EDITOR’S NOTE: Archbishop Charles J. Chaput is the emeritus archbishop of Philadelphia. His books embrace “Issues Value Dying For: Ideas on a Life Value Dwelling and “Strangers in a Unusual Land: Dwelling the Catholic Religion in a Submit-Christian World.” Additionally really useful: This 2009 lecture and Q&A session with reporters on the Pew Discussion board on Faith & Public Life, together with his ideas on mainstream media protection of faith.
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A free press is a part of the American id. It’s additionally one in all our important establishments. A accountable press and a religion formed by the God of charity and justice share two issues in frequent: a priority for human dignity, and an curiosity in reality.
That is why — to be particular — journalism protection of faith is so necessary.
Believers and non-believers may outline that phrase “reality” in a different way, and the variations could be critical. However an sincere seek for it creates a sort of maturity. And that maturity permits us to construct an honest, frequent future by means of our decisions right here and now.
Freedom implies that our decisions matter. And our errors have penalties. That’s why so many individuals, more and more right this moment, appear to desire a rescue from the burden of non-public accountability; deliverance from the work of pondering critically about themselves, their world, their mortality and the aim of their lives.
All of us wrestle with these temptations. People as a persons are no exception.
So I can think about an America with out a genuinely free and honest press. And I can think about an America with a lot much less non secular religion. We’re properly on the best way to getting each. However in both case, the end result will probably be a really totally different America and a betrayal of the generations that constructed it.
The purpose is that this: The sort of journalism that tracks our non secular life — precisely, truthfully and intelligently — is so important as a result of journalism is the occupation the place two of our defining freedoms meet.
For many years, Terry Mattingly has fought for the integrity of American journalism, and particularly religion-beat journalism, with tireless power and unmatched talent. The crew at GetReligion has been a strong software in that work.
This web site’s file is excellent. It will likely be sorely missed.
