religious freedom

It's unclear if the Roman Catholic Church could be a neutral negotiator because of its complicated relationship with Russia's Orthodox Church, which has strong backing from the Russian government.

Michael Sean Winters: Why have the bishops failed to sound the alarm for the "values and principles of our democracy" that continue to be threatened? Surely the sanctity of the vote is above partisan politics.

Michael Sean Winters: Part 2 of a review of Our Dear-Bought Liberty by Michael Breidenbach. Does his theory about Catholic ideas and experience informing the separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution work?

Michael Sean Winters: Part 1 of a review of Our Dear-Bought Liberty by Michael Breidenbach, who argues that Catholic experience and thought laid groundwork for the U.S. constitutional separation of church and state.

Michael Sean Winters rounds up political news and commentary: Clarification on Haidt; Notre Dame's John Cavadini outshines the bishops; C.S. Lewis' invitation to intellectual humility; Iceland, where water is wet.

Commentary: In a time when the Catholic Church in the U.S. is flirting with Communion bans and populist nationalism, it's good to consider anew why Thomas More, patron saint of politicians, is not a culture war hero.

The recent arrest of a Vatican-approved bishop, priests and seminarians in north-central China came as a shocking development, if not surprising, as religious persecution in the communist-led country has continued to intensify under President Xi Jinping.

Commentary: The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection responds to the new "rad-trad" enemies of the council. But the book's extreme centrism only deepens the problem of connecting Vatican II teaching with today's church and world.