Religious Leaders to Government: We Must Get Our Fiscal House In Order

Both Republicans and Democrats have a religion problem, and it has nothing to do with same-sex marriage, abortion, or religious liberty. Rather, their serious stumbling blocks are budgets, deficits, and debt-ceiling deadlines. That’s right, in a city deeply divided between the political right and left, there is a growing consensus from religious leaders that we

Boston: A Runner’s Reflection

When called on to comfort and reassure communities stricken by tragedy—be it manmade or act of God—American politicians often turn to sports metaphors. The marathon in particular lends itself to declarations of perseverance in the face of disaster: to collectively push through the “wall,” knowing that on the other side, “someone will be there to

What Ever Happened to the Common Ground on Abortion Reduction?

The temperature of abortion politics is usually at a steady boil. Over the past two years, it has been downright scorching. Last week, heated debates escalated in the media over the coverage—or lack of coverage—of the trial of Kermit Gosnell, the doctor accused of murder, performing illegal abortions, and other offenses at his clinic. Last

How about a “Do Over” for the HHS Mandate?

Editor’s Note: The comment period for the latest proposed accommodation to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide contraception coverage ended on April 8. We asked legal thinkers if this round of proposed exemptions to the HHS mandate is adequate.  Judging by critics’ reactions to the Obama Administration’s latest tweaking of the HHS Mandate, you

Rhetoric Versus Reality: The Contraception Benefit and Religious Freedom

Editor’s Note: The comment period for the latest proposed accommodation to the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide contraception coverage ended on April 8. We asked legal thinkers if this round of proposed exemptions to the HHS mandate is adequate.  The Catholic bishops argue that the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that health plans include contraception

“Speaking Truth to Power in Love”: An Interview with Jonathan Walton

When he was named the Pusey Minister of Harvard University’s Memorial Church, Jonathan Walton became the latest in a line of prominent African-American ministers to call the greater-Boston area home. The New York Times noted as much in its coverage of Walton’s installation ceremony that took place last November, linking Walton to his predecessor, the

Declaration of Conscience

On June 1, 1950, Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995), a Republican Senator from Maine, delivered her “Declaration of Conscience” speech to the U.S. Senate. Though she did not mention him by name, Smith used her oration to criticize the tactics of her colleague Senator Joseph McCarthy and his anti-Communist crusade. She did not want to see