Indeed. Facts aren’t important when they contradict the narrative.I would expect no less from the left. Pray for them.
Has anyone read the actual article that Professor Butler wrote for the Washington Post? (And she is a Professor, not a ‘professor’.
She is quite accurate in saying that the last time the US Bishops came out with a formal statement was in 1979. She says in her piece:
‘The last major statement on racism in the church and America was “Brothers and Sisters Among Us,” a pastoral letter from 1979, 38 years ago. Black Catholic bishops answered that letter in 1984 with a response: “What We Have Seen and Heard.” Since then, while various groups within the church have dealt with issues of race, the establishment of the new committee, and the promise of a pastoral letter on racism from the bishops in 2018 are important first steps for the Catholic Church in America.’
How is that inaccurate?
Many of those conferences and groups would have produced documents, and each of them individually would be considered a “Major Statement,” considering that all but the canonization were focused heavily on racial issues.1987: The sixth National Black Catholic Congress was held in Washington, D.C.
1989: The first Sunday in February (Black History Month) was designated as a National Day of Prayer for the African American Family.
1990: The National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus designated November as Black Catholic History Month.
2000: Mother Josephine Bakhita becomes the first African woman to be canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in the new millennium.
2001: The first Gathering of Black Catholic Woman was organized by the National Black Sisters Conference.
2001: Most Reverend Wilton B. Gregory was elected President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
2003: The National Black Catechetical Network was founded.
2004: “A Research Report Commemorating the 25th Anniversary of Brothers and Sisters to Us” was published in recognition of the 1979 statement on racism.
2004: The Bishops’ Committee on African American Catholics gave an address at the bishops’ conference titled, “The Success, Impact and Varied Roles of the Offices of Black Ministry in the Church Today.”
2014: Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a Statement on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
From the article:Many of those conferences and groups would have produced documents, and each of them individually would be considered a “Major Statement,” considering that all but the canonization were focused heavily on racial issues.
Thank you for attaching the link to the Post article. My fault for forgetting to do that.I think it’s always good to go to a source and make your own evaluation. Here is a link to the Washington Post article:
washingtonpost.com/pb/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/08/23/the-u-s-catholic-churchs-last-major-effort-on-racism-was-in-1979-charlottesville-woke-it-up/?outputType=accessibility&nid=menu_nav_accessibilityforscreenreader
I noticed on Penn’s website that there is an Islamic scholar too. Jamal Elias. sas.upenn.edu/religious_studies/faculty/eliasEvery theologian or historian of religion comes with a frame of reference. Read about Anthea Butler’s here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_in_Christ
Her frame of reference on abortion:Every theologian or historian of religion comes with a frame of reference. Read about Anthea Butler’s here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_in_Christ
-Please post a link to the source of your quote.Her frame of reference on abortion:
“And while, for liberal Catholics, the pope’s shift from political stances on church doctrine to pastoral ones is a victory, it’s far from a substantial doctrinal change on the role of women. The Chicago Declaration on Women in the Catholic Church, drafted in July of 2015 by Catholics for Choice, stated that it imagined a church where “women are respected for their choices about their health, welfare and lives.” Extending forgiveness for having an abortion by a local priest does not meet that standard of respect”.
From The Gardian
theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/02/pope-francis-abortion-forgiveness-good-politics-changes-nothing-for-women-Please post a link to the source of your quote.
Anthea Butler’s public positions on social and moral issues are much more secular than the positions of this denomination.Every theologian or historian of religion comes with a frame of reference. Read about Anthea Butler’s here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_in_Christ
I would agree with you on this. I don’t think she is speaking on behalf of a specific denomination.Anthea Butler’s public positions on social and moral issues are much more secular than the positions of this denomination.
I would agree. She is an opinion writer who is not Catholic writing for non-Catholics. I may or may not agree with specific opinions that she expresses, but I do not find her presentation of her opinions in anyway disrespectful. It can be useful to understand how Catholics are perceived by those outside the Church.Anthea Butler’s public positions on social and moral issues are much more secular than the positions of this denomination.
I hesitate to criticize a religious writer. For one thing, I don’t know her personal spiritual life, what she has gone through; I can’t judge her. Second, I don’t want to do “ad hominem” arguments. The fact that someone disagrees with my political or religious views does not invalidate objective data they happen to present.I would agree. She is an opinion writer who is not Catholic writing for non-Catholics. I may or may not agree with specific opinions that she expresses, but I do not find her presentation of her opinions in anyway disrespectful. It can be useful to understand how Catholics are perceived by those outside the Church.
Thank you for posting a link to your source.
Sometimes it’s important to remember that people DO write about religion for the public arena, and the RCC is in the position of being in the public. They/you are fair game in terms of accountability, especially when it comes to issues such as race relations, gender issues, and of course moral and sexual behavior. If a writer names concerns, he or she has a right to do that publicly. It doesn’t mean that they are always anti-Catholic or even anti-religious. It usually means they see something that is disturbing.I hesitate to criticize a religious writer. For one thing, I don’t know her personal spiritual life, what she has gone through; I can’t judge her. Second, I don’t want to do “ad hominem” arguments. The fact that someone disagrees with my political or religious views does not invalidate objective data they happen to present.
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