Political note: Movable planks
Steinfels, Peter
phasis on the papacy that originated only in the first half of Correction In John Garvey's August 11 col- ...
...It is the fourth part of the plank that is entirely new-and written by Republicans...
...In this story, the main event is Vatican II...
...This council is understood to mark a dramatic turning point, a "revolution" in Catholic theology (Bernard Lonergan...
...They believe there's much unfinished work to be carried The topic is of particular importance to voters like myon...
...Or did it indicate that no one, in fact, took these committed to resolving our differences in a spirit of civility, phrases very seriously...
...Second, it doesn't return to ancient doctrinal forms...
...prefer not to highlight...
...truly want to be the "big tent" party on abortion that many This year's convention, by contrast, included a memorial commentators have urged the Republicans to become, what for Casey, who died three months ago, with a video tribute would that require...
...The quotation marks and "late modern" capitalism has become necessary...
...The first reaffirms "the right of every woman to thentic in the documents of Vatican II-the ideals of dia- choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of abillogue, engagement, and collegiality, the repudiation of co- ity to pay...
...funds for abortion in every platform since 1984...
...There will aland "ancient" in reference to the church's long and ways be more than one direction in which to move...
...Some ancient opposition to abortion...
...troduced quotation marks around the words "long" Obviously, there's room for nuance here...
...attempt to attract alienated, abortion-rights Republicans...
...One thing at work here is an effort to salve a wound Perhaps the positions of both parties on this question are opened at the Democrats' 1992 convention when the late beyond serious internal debate...
...strate that his party's expanded abortion plank is more than Todd Taylor, a Democratic party leader in Utah, where words...
...and a few words from his politician sons, Robert Casey, Jr., One model is the Democrats' own approach to conflicts Pennsylvania's auditor general, and Patrick Casey, who is over foreign trade agreements, affirmative action, and even running for Congress...
...We are proud to put into our platform," the Democrats declare, a passage that was proposed for the Republican platform in 1996 but which the Republican convention refused to accept then or to consider this One member of the platform committee, who did not year...
...It has become the The second part of the platform's abortion plank urges normative framework for its third phase...
...El Many, in fact, participated in the council as advisers...
...The acknowledgment "that there's, you know, millions of pro-life party's presidential candidate has even chosen a running Democrats out there...
...But if the revised platform means that Democrats ing for access to abortion...
...Catholics, called the revised plank a sign "that choice isn't a One suspects that this is a subject both he and Bush would litmus-test issue for the Democratic party...
...Commonweal 9 September 8, 2000...
...EJ abortion Democrats out there that Casey and Taylor claim, those voters may want to know more about what was behind Peter Steinfels writes the "Beliefs" column for the New York Times the platform revision...
...And he have deeply held and sometimes differing views on issues of could not recall that the draft plank provoked any significant personal conscience like abortion and capital punishment...
...That language, too, first appeared in 1996...
...Yet other factors and cultural allegiances seem to have excluded this possibility...
...in this light, like a counterrevolutionary force, a restora- There are really four parts to the Democratic abortion tionist interlude, and what was most distinctive and au- plank...
...There is now, ef- reducing the abortion rate through contraception, family fectively, a papal theology that is made out to be the new An- planning, and education-language also in previous platcient Theology...
...ply a matter of electoral tactics, less a conciliatory gesture Do the Democrats mean this...
...But Party leaders talk, for example, of "fair trade as well as Patrick Casey wasn't complaining...
...and is visiting professor of history at Georgetown University...
...Newman, von Hugel, and Blondel, the papacy embraced a We need to have a public conversation about this history practical anti-intellectualism and witch-hunting strategy that now, which means that many more of us need to become stifled Catholic thought for half a century...
...This term abortion, that "eliminating a woman's right to choose is one reason why, in the first story, the personal theology of is only one justice away...
...Commonweal 8 September 8, 2000 The third part of the plank declares, "The Democratic party is a party of inclusion...
...Since then, we've been arguing-sometimes bitterly-about the church's yeses and the noes to modernity and the liberal heritage...
...In that case, the RepubliGovernor Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania was not allowed cans are simply being more honest in not pretending othto voice his objections to the platform's unqualified back- erwise...
...It occurred well out of prime time, to be sure...
...guage as a positive sign of "a willingness to hear a different Is there anything concrete that Gore could do to demonpoint of view...
...self who find that the Democratic party now treats antiThe implication of this second story is a sad ambivalence abortion Democrats as hardly more worthy of a hearing about the church's current leadership, because so much of the than racists and probably less worthy of a hearing than robpresent papacy, for all its profound accomplishments, seems, ber barons...
