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Replying to Thread: A GodSpy Interview with William T. Cavanaugh [Feature]
Created On February 14, 2007 12:26 AM by Godspy

Godspy

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Joined: Sep 2003

February 14, 2007 12:26 AM

Few theologians have been more radically orthodox in mining Catholic tradition to explain the 'death of God' in modern societies than Dr. William T. Cavanaugh. We spoke to him recently about the Eucharist, politics, consumerism, war, and how Catholics can repair the rift between faith and life.

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February 15, 2007 12:56 PM

Is America indeed the �last best hope� for this world? Do courageous young men and women sacrifice their lives in the spirit of Jesus Christ to spread liberty and protect America? Is not America�s foreign policy in the Mideast to protect the state of Israel and defend against the destruction of the Promised Land? Is there not evil in this world manifested through a radical faction of Islam? In the world I live in the answers to these questions are a resounding yes, however in the world that Dr. William T. Cavanaugh lives in the answers are blurred within a moral ambiguity that I admittedly had lived with since abandoning the Catholic Church as a child. The irony is that when I truly examined these questions and drew the conclusions I did, I reasoned my way back to the Christian faith. When I concluded my secular education at Notre Dame, Dr. Cavanaugh would be pleased to know that I did not go out and try to save the world since I embraced an existential worldview. Dr. Cavanaugh might be right in his assessment of these questions and his criticism of America, but if I had continued thinking that way I would not have accepted Jesus as my Savior.

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February 15, 2007 2:34 PM

I can not believe how accurately Dr. Cavanaugh represents what my husband and myself see as clear Catholic thinking about being an American Catholic, or more accurately, a Catholic who happens to find herself in the Land of Oz. The impetus behind his words is the Eucharist and the Church, not self serving ideology that justifies materialism and violence or the worshipping of technology. Kudos to Dr. Cavanaugh and Godspy for highlighting him.

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February 20, 2007 12:09 PM

The last two sentences are the keys to success, true freedom, and peace !
"But the highest priority for the Church should be to live the gospel, not just preach it. Don�t just adore the Eucharist: enact it. "
This interview is excellent. Words and dialogue are good, but it is instruction by deeds and or actions that is needed. Kudos to Dr. Cavanaugh for (pardon the cliche') practicing what he preaches.

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Joined: Feb 2004

February 20, 2007 9:53 PM

Great stuff - GodSpy continues to blow-up the liberal/conservative establishment press divide within the US and the domestic Church. One question I had was why Dr. Cavanaugh didn't mention the godsend for political Catholics (the laity in fact), that the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church has been? I agreed with pretty much every assertion that I read from the good Doc, but there did seem to be some tension in how he denigrated the Nation-State to stress the role of individuals (Personalism). My own read of the social doctrine as an orthodox Catholic is that the political authority has a duty to guarantee the universal common good- that is why such authority exists in the first place. There is a need for such authority to harmonize the many sometimes competing forces in society. It isn't that the individual isn't key to this process of building civilizations of love, but the political authority and the sovereign Nation-State provide some answers as well. It is a both/and, not either/or situation. Like Dr.Cavanaugh said the National authorities are needed to protect against some of these global forces like borderless capital investment moving throughout the world seeking out the poor and vulnerable labor pools and exploiting them- is there not a direct role for Catholics in national and state level politics? I am attempting to gain some measure of power in my own state of Florida by running for the state legislature- I am running as a pro-life Democrat, but more than that my goal is to be a 100% social doctrine consistent Catholic candidate- am I wasting my time? I would ask Dr.Cavanaugh and Godspy staff and readership to check out my web site at timshipe.com and send me a critique from the position of social doctrine orthodoxy. I also have some articles on the faithfuldemocrats.org web site. I would actually like to see an American bloc vote centered on the social doctrine, and the compendium is the best blueprint- why not set up "book club" type compendium readings/discussions in every parish in the country and try to get on the same page by reading the same pages of inspired content?

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February 23, 2007 9:49 AM

The war in Iraq is a troubling issue for many faithful Catholics who happen to be Americans who are either in the military or have family members in the military. On the one hand, the U.S. military acts under the leadership of the president, and on the other, as Dr. Cavanaugh advocates, each person must analyze the situation and come to a decision based on sound Catholic social teaching and morality.

I have found it "schizophrenic" in one sense to say "I support the U.S. troops" and also at the same time "but I don't support the war in Iraq." The only way I personally can reconcile the two is by saying that in the beginning I made a tentative decision that the war may be just (I was not sure whether or not it was), and now that the U.S. is there and the circumstances have changed, I cannot simply withdraw my support of the troops overseas and demand that they return to America with Iraq left unstable.

My views are admittedly influenced by my having a family member who has served twice in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps between 2004 and 2006. I am very proud of him, and not a day passes that I don't thank God for his sacrifice, and for the sacrifice of many others who have been sent overseas.

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