Christian History: “We Report, You Decide”
August 16, 2004
Here’s a curious item from Christian History, a sister publication of Christianity Today, on the Feast of Assumption. The reader learns in a few paragraphs, carefully bracketed by an introduction and postscript written by CH’s editor, to appreciate the “forgotten” Christian history surrounding the Blessed Mother’s dormition and assumption.
CH appears ready, like a good liberal citizen, to “appreciate” the cultural diversity it forgot existed in the history of our faith; however, little to nothing is said by either the author or the editor about the truth or falsity of Mary’s assumption. It seems when it comes to all things ecumenical, the CT family of publications has adopted the Fox News motto: “We report, you decide!” Of course, such a motto neatly conceals the fact that such media outlets remain gatekeepers of the germane, arbiters of the appropriate, moderators of the mentionable. Readers retain the modern grail of choice, but only with respect to all that “we report,” and only if they don’t raise a ruckus at the choices others make. It should be presumed, then, that when a subject is covered in this manner, it has been deemed not to threaten, in any real way, any of the other subjects covered, and vice-versa. Apparently, Catholic Marian doctrines have thus become safe for Evangelical consumption these days, having been papered over with a quaint and vague religiosity and mysticism that is the Bobo’s spiritual stock and trade.
On the other hand, don’t expect to see any appreciations for the “forgotten” religious practices of, say, Jan van Leydon’s Muenster.
This is Christian History: “We Report, You Decide” in The Japery, a part of The New Pantagruel. Previously: Worldview Weekend and the Will to Power | Next: The “Religion Gap” Doesn’t Matter to Liberals in the Long Run | TrackBack (0) | Comments (0)
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