Chaput Blasts "Tolerance" And "Consensus"; Nation's Core Principles In Christianity, Jewish Roots

Archbishop Chaput is calling out secularists and church critics with his latest volley:

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput slammed secularism before a Southern California audience last week, calling religious faith essential to democracy and secularism "actively destructive" to it.

"Democracy does not mean putting aside our religious and moral beliefs for the sake of public policy; in fact, it demands exactly the opposite," Chaput told an audience of 700 at the first Orange County Catholic Prayer Breakfast on Thursday.

"Democracy depends on people of character fighting for their beliefs in the public square - legally, ethically and nonviolently, but forcefully and without apology."

Meanwhile, secularism "isn't really morally neutral," Chaput said, according to his prepared text. "It's actively destructive. It undermines community. It attacks the heart of what it means to be human. It rejects the sacred while posturing itself as neutral to the sacred.

"It also just doesn't work," Chaput added. "In fact, by its nature it can't work as a life-giving principle for society."

. . .

The nation's core principles, such as inalienable rights and equality under the law, are traced to Christianity and its Jewish roots, he said, lamenting that "as a country we're losing the Founders' perspective on the meaning of our shared public life."

He also blasted common cultural bywords such as "tolerance" and "consensus," saying they are of less value in making civic choices than charity, justice, faith and truth.

Even the word "community" has been corrupted, Chaput said.

It should mean mutual respect and a shared future, "not just an elegant name for an interest group. Talking about the 'abortion-rights community' makes as much sense as talking about the 'big-tobacco community,'" he said.

Archbishop Chaput--right on secularism, wrong on immigration.