Posted on 03/27/2009 4:30:07 PM PDT by rhema
Francis Beckwith knows what it's like to be in the middle of controversy. In fact, he thinks he's a magnet for it. Beckwith, who is a philosophy and church-studies professor at Baylor University, triggered a debate when he resigned as president of the Evangelical Theological Society after converting to Catholicism.
Now Beckwith happens to be a visiting fellow at the University of Notre Dame, where a new debate is focused on the university's invitation to President Obama to speak at commencement.
"My wife says I'm like the Forrest Gump for controversy," he said. "But on campus, more people are concerned about whether the Fighting Irish would beat Kentucky." Beckwith spoke with Christianity Today about what the discussion means for Catholic and evangelical higher education institutions. (See also responses from Fuller Seminary president Richard Mouw and Union University president David Dockery.)
Since the President will speak at several commencement ceremonies during his term, why did his invitation to speak at Notre Dame create such a stir?
There's nothing wrong with inviting speakers to campus who disagree with the university. I don't think that's the issue here. Here, you have a combination of a commencement address and an honorary doctorate. The honorary doctorate is more troubling than the commencement address because to give him an honorary doctorate in law is to say that he's accomplished something in the field of law that the University of Notre Dame wants to honor. In the past three weeks, we've seen a number of different events, one of which was the change in policy on embryonic stem cell research. The problem is, the areas in which he's been involved with legislation on the issue of abortion have been contrary to Catholic teaching.
Colleges regularly invite people whom they may disagree with to speak on campus.
(Excerpt) Read more at christianitytoday.com ...
Yep, that about nails it! Except I wouldn't even have him as a Commencement speaker! If the school wanted to invite him to debate his ideas with the students and faculty, it could be used as a teachable moment. That's not what a Commencement Address is supposed to be about.
Think about what's happening here? Obama is pro-abortion, cutting on charity and religion with his tax restructuring, is himself secular........... and now he's giving a commencement speech at a Catholic school. It's one thing to ask someone with opposing views to speak in a debate so that both sides are heard. It's an entirely another issue when someone is honored and given the floor to speak and he completely opposes everything one believes in.
It's sort of obvious that this is wrong. However, when people climb higher and things get political concepts like principals, values, and beliefs, often get lost along the way.
Not a slam on the Catholic laity but your church and institutions have turned into ineffectual, timid and corrupt agents of the gospel. The Catholic Church has never failed to disappoint when it comes to not so veiled support of the socialist baby killers in the Democratic Party. Why do we as conservatives continue to wish that American Catholics as a voting block will wake the freak up. No wonder Islam is laughing, Catholics are more concerned these days about Marian mysticism and slamming Protestants than actual living their faith and defending freedom, liberty and life.
A Priest was being honored at his retirement dinner after 25 years in the parish. A leading local politician, Obama a former member of the congregation was chosen to make the presentation and to give a little speech at the dinner.
However, Obama was delayed, so the Priest decided to say his own few words while they waited:
‘I got my first impression of the parish from the first confession I heard here. I thought I had been assigned to a terrible place. The very first person who entered my confessional told me he had stolen a television set and, when questioned by the police, was able to lie his way out of it. He had evaded taxes, took bribes, stolen money from his parents, embezzled from his employer, had an affair with his boss’s wife, taken illegal drugs, and gave VD to his sister. I was appalled.
But as the days went on I learned that my people were not all like that and I had, indeed, come to a fine parish full of good and loving people.’...
Just as the Priest finished his talk, the Obama arrived full of apologies at being late. He immediately began to make the presentation and gave his talk:
‘I’ll never forget the first day our parish Priest arrived,’ said Obama. ‘In fact, I had the honor of being the first person to go to him for confession.’
NEVER, NEVER ARRIVE LATE!
Different folks. The ones welcoming Obomber have Democratic-Party respectability as their true religion. They have no interest in "Marian mysticism" or slamming Protestants, NOR in defending liberty and life. They are embarrassed by the Pope and hope people won't think they are like THOSE Catholics.
