testimony should win, their victory would hurt the ACLU most of all.
The meeting held in Dallas to address the scandals rocking the American Church was about many things, but chiefly it was about damage control. By that measure it may be judged a limited success though, as we shall see, it might have been purchased at the price of things more important than damage control.
Dear Grace: In this election, many candidates seek our support. As Catholics, how can we support politicians who mix their stands and thus make it difficult to determine whether thay truly represent our beliefs as Catholics? Should we vote? And is it a mortal sin to vote for a candidate who is pro-choice when his opponent is pro-life?
