As we give thanks for John Courtney Murray, S.J., we should probably temper our gratitude and be mindful that “the Murray project,” as it is sometimes called, brings with it some caveats.
Religious Freedom
Posted inFaith, Faith and Reason
What Joe Biden (and all American Catholics) owe Jesuit John Courtney Murray
At this juncture in American political and religious history, John Courtney Murray has something to say for the Catholic Church trying to recover a sense of itself in the public square.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Despite imprisonment, Hong Kong democracy activists urge continued resistance
“[I]t’s not the end of the fight. Ahead of us is another challenging battleground. We’re now joining the battle in prison along with many brave protestors, less visible yet essential in the fight for democracy and freedom for HK.”
Posted inPolitics & Society, Vatican Dispatch
The China-Vatican agreement has been extended. Now, Rome is looking for more from Beijing.
China has gained international prestige because of its relations with the Vatican. The Holy See should now seek to obtain more concrete results from its deal with Beijing.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
How should France respond to latest terror attacks? Look to the Catholic Church.
Could French president Macron’s moves to counter the threat of homegrown Islamic extremism in the end “boomerang,” leading only to greater alienation of Muslim youth from French society?
Posted inInterviews, Politics & Society
George Weigel: Religious freedom is a fundamental issue for Catholic voters
“We Catholics are not in the battle for religious freedom for sectarian purposes,” George Weigel says. “We are in this for everyone.”
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Christians in Northern Iraq face a second Covid-19 wave (without enough hospital beds)
Though the Christian communities around Erbil, like much of Iraq, were spared by the first wave of the pandemic, the numbers of Covid-19 cases and deaths rose dramatically over the summer and appear now on the cusp of another significant acceleration.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Is Nigeria’s new business reform law a threat to religious freedom?
President Buhari’s push to corporatize religious houses is causing tension with religious leaders who accuse him of bias against Christians.
Posted inDispatches, Politics & Society
Brooklyn Diocese sues Gov. Cuomo over renewed Mass restrictions in Covid-19 ‘hotspots’
In a press statement released on Oct. 8, the diocese said that the decision to restrict attendance at Mass to as few as 10 people in the worst-affected zip codes is a violation of the First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.
Posted inNews, Politics & Society
Coalition says security grant program for houses of worship needs more funding
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has administered the Nonprofit Security Grant Program since its creation by Congress in 2005. The program initially received $25 million in funding, and Congress provided $90 million for the program in fiscal year 2020.