Ironically, the ones with the most zeal for Mary and for debating Protestants are those with whom you probably have most in common. Most I have met believe in the Bible, love Jesus, and tend to be huge activists for liberty and life.
I know many Catholics and I haven't heard them talk about either of those but I have heard them talk of the latter with passion.
Maybe you ought to wait a week or two before playing God.
The wheels are turning. Today Cardinal DiNardo denounced Notre Dame. It was clear last fall that a growing number of bishops are finally “getting it” as far as the Democrats declaring war on the Church. Obama’s first weeks in office have made that clearer.
Notre Dame is going to get hammered on this. But there are channels and rules and canon law in the Catholic Church. We don’t consist solely of TV preachers who can get up on their soapboxes and shoot their mouths off and be speaking for themselves and their handful of followers but no one else. For the bishop of Phoenix and now the Cardinal Archbishop of Houston to PUBLICLY take ND to task is unprecedented. Bishops just did not “meddle” in affairs of another diocese like this in the past.
Notre Dame is a 1000 pound gorilla within the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. If Bishop D’Arcy had given the kind of denunciation that would have satisfied all the pontificating blowhards on FR, Notre Dame would have yawned and told him to go pound sand.
That’s why Olmsted and now DiNardo have spoken up. I expect several more; perhaps something from Rome. I can guarantee you right now that the Superior of the Holy Cross order (not the US Provincial) in Rome is being leaned on. Granted, the order cannot dictate what the University does, having handed it over to a lay board of trustees decades ago. But there’s a lot going in behind closed doors right now and you’ll see the results over the next two weeks.
I expect that in the end, Zero will give his damn speech but won’t get his damn honorary degree.
Just how effectual have the 7,000 Protestant denominations been in halting the horror of abortion since 1973? The Catholics and Catholics alone stood up in 1973 and resisted. So take your timid-label and stuff it.
When my “alma mater,” Wheeling Jesuit University, invited Janey Reno to be Commencement speaker, I wrote and complained. I got back a snotty letter from a dean, pretending to instruct me about “academic freedom.”
Of course, this was bogus, since a Commencement speaker does not come to campus to DEBATE. A Commencement speaker comes to be celebrated.
I always refer to the place as Wheeling Pro-Abortion University. The Jesuits are, with a few isolated exceptions, a pro-abortion organization masquerading as a Catholic religious order.
By far the best quote out of all the stories I’ve read about this today. Brilliant in its simplicity.
I asked a Jesuit priest once what he thought about abortion and he asked me if I was kidding. I said no. I think I pissed him off.
Keep FReeping Notre Dame. Don’t let up.
Here are some links from other threads.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=28#28
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=87#87
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=101#101
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2210995/posts?page=102#102
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=29#29
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2212664/posts?page=37#37
I agree with you here, although many of these are not practicing Catholics.
Catholics are more concerned these days about Marian mysticism and slamming Protestants than actual living their faith and defending freedom, liberty and life.
I am a Catholic, and that statement is a blanket condemnation. I, a "cradle Catholic," have learned much about the practical application of Biblical Principles in my daily walk with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, from Protestant Bretheren. My love and devotion to Our Blessed Mother in no way hinders this daily walk, but rather promotes and enhances it. I am convinced that our country will ultimately be saved by the intercession of Mary before the throne of Mercy.
I understand your frustration. I feel it too, regarding people who identify themselves as Catholic, but really aren't. Or those who are simply ignorant about what the Church teaches.
However, please remember that there are Catholics who know their faith, and are loyal to it. Ones who also see no conflict in embracing fellow Christians of different denominations, as well as Mary, the Help of (all) Christians.
Ping to my #15, and thanks. :-)
She's now a Junior, and has really enjoyed the school. There is ample opportunity for mingling with the opposite sex without running into them in the hallways on the way to the bathroom!
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