In the introduction to Utilitarianism 1861 John Stuart Mill remarks that ethics unlike science must always revert to first principles If we are to argue coherently in favor of some course of action in personal or social life we must appeal to a basic principle or set of principles justifying

Vatican Says Same-Sex Unions Are Harmful to Society’Amid increasing worldwide initiatives to grant legal recognition to same-sex unions, the Vatican called on lawmakers to offer clear and emphatic opposition to such measures, which it said were contrary to human nature and ultimately harmful t

Our world is in turmoil. There is fighting in the Middle East, an outbreak of a strange new disease in East Asia, natural disasters and economic woes in the world’s richest country. Could the “end times” be near? If so, will you be among the “saved?” For some, these que

President Bush has signed into law a measure that will allocate $15 billion to fight AIDS in the poorest countries of Africa and the Caribbean. This is a hopeful sign. It shows that the rich nations are finally taking concrete notice of a pandemic that is affecting ever greater numbers of people. Ad

Report Details Decades of Abuse, Failure of Leadership’ in BostonA 91-page report detailing the sexual abuse of at least 789 children by 250 priests or other workers of the Archdiocese of Boston since 1940 documents a massive, inexcusable failure of leadership in the archdiocese, Massachusetts

The Bush administration’s response to North Korea’s nuclear weapon challenge has been hypocritical. While the North Korean decision to withdraw from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty last January was lamentable, it is also understandable. The Bush administration itself has done much to

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, marriage has offered a set of images helpful in illuminating our communal relationship with God. Whether it is Israel’s covenant with Yahweh or the church’s bond with Christ, the nuptial images of bride and bridegroom have long helped believers reflect u

Although both women and men are dying of AIDS at ever increasing rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, it is women who bear the brunt of the epidemic’s destructive impact. Not only do they account for close to 60 percent of H.I.V.-AIDS infections there, they also suffer disproportionately from the stig

A draft constitution for the European Union was presented at a summit meeting in Greece on June 20. The debate over whether the constitution should include references to religion has raised fundamental questions about European identity. Despite the trans-Atlantic acrimony of recent months, the 105 m