Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth), the follow-up

Here it is, a little more than an month since the Pope published the encyclical, and FPR has 6 articles up and at least one nearly on point article not specifically addressing the encyclical. As usual, the most direct approach is that of John Medaille in this post and in this post. In the second, and earlier, post, John makes this curious statement, "Those who have little concern for the baby, at whatever stage, will have, for example, little real concern for the environment, whatever they may claim." This is in reference to the Pope's concern for life from conception to death as stated in the encyclical.

I can't really get behind John's statement, and not simply because I disagree with him. The facts on the ground are against him. The leading environmental activists of this nation, in point of fact the true conservatives if we take the word at face value, are liberal almost to a man or woman, and presumabley mostly pro-choice. Personally, I believe this confusion comes about because John, along with the Pople, discounts completely the woman's life. Once she is pregnant, then the she no longer is an autonomous creation, but rather one subservient to the potential human being she carries. With few exceptions, if men were held to the same standard by biology, I suspect their beliefs would undergo a radical change. :)

Patrick Deneen, in this post makes a very interesting statement, one with which I concur, "It’s to be wondered whether American Catholics and fellow-travelers will overcome their cognitive dissonance to consider the continuity of the pro-life, pro-nature (”environment”) position." I don't take this as primarily aimed at pro-choicers, but rather at the pro-lifers who refuse to see the environment as their problem. Sure, he quibles about partisans a few sentences later, but I think his heart is in the right place.

In an interesting aricle for FPR, Kirkpatrick Sale riffs off the Pope, without any credits, either!, and talks about Buddha and the 8-fold path as it relates to economics: http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=4911.

All in all, this encyclical has not made the splash at FPR for which I'd hoped.

Oh well.

Jake