'The Dogma Lives Loudly...'

We’ve probably all heard by now about Senator Dianne Feinstein’s remarks toward Roman Catholic judicial nominee Amy Barrett:

"Dogma and law are two different things. I think, whatever a religion is, it has its own dogma. The law is totally different; in your case, Professor [Barrett], when you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for, for years, in this country."

Let’s be clear: Senator Feinstein’s statement cannot mean, “You are dogmatic and I am not.” Rather, it means, “I prefer my dogma over yours.” Dogma and law are indeed two different things, but law is always informed by dogma, even if we don’t call it that.

While the term dogma is often used pejoratively, it simply refers to a body of accepted teaching. So, yes, Roman Catholics do have dogma, as do Jews, Hindus, Muslims and secular liberals. There is intense pressure, moverover, for people in the public eye to adopt the unacknowledged dogma of secular liberalism. Read More