The death and election of a pope are naturally global events, of interest far beyond the Catholic Church itself. But the death of Pope John Paul II was a global event also in the sense that the whole world was able to watch it unfold as it happened. Not only was the pope's death historic because of the stature of the man himself, but also because this first “media pope” was the first to die in our new 24/7...

I am an ordained minister of the Reformed or Dutch Calvinist persuasion. My experience with Catholics, specifically Polish Catholics, began in the Grand Rapids, Michigan, neighborhood in which I was raised. Most on my block were either Dutch Reformed or Polish Catholic. The line between us was bright and clear. Each attended their own church and school (non-public) and each kept to their own kind. A marriage between children would be a scandal for both families. Nothing in my...

Rabbi Daniel Lapin and Riccardo di Segni offer their thoughts on John Paul II. In this edition of Religion & Liberty, we look at the life and legacy of Pope John Paul II. In his many travels abroad, some of his most stirring encounters were with leaders of the Jewish faith. In his historic address at the Great Synagogue of Rome in 1986, John Paul said: “In a society which is often lost in agnosticism and individualism and which...

Many of the current economic problems in the United States have their roots in a pressing moral malaise. In these times of moral turmoil, many have mistakenly equivocated government-sponsored welfare with the virtue passion. Compassion is frequently cited as a reason to justify state-supported social programs, so an important question needs to be raised: Is governmental welfare passionate? Are the human needs of the people really served with governmental handouts? The theory behind the welfare state is that people...

The book of Genesis says human beings were given dominion over the natural world. Scripture also teaches that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it (Ps. 24:1). Thus, human society’s dominion over the earth is one of stewardship. We have a responsibility to ensure that the earth is managed properly on behalf of its only rightful owner, God. Wasting the earth’s resources is an unquestionable dereliction of our stewardship responsibilities. But this is only one of our...

Many of us have a misguided understanding of how to passionate to those in poverty. Currently, a debilitating welfare culture exists within nations that have adopted to some degree the welfare state model. Many of us have grown accustomed to viewing poverty passion narrowly. Eventually, we must face not just minor reform, but the overturning of the old paradigm. Those working in the private sector, to whom the new welfare responsibilities will fall, must begin to adopt the following...

Numerous political scientists among modern American conservatives and libertarians have lamented the redefinition of the term “liberalism” away from its classical meaning, delimiting it to meaning a political philosophy emphasizing individual freedom and limited government. Many of these scholars who lament this change have correctly traced how neo-liberals have redefined liberalism by redefining liberty itself. Relatively few, however, have explained why many twentieth-century Christians, particularly Roman Catholics, have abandoned the classical-liberal view of freedom in favor of neo-liberal, Rawlsian...

The United States is far more pared to other countries – shockingly so. Most Americans have a favorite anecdote: the couple that sued for more legroom on an airline flight; the woman who sued a fast-food restaurant for its tough bagel; the man who sued the pany for getting his wife addicted to TV. The economic costs of this litigious lifestyle are incalculable. Even more troubling is how the problem does not admit to an easy political solution. As...

In the 25th chapter of Leviticus, God, speaking of the land He promised to the Israelites, announced a principle, which became the central economic statement of the Old Testament. The “milk and honey” that characterized descriptions of the land's potential flowed from it. It reads: Land will not be sold absolutely, For the land belongs to Me, And you are only strangers and guests of Mine (Leviticus 25:23). This quote is the basis for prehensive set of macroeconomic laws...

Religious groups that consider themselves progressive are always urging a boycott of one form or another. But an example that has gained national attention is unique in this respect: It is so absurdly silly that it might provide a good learning opportunity. It seems that the restaurant Taco Bell buys some of the tomatoes it uses to make its food from growers in the Immokalee region of southwest Florida, who rely heavily on low-wage migrant workers. These growers employ...

Recently, I asked the following on a quiz in introductory American History: “What did Winthrop mean when he said that the Puritans would build a ”city on a hill“ in New England?” One student replied: “They would build a better city up away from floods and problems.” This remarkably literal answer demonstrates the continuing cultural and spiritual decline so many have eloquently critiqued in the United States. The supposedly “value-free” education offered by the state is anything but morally...

What devalues human life? Our times are undoubtedly characterized by a lack of respect for the dignity of the human person. Many who proclaim the culture of life fault the free market for devaluing human life. It is thought that the market reduces people to mere economic actors, valued only for their earning potential or their productive capacity. However, this misunderstanding of the market economy hinders our allies against the forces that degrade the human person. Let us reflect...