The White Stuff
Bill McGurn ·
Sep 28, 2010 at 3:38pm
I know Denver's archbishop, Charles Chaput, reasonably well -- well enough to expect that when he delivers a thoughtful address on how the media covers religion, he's going to provoke a strong response. Fair enough.
Still, it was somewhat astonishing to read a Beliefnet commentator, Mark Silk, deploying the phrase "it's pretty white of Chaput" in a column objecting to the archbishop's remarks. Not only because it's bad form, but also because the archbishop is part Native American (Potawatomi, I believe).
Then again, maybe you have to be a professor and have gone to Harvard to write this way.
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Re: The White Stuff
Archbishop Chaput highlighted the work of GetReligion, where I contribute, in his criticism of how the media handles religious news. Chaput's point about how many in the media are unable to be self-critical is born out in Silk's odd rant. The racial slur is surprising.
Edited on Sep 28, 2010 at 4:42pmMay '10
Re: The White Stuff
I agree is was nice of Silk to so effectively prove the Archbishop's point.
I'd ignore the use of a now-disreputable idiom; I don't want to emulate the over-sensitivity of the politically correct crowd. It's an odd little bit of sarcasm, not very effective really, but we get the idea.
I'm am struck, instead, by how reflexively Silk dismisses Chaput's critique. He's never going to listen to someone with the title, "Archbishop".
Re: The White Stuff
On a separate note, Chaput handled some tough questions from the media in this Pew Forum last year. The exchanges with Sally Quinn and other liberal media types are so fascinating to me that I go back to it again and again to remind myself how to defend my faith and how to do it with grace and humor. Archbishop Chaput is a true gem for American Catholics. As is NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan. These two, I would argue, are the Chris Christies of American Catholicism. Because of them, I have great hope.
Jun '10
Re: The White Stuff
Ursula Hennessey: As is NY Archbishop Timothy Dolan. These two, I would argue, are the Chris Christies of American Catholicism. Because of them, I have great hope. · Sep 28 at 4:32p
I love the analogy!
Archbishop Chaput's Render Unto Ceasar is a book every American Catholic should read. Especially those who plan on voting any time soon...
Re: The White Stuff
Silk disdainfully summarizes Chaput's argument as follows: "Journalism is composed of knowledge-class professionals who make secularist assumptions about American society that shows they are out of touch with real Americans."
But journalism is staffed by "knowledge-class professionals"--indeed, journalists virtually define the term "knowledge class." Do they make "secularist assumptions"? Every poll or study of which I'm aware indicates that journalists attend religious services less often than most Americans, so it's at least a fair supposition that their underlying assumptions are indeed "secularist." And since most Americans are neither members of the "knowledge class" nor "secularist," journalists are indeed, to that extent, "out of touch with real Americans."
Chaput, in other words, is making perfectly reasonable--even uncontroversial--points. And that being the case, it's Silk, not the archbishop, who has some explaining to do.
May '10
Re: The White Stuff
Samwise, while we're on the subject of Catholics and misrepresentation, I agree that the bishops should force some universities to decide to either faithfully represent Church teachings or cease describing themselves as Catholic. I just didn't respond in the other thread because I didn't want to derail it.
Representing Church teaching does not mean excluding contrary views. It means, at the very least, presenting those views with respect and being willing to acknowledge God's role in our histories, our achievements, and our daily lives.
Prayer clubs do not make a university religious, let alone Christian -- many secular schools have them. Crucifixes on the walls are dim reminders where God is never mentioned. More should distinguish an average day at a Christian university and secular one than statues and pictures.
Jun '10
Re: The White Stuff
Aaron Miller: More should distinguish an average day at a Christian university and secular one than statues and pictures. · Sep 28 at 6:33pm
I agree with everything you just said. I think Notre Dame would be the perfect place to start. When they invited the most pro-abortion politician in the history of our country to speak at their commencement and to honor him with a degree, they solidified their separation from the Church in a definitive way.
As more and more bishops gain confidence to take this necessary action, the best way to support their efforts is to deplete the financial resources of these schools.
There are many faithful Catholic institutions out there (the University of Dallas, Thomas Aquinas College, Franciscan University, etc). Send your money to them. It wasn't too long ago that Notre Dame was a school for poor Irish Catholics. The same forces that raised ND, and other schools like it, will be the same that bring them down if they continue to oppose the Church while retaining her name.
May '10
Re: The White Stuff
If I had been more studious, I probably would have attended Ave Maria or St. Thomas here in Houston.
Ironically, I felt called to be at Our Lady of the Lake, where someone needed to stand up for the Church. That's where I learned what it's like to have a newspaper use only a fragment of my argument (understandably). The university press office approached me before the interview, worried about what I'd say. I directed the reporter to Ex Corde Ecclessiae and our bishops' summary. I was surprised she cut:
Imagine that the San Antonio Spurs, a formal participant in the NBA, sponsors a community outreach program. The Spurs players may ethically discuss and voice opinions about NBA guidelines, but they may not actively promote violation of those guidelines or misrepresent them in any way. As representatives of the Spurs team (and, in turn, the NBA), the players are under an obligation to limit their actions; even when not participating in a basketball game.
...a Catholic university may promote and affiliate with debate of Church instruction, such as the Church's stance on homosexuality, but the university may not ethically promote or affiliate with a contrary instruction.
Jun '10
Re: The White Stuff
Bill, I was reading about the demise of Zucker from NBC and Klein of CNN. Andrew Hayward of CBS called them two Ivy League guys,,, and then some more compliments. but what stuck out to me was the Ivy League remark... Zucker has had NBC at a standstill for years, CNBC was not his creation, MSNBC was. As for Klein, well look what he did for CNN.
I have not come up with the term, (sorry to mr. long and his yale sweater), but the revolt against the ivies/elites is in this whole tea party movement and the response from the elites are the attacks like the one on the cardinal...
Re: The White Stuff
The archbishop cited these lines by Orwell to describe the groupthink we often see in the media, especially when it comes to its treatment of the religious:
Sep '10
Re: The White Stuff
"knowledge-class professionals"
I believe Peter Drucker is credited with first using Knowledge Worker in print and he certainly didn't call them a "class".