31 Churches to Close Grace to the Catholic Church
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OF MANY THINGS n one long wall of my office Accordingly, Father Hunt soon returned 106 West 56th Street in New York, arranged in to his duties as literary editor. In New York, NY 10019-3803 Ph: 212-581-4640; Fax: 212-399-3596 1984 he was named editor in chief. Otwo rows, are the portraits Subscriptions: 1-800-627-9533 of of my predecessors, 13 in all since In 1987 he was among 16 Catholic www.americamagazine.org 1909. Among them are some of the journalists invited to attend Pope John facebook.com/americamag most accomplished churchmen in U.S. Paul II’s meeting in September 1987 twitter.com/americamag history, a daily reminder that I stand with leaders of the entertainment and PRESIDENT AND EDITOR IN CHIEF on the shoulders of giants. The third communication industry in Los Angeles. Matt Malone, S.J. portrait from the right, on the bottom George Hunt, S.J., retired from EXECUTIVE EDITORS row, is that of George W. Hunt, S.J., America in 1998, at the conclusion of Robert C. Collins, S.J., Maurice Timothy Reidy the 11th editor in chief. A native of the magazine’s most prosperous year MANAGING EDITOR Kerry Weber Yonkers, N.Y., Father Hunt entered to date. He remains the longest serving LITERARY EDITOR Raymond A. Schroth, S.J. the Society of Jesus in 1954 and was editor in chief. Later that year, he was SENIOR EDITOR AND CHIEF CORRESPONDENT ordained a priest in 1967. He earned named director of the Archbishop Kevin Clarke a theology degree from Yale Divinity Hughes Institute for Religion and EDITOR AT LARGE James Martin, S.J. POETRY EDITOR Joseph Hoover, S.J. School in 1970, later remarking that Culture at Fordham University. Father ASSOCIATE EDITOR AND VATICAN CORRESPONDENT his decision to study Kierkegaard with Hunt died in 2011 at the age of 74. Gerard O’Connell Professor Paul Holmer was “the best His legacy, however, is still growing. ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY EDITOR and most fruitful decision in my entire America and the Saint Thomas More Elizabeth Tenety academic life,” for it set the stage for a Center and Chapel at Yale University ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley McKinless lifelong study of the literary arts. announced last month that we will ASSISTANT EDITORS Francis W. Turnbull, S.J., Olga Segura, Joseph McAuley After completing a Ph.D. at Syracuse award an annual prize in Father Hunt’s ART DIRECTOR Sonja Kodiak Wilder University, Father Hunt joined the staff name. Through the generosity of Mr. COLUMNISTS Helen Alvaré, John J. Conley, S.J., of America in 1981 as the review’s Vincent, The George W. Hunt Prize Daniel P. Horan, O.F.M., James T. Keane, John W. literary editor, a position, he said, will recognize a writer under the age of Martens, Bill McGarvey, Angela Alaimo O’Don- nell, Margot Patterson, Nathan Schneider that provided “the ideal situation to 45 whose work embodies the qualities CORRESPONDENTS read more widely and deeply.” Father that Father Hunt valued most: rigor, John Carr (Washington), Anthony Egan, S.J. Hunt’s voracious appetite for the order and discipline of thought, as well (Johannesburg), Jim McDermott, S.J. (Los Angeles), Timothy Padgett (Miami), Steven written word afforded him a deeply as honesty, sympathy and optimism. Schwankert (Beijing), David Stewart, S.J. (London), sophisticated knowledge of a broad The selection committee will consider Judith Valente (Chicago), Mary Ann Walsh, R.S.M. range of literary and cultural topics. writers and works in a variety of genres, (U.S. Church) MODERATOR, CATHOLIC BOOK CLUB “Over the years,” his longtime friend including journalism, fiction, poetry, Kevin Spinale, S.J. and former commissioner of Major drama, music, memoir, biography, EDITORIAL E-MAIL League Baseball Fay Vincent wrote in history and art criticism. The recipient [email protected] 2011, “George demonstrated to me that will receive a $25,000 award. Details PUBLISHER AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER he knew more than just about anyone can be found at americamagazine.org/ Edward Spallone alive about football and baseball, jazz, huntprize. DEPUTY PUBLISHER the movies, modern fiction—especially In addition to his columns and Rosa Del Saz VICE PRESIDENT/ADVANCEMENT Cheever and Updike—the Civil War, reviews in America, Father Hunt Daniel Pawlus political history, Winston Churchill, was the author of book-length works DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR Irish history, Tammany Hall and of biography and literary criticism, Kerry Goleski “Boss”Tweed, military history— including: John Cheever: The Hobgoblin OPERATIONS STAFF especially World War II—and the list Company of Love and John Updike Chris Keller, Glenda Castro ADVERTISING CONTACT could go on and on.” and the Three Great Secret Things: Sex, [email protected]; 212-515-0102 In 1983 Father Hunt took a leave Religion, and Art. Father Hunt’s editorial SUBSCRIPTION CONTACT/ADDITIONAL COPIES of absence to be a visiting lecturer at style was, in his own words, both [email protected]; Georgetown University. During his time “welcoming and honest; its sensibility 1-800-627-9533 there, he came to appreciate “the work sympathetic; its viewpoint optimistic.” © 2014 America Press, Inc. of America all the more, in that a writer These are the same exacting standards had contact with 50,000 people per for future recipients of the prize that Cover: A member loyal to the Islamic State in week, a number impossible to duplicate now bears his name. Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) waves an ISIL flag in after a lifetime in the classroom.” MATT MALONE, S.J. Raqqa, June 29, 2014. Reuters/Stringer Contents www.americamagazine.org VOL. 211 NO. 16, WHOLE NO. 5070 NOVEMBER 24, 2014 ARTICLES 17 ENDANGERED INDONESIA Can this unique Islamic culture survive an era of absolutism? David Pinault 23 ReVISIONIST ISLAM The origins of a modern nightmare in Iraq and Syria Patrick J. Ryan 26 CLOSER TO COMMUNION What the patriarchates mean for today’s church John R. Quinn 17 COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS 4 Current Comment 5 Editorial Learning the News 6 Reply All 9 Signs of the Times 14 Washington Front Midterm Malaise John Carr 29 Vatican Dispatch Good Stewards Gerard O’Connell 30 Faith in Focus Finding Forgiveness Camille D’Arienzo 39 The Word Daily Distractions John W. Martens 26 BOOKS & CULTURE 32 THEATER “The Last Ship” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog in Night-Time” OF OTHER THINGS Avoiding Absolutism BOOKS What They Wished For; On the Left Bank of the Tiber POEM Settler’s Gravestones, Millersburg, Ohio ON THE WEB Nathan Schneider offers a video reflection on what he learned from Occupy Wall Street, and Christopher Bellito reviews an exhibit on the Crusader Bible. Full digital highlights on page 13 and at americamagazine.org/ webfeatures. 32 CURRENT COMMENT to global nuclear disarmament, a quest the church has Unlocking Washington endorsed since 1963. With U.S. and Russian treaties leading With a solid majority in the Senate, gains in the House the way, the world seemed to be making progress in reducing and gubernatorial victories in even the bluest of states, its suicidal stockpile of atomic weapons. The United Republicans appeared ready to sound a conciliatory tone States should remain set on that goal, and should likewise after the midterm elections. At a press conference on persist in efforts to curtail the further proliferation of these Nov. 5, one of the previous night’s biggest winners, Mitch weapons. That includes the recent and unjustifiably maligned McConnell, who is expected to become Senate majority diplomatic overture toward Iran. leader, told reporters: “When the American people choose The United States can perhaps be most persuasive by divided government, I don’t think it means they don’t want example. Spending $36 billion more each year to enhance us to do anything.... We ought to start with the view that its nuclear force is not leadership; it is a pandering to fear maybe there are some things we can agree on.” and political special interests. Nuclear disarmament remains As the governing party, the Republicans can no longer as imperative an ambition today as when activists, horrified simply pursue the path of greatest resistance to President by the specter of global nuclear war, first proposed it. This Obama; they will need concrete legislative victories to keep enormous commitment of U.S. resources to retrofitting and their hold on Congress and in hope of putting a Republican refining U.S. weapons of mass destruction is a moral and in the White House in 2016. And while the president might geopolitical step backward. be tempted to repay once-obstructionist lawmakers in kind with the veto pen, the challenges this country faces call for creative compromises. Mr. Obama could, for example, Death and Dignity approve the Keystone pipeline project but pair it with new The death on Nov. 1 of Brittany Maynard, who was resources toward developing sustainable energy to point the diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer earlier this year, has country in the right direction on climate change. Corporate revived debate around the right-to-die movement in the tax reform and creating jobs by investing in this country’s United States. The 29-year-old California woman moved crumbling infrastructure are both areas where there are to Oregon in order to obtain the fatal dose of medication, opportunities for bipartisan cooperation which she took to end her life, surrounded by family and When Gallup asked Americans what they wanted from loved ones, on the date she chose and publicized in an their new Congress, the largest share, one third, responded interview with People magazine in October. that its first priority should be to fix itself. After the two least Such suffering is hard to contemplate, but her decision— productive sessions of Congress in modern U.S.