Tag: Martin E. Marty

Making sure you are not misunderstood

Wondering about the situation or plight of ecumenism in these perilous days, Martin Marty as expected touches all bases, including the objection to his worried tone that I had right off, as he heard from a friend,

“What are Christians in mainline and moderate and (gulp!) liberal styles griping about. They won!”

I note the “gulp!” insertion.  It’s the obligatory understated distancing himself from this concern or at least the “liberal” part.  It’s what you do when giving heed to those who are not like him and his followers, lest anyone think he’s weakening on the point.  Lots of people do this.  I have.

Marty on raw power

You may have applauded the joint effort by Catholic bishops and evangelical Protestants in opposing the HHS mandate to provide birth control and abortifacients to hospital, university, and social agency employees, but to Martin Marty, it was a case of “radical embrace of raw political power by Evangelical pastors massed in militancy to join Catholics in reaction.”

This is the presumed detached observer talking (in “Sightings” for the day, “Protestant Accommodation”) and this is how he sees it.  Read what he says and see if he hasn’t tipped his hand with this colorful language.

Faint praise — it’s a killer

 

Bowling Alone
American Grace author did this book already.

 

American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us by Robert D. Putnam and David E. Campbell is a landmark book, says Martin Marty, who praises it suspiciously.

It is fat, full of good stories, and crammed with data: the authors seem never to have found an opinion poll they didn’t like, and readers will be well served by the array of graphs which can be put to work in ways that relate to their interests, prejudice, and hopes.

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