Death in Eastertide
For so many people, John Paul II was a moral magnet, even in death. A commentator on PBS called him a pope for all seasons. One could understand why. The whole world could watch massive lines of people, 35 across, snaking through the streets of Rome. Eighteen thousand an hour, two million in all, wa
What Should the Next Pope Do?
Over the past months, America asked several prominent Catholics in the United States to look ahead to the challenges that will face the next pope. These American Catholics come from various parts of the country and represent a variety of perspectives. They are theologians, teachers, activists, write
Catholicism, Death and Modern Medicine
In the spring of 2005, Pope John Paul II and Theresa Schindler Schiavo died within three days of each other. The pope’s death was held up as a Christian model; Ms. Schiavo’s was a flashpoint of moral and ecclesial turmoil. Terri Schiavo was 41 years old, had been in a so-called persisten
Some Forgotten Lessons
Twenty-five years ago, Oscar Arnulfo Romero, the Archbishop of San Salvador, was martyred by a professional assassin while offering Mass in a hospital chapel. An investigation in 1993 by a truth commission sponsored by the United Nations determined that the killing was orchestrated by officers withi
Letters
Letters
Time for Reflection
After reading Of Many Things, by James Martin, S.J., (3/14), I am saddened that any of my fellow America readers would write in nasty or vituperative terms. I would have hoped that people who subscribe to such a publication as yours would have outgrown such tricks. It is possible to express deep anger…
Editorials
Challenges for the New Pope
The next pope will face many challenges, some of them unprecedented in the life of the church. While the papacy is not the church, it is difficult to overestimate the influence that a pope can have on the church. Certainly John Paul II had a tremendous impact on the church and the world at the…
Books
What Love Demands
John T Noonan a distinguished scholar and member of the U S Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco grounds A Church That Can and Cannot Change on the fact that the deposit of faith cannot change He then identifies three areas where change in moral principles has undeniably occ
The Way It Was, Son
In Gilead Marilynne Robinson rsquo s first novel since she published Housekeeping 25 years ago the author offers a profound prayerfully paced narrative containing a wealth of literary consolations To the reviewer rsquo s bromide ldquo Run don rsquo t walk to your nearest bookstore and buy th
No Tradition?
The title of this book is misleading The book is not about the evolution of Christianity but about the evolution of doctrine mdash or theology as Marshall D Johnson calls it in his introduction The 12 crises therefore are crises about what Christians normatively believe The author whose prio
Television
End Times, Nutty Times
Here’s a surefire recipe for a hit television miniseries: Combine the most exciting aspects of The DaVinci Code with the apocalypticism of the wildly popular Left Behind novels, and toss in a bit of The X-Files for good measure. That was probably the logic, or illogic, behind NBC’s new s
The Fullness of Redemption
When it aired in September 1993, NYPD Blue became immediately known for three things.
The Word
Life in the Spirit
Some of the most poignant pictures flashed across the world in the wake of natural or military disasters are those of orphaned children Their inherent vulnerability is compounded and they seem to be wandering about aimlessly Their unguarded expressions cry out with grief and fear They are so hel
At God’s Right Hand
The meaning of the feast of the Ascension is found outside human history but its implications touch the lives of all believers We might wonder just what really happened on that Ascension Day Was Jesus actually lifted up And if so where did his body go The space travel that this generation know
Faith
Life in the Spirit
Some of the most poignant pictures flashed across the world in the wake of natural or military disasters are those of orphaned children Their inherent vulnerability is compounded and they seem to be wandering about aimlessly Their unguarded expressions cry out with grief and fear They are so hel
News
Signs of the Times
Cardinals List Qualities for Next PopeSaying they needed time for serious prayer and reflection, the world’s cardinals stopped talking to the press, but only after giving them an almost endless list of qualities they said they would look for in a future pope.In interviews up to Pope John Paul
Politics
Faith
Culture
Vatican
Scripture
Podcasts