Entries by Admin

Loving Our Neighbors, Politically

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…I too see charity to be a primary responsibility of the church. Indeed the church that fails in the task of mercy fails in a task that Jesus himself saw as central to the gospel. But charity is not the only way we demonstrate love for our neighbors. We also owe our neighbors justice. To love our neighbor is not only to extend him or her charity; it is also to see that justice is done for our neighbor. And conversations about justice will necessarily lead to conversations about the state, as the state is precisely the institution charged with the task of doing public justice…

Striking the Best Balance: The Strengths and Limits of Government

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As has been the case throughout our discussion in this forum, the opening essays have offered constructive food for thought. Much like the ongoing presidential race, the essays reflect divergent views on the proper role and size of government. In my response to the initial postings, I will first offer some thoughts on the role of government and then consider a few specific claims made by my conversation partners.

How Big Is Too Big?

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A crucial issue in this year’s presidential election is the size and scope of government. Mitt Romney’s words from his website have resounded from many a Republican speech and campaign commercial: “The mission to restore America to health begins with reducing the size of the federal government . . . As president, Mitt Romney will cut federal spending and regulation, . . . reducing the size and reach of the federal government, . . .” I am deeply troubled by this. In this essay I seek to explain why.

Role of Government

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TOPIC 12: ROLE OF GOVERNMENT Please consider the following potential leading questions for a conversation to be launched on September 19. #1: If the role of government is to “promote a just order in society that benefits the common good” (a belief shared by our six regular commentators), what are the implications for the scope […]

The Right Side of a Revolution

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A few years ago, my mom and I were discussing the John Adams miniseries that was on TV. She remarked that if she and my dad were alive at the time, they probably would have been against the revolution. (They aren’t very revolutionary.) It was an off-hand remark, but it stuck with me. Race was a defining domestic policy issue for over two centuries before the truth broke through. Today, the inherent dignity of human is widely assumed, and our history of slavery and racism is universally condemned. Where would I have stood on slavery? I resolved to be on the right side of any future revolutions.

Abortion in the 2012 Election

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Well, we certainly cannot complain in this election cycle that the abortion issue is being ignored. The selection of the resolutely pro-life Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney’s running mate and the continuing fall-out from the Todd Aikin controversy has ensured that the abortion debate will receive plenty of attention in coming weeks, much to the dismay of Romney, who clearly is trying to change the subject.