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From the Director's Desk...
Woodstock Report No. 73, March 2003"Religion and the Renewal of Civic Society" was the topic of the successful January 2003 Woodstock Forum, held on Georgetown University's campus. I am pleased to make a summary of the discussion available to you in this issue of the Woodstock Report.
No longer can we take it for granted that most people in our country agree that religion plays a positive role in society. This raises the question, what role can religion play in civil society? What can it contribute to developing the building blocks like trust and social capital that renew our social world and give it moral cohesion? It has always been an important question, given Catholicism's historical contribution to American life; and under the current circumstances it takes on an even greater significance.
But it is not a question that Catholics are alone in addressing. I recently had the good fortune to come upon an enormously beautiful film, Why Has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? Made by the Korean director Bae Yon-Kyun in 1989, it follows a young Buddhist monk searching for spiritual enlightenment in the context of a culture that is foreign to us. Despite its "foreignness," though, it offers a very recognizable illustration of the way that religion can play a role in the renewal of civil society only when it fosters full human development and wisdom.
In the discussion moderated by columnist and Brookings Institution fellow E.J. Dionne, Jr., there was fundamental agreement among the panelists that religion does have a creative public role to play. Ms. Joan Rosenhauer began by arguing that the church can and should contribute to renewing and strengthening society. Despite its failings, the church carries values that society needs. Father Bill O'Neill, S.J., built on this thought, pointing out ways in which Catholics play a distinctive role through social action in which Christ is the central figure. Dr. John Farina further developed both panelists' themes, noting that if the church can get beyond its current
difficulties, it can bring much needed resources to civic renewal - including intellectual tools, experience in blending cultural diversity, and what Dr. Farina calls "the Catholic heart."
Agreeing on a goal, though, is only the beginning of the process; the most difficult practical questions still remain. All of us face, in one way or another, the challenge of relating our hunger for God to the renewal of society. How do we bring our powers of reasoning - as well as our faith - to the revitalizing of everyday civic life? In The Passionate God, Catholic theologian Rosemary Luling Haughton echoes St. Paul's letter to the Romans (5:5) in saying that there is an "inner" way of wisdom that lies at the heart of all true religion. It is the gift of personal love that God gives to every human heart. People in our society hunger for this wisdom.
The January forum marked the launch of an important Woodstock project entitled "Catholicism and Civic Renewal," co-directed by John Farina and Leon Hooper, S.J. It will combine historical, constitutional, and political analysis with systematic theological reflection and the "way of wisdom" that lies deep within the Catholic tradition. Experts will try to understand how our religion and our knowledge of God's love shape our efforts to renew society. We hope for your partnership in this venture.
Gasper F. Lo Biondo, S.J.
Director