...Or was the additional passage simhope, and mutual respect...
...The statement reads: "While the party remains stead- work on the abortion plank, believed the new language was fast in its commitment to advancing its historic principles in the initial draft...
...Those Movable planks Why has so little notice been taken who hold to the second narrative want to "restart" or "re- of the new language that the Democratic convention in Los sume" the renewal, break through the backlash, and push Angeles added to the party's platform plank on abortionforward to a more radical implementation of Vatican II...
...Campaigning alongside an there are many abortion foes among Mormons and Roman anti-abortion Democrat...
...Speaking to the issue...
...of the first story, since these are also central concerns in the thought of John Paul II...
...phasis on the papacy that originated only in the first half of Correction In John Garvey's August 11 col- the nineteenth century (what O'Malley means by the "paumn on Garry Wills's Papal Sin, an editing error in- palization of Catholicism...
...Then again, in a close election, it But if there really are the number of disgruntled, anti- might make a difference...
...I think of the leaders of these efforts were silenced by Pius XII, most it would be good for Commonweal to talk about this history of them lived to see their views vindicated by Vatican II...
...It is a conversation in which many different Nevertheless, a third opportunity to re-examine democ- kinds of expertise will be required and welcomed, but it is racy, critical history, ecumenical dialogue, the principle of re- not an issue that can be left to specialists, since it bears diligious liberty, and the relationship between theology and rectly on how we all understand ourselves as Catholics today spirituality appeared after World War II...
...Americans are urged "to take personal responsibiliformulations for its sense of the "hierarchy of truths," but ty" to avoid unintended pregnancies, a note added four makes central to its understanding of Catholicism an em- years ago...
...It implicitly acknowledges what the platforms from 1976 to 1984 had spelled out explicitly: "We fully recognize the religious and ethical concerns which many Americans have about abortion," an acknowledgment that disappeared in 1988 and 1992...
...and to solicit some further thoughts about it...
...school vouchers...
...We respect the individual conscience of each American on this difficult issue, and we welcome all our members to participate at every level of our party...
...objections or debate...
...I know the church's op- might have thought this would provide an opportunity for position to abortion is in fact long and ancient, and it dialogue with those who understand the church in terms was my intention to say so...
...That meant, he said, that "it represented and ideals, we also recognize that members of our party the considered judgment of the Gore campaign...
...University in Spokane, Washington...
...He told CNN it was an free trade" or "mending not ending affirmative action...
...ering...
...familiar with it...
...Father Garvey writes: who live in the second story would want to argue that after "This makes me appear to be winking at, or dis- Vatican II, and especially after 1989 and the collapse of comagreeing with, the idea that the church has opposed munism, a more penetrating critique of Western cultures abortion from its earliest years...
...Although several and as a messianic people entrusted with a mission...
...And he pointed to the Democratic mate whose positions on these topics diverge from his ownplatform's appropriation of the rejected Republican lan- and has described such differences as a strength...
...First, claim, based on a worst-case interpretation of June's Supreme it doesn't "return to" any dominant theological tradition- Court decision about a particularly gruesome form of latenot Scholasticism, not Thomism, not Augustinianism...
...language that was actually written by Republicans...
...In all these areas, the party leadership has The tribute was one of the few moments when an anti- taken a definite position while listening to those who disabortion word slipped edgewise into the Democratic gath- agree and looking for ways to honor their concerns...
...This second narrative rests on a view of modernity and lib- Robert J. Egan, S.J., teaches theology and spirituality at Gonzaga eralism that distinguishes positive from negative aspects...
...John Paul II has become so important...
...Or is it, as Will Rogers said to reassure alienated, anti-abortion Democrats than a shrewd of politics generally, just "applesauce...
...One were not in my original text...
...We view this diversity of views as a source of strength, not Did the lack of objections or debate mean a real consensus as a sign of weakness, and we welcome into our ranks all that the party was prepared to consider a diversity of views Americans who may hold differing positions on these and on abortion "as a source of strength, not as a sign of weakother issues...
...Recognizing that tolerance is a virtue, we are ness...
...Language supporting Roe has been in every Deercion and condemnation in the search for truth-seem ob- mocratic platform since 1976, and support for government scured and even betrayed...
...Curiously, this papacy represents a Catholic "conser- This part of the 2000 platform differs only in adding the vatism" of a brand new kind-for at least two reasons...
Vol. 127 • September 2000 • No. 15
