Crown and Crozier
In Crown and Crozier, we invite leading thinkers to explore how the human experience is shaped by the interplay between Church and State, and what this means for tackling the great challenges of today. Join us as we examine what’s at stake for us as citizens and as a society in the dynamic engagement between civil and religious authority. The common good, basic freedoms, dignity of the person, administration of justice, self-government, the preservation of truth, goodness and beauty - all this and more hangs in the balance.
Crown and Crozier
The Ruling Class' War on Virtue ~ Bill Donohue
The Church defines virtue as the “habitual and firm disposition to do good.”
But as our guest for this episode points out, virtue as a concept and as a practice is increasingly under attack these days.
In his recent book, War on Virtue: How the Ruling Class is Killing the American Dream, Bill Donohue argues that the widespread inculcation and exercise of virtues - especially the core virtues of self-discipline, personal responsibility and perseverance - are being subverted by political, corporate and cultural elites through actions aimed at promoting racial divisions, devaluing the family, giving up on the poor, sabotaging education and rewarding incivility.
What’s needed in response, according to the author, is a concentrated campaign to instill virtue in every person, young and old, so that society can be reformed and re-normed, and the aspirations for genuine human flourishing can be realized.
Since 1993, Bill Donohue has served as the President and CEO of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, the largest Catholic civil rights organization in the United States. He’s a prolific author and commentator on civil liberties and religion, as well as a former teacher whose career began at an inner city school in New York City.
@CatholicLeague (Twitter)
Bill Donohue (biography)
Bill Donohue, War on Virtue: How the Ruling Class is Killing the American Dream (2023)
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Please note that this podcast has been edited for length and clarity.