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Playing God : American Catholic bishops and the far right / Mary Jo McConahay.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York : Melville House, 2023Description: 274 pages 23 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781685890285
  • 1685890288
Subject(s): Summary: "How the powerful U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and its ultra-conservative allies are waging a political war on democratic norms and institutions. Playing God, by Mary Jo McConahay, a leading Catholic journalist in the United States, is the definitive account of how the Catholic bishops are attempting to remake America in their own image, campaigning to alter democratic institutions under the guise of religious liberty, allying with major right-wing contributors, such as the Kochs and the Mercers, as well as ultra-right evangelicals whom they increasingly resemble politically. It tells the story of how these bishops - two-hundred and twenty-nine men, almost all beyond middle age and white-- fueled by Catholic "dark money" -have become one of the most formidable and reactionary forces in American society. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is one of the most powerful religious organizations supporting nationalist-populist conservatism in America today. The media have focused more on the Evangelical movement as the heart and soul of religious conservatism, or on the secular role of the Koch family. But the Catholic bishops are playing, perhaps, a more important role. They do it in partnership with some of the wealthiest lay Catholics in America, who have their own reasons for promoting an ultra-conservative, nationalist state. Many of the bishops and their billionaire partners are staunch opponents of Pope Francis, to the point that some U.S. Catholics fear schism with Rome. The U.S. bishops recently decided their priests could deny the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians like President Biden, probably the most famous Catholic in the world besides the pope. With their lay partners, the bishops help shepherd cases into the Supreme Court that change the law of the land, as with Roe v. Wade. These are just two recent examples of their long-term political strategy of attacking secular, liberal democracy by waging war on democratic norms and institutions"-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 261.7088 M129 Available 33111011258932
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"A fascinating, investigative dive . . . both alarming and enlightening." - Jane Mayer, author of Dark Money

The definitive account of how a group of American Catholic bishops are using "dark money" and allying with ultra-right evangelicals in an attempt to remake America . . .

Seasoned Catholic journalist and former war correspondent Mary Jo McConahay tells the story of how the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have become one of the most formidable and reactionary forces in America - by campaigning to alter democratic institutions under the guise of religious liberty, and allying with major right-wing contributors such as the Kochs.

In fact, many of the bishops-two-hundred and twenty-nine men, almost all white and beyond middle age-are such staunch opponents of Pope Francis that some US Catholics fear a schism with Rome.

The influence of these bishops can be traced in recent news stories-such was when they maneuvered to deny the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians like President Biden. With their lay partners, the bishops also help shepherd cases into the Supreme Court that change the law of the land, as with Roe v. Wade.

But as McConahay details, that's just the tip of the iceberg. In an investigation reminiscent of Jane Mayer's Dark Money, she uncovers an ominous and long-term political strategy of attacking secular, liberal democracy by waging war on democratic norms and institutions.

"How the powerful U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and its ultra-conservative allies are waging a political war on democratic norms and institutions. Playing God, by Mary Jo McConahay, a leading Catholic journalist in the United States, is the definitive account of how the Catholic bishops are attempting to remake America in their own image, campaigning to alter democratic institutions under the guise of religious liberty, allying with major right-wing contributors, such as the Kochs and the Mercers, as well as ultra-right evangelicals whom they increasingly resemble politically. It tells the story of how these bishops - two-hundred and twenty-nine men, almost all beyond middle age and white-- fueled by Catholic "dark money" -have become one of the most formidable and reactionary forces in American society. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is one of the most powerful religious organizations supporting nationalist-populist conservatism in America today. The media have focused more on the Evangelical movement as the heart and soul of religious conservatism, or on the secular role of the Koch family. But the Catholic bishops are playing, perhaps, a more important role. They do it in partnership with some of the wealthiest lay Catholics in America, who have their own reasons for promoting an ultra-conservative, nationalist state. Many of the bishops and their billionaire partners are staunch opponents of Pope Francis, to the point that some U.S. Catholics fear schism with Rome. The U.S. bishops recently decided their priests could deny the Eucharist to pro-abortion politicians like President Biden, probably the most famous Catholic in the world besides the pope. With their lay partners, the bishops help shepherd cases into the Supreme Court that change the law of the land, as with Roe v. Wade. These are just two recent examples of their long-term political strategy of attacking secular, liberal democracy by waging war on democratic norms and institutions"-- Provided by publisher.

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