Denver Catholic

23 DENVER CATHOLIC | APRIL 8-21, 2017 Navigating the troubled waters of relativism A review of Archbishop Charles J. Chaput's new book A merican society is experienc- ing profound cultural shifts, creating times of great uncer- tainty, especially for Christians and Catholics. In "Strangers in a Strange Land: Living the Catholic Faith in a Post-Chris- tian World," Archbishop Charles J. Chaput o• ers a road map for understanding our nation's roots, the cultural forces that have shaped it into what it is today, and refl ections on living with hope in a post-Christian society. The intellectual scope of Arch- bishop Chaput's book is impressive. Over the course of 12 chapters he leads the reader in an examination of the philosoph ical and moral under- pinnings of our nation, analyzes the warped anthropology caused by the cultural revolution of the '60s, explains the impact of these seismic shifts on our modern culture, and then o• ers his well-known brand of unfl inchingly honest advice to Christians for living their faith in a hostile environment. "Strangers in a Strange Land" is a tour de force of scholarly thought on the development of Western soci- ety. Readers encounter a tapestry of insights woven together from intel- lects as diverse as Alexis de Tocque- ville, the French political theorist Pierre Manent, St. Augustine, Ben- edict XVI, Alasdair MacIntyre, Saul Alinsky and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. Su® ce it to say, Chaput's latest book is not a light read, but it is a necessary read for all who are striving to under- stand the challenges Christians face and will face in the coming years. Archbishop Chaput begins his insights on America's founding by stating, "Americans hate thinking about the past. Unfortunately, we need to." This is the case, he says, because "We can't understand the present or plan for the future without knowing the past through the eyes of those who made it. For the American founding, there's no way to scrub either Christianity or its skeptics out of the nation's genetic code." And yet, he notes, these faith-fi lled beginnings are "infi nitely fragile." Archbishop Chaput proves this by recounting how technological advances, the introduction of the birth control pill, the Vietnam War and the e• orts of radical feminists quickly unraveled family ties and social cohesion. For those that think it's possible to return to Mayberry, the Phila- delphia archbishop tells it plainly, "America can't be the way it once was. … changes in the country's sexual, religious, technological, demo- graphic and economic fabric make that impossible." The appetites and behaviors of the United States have been fundamentally altered by these changes, he argues. For those of us in the Archdiocese of Denver who have had the blessing of knowing Archbishop Chaput, it comes as no surprise that his candidly honest assessment of the state of our culture is accompanied by a refl ection on Christian hope. He asks his readers, "How can we live in joy, and serve the common good as leaven, in a culture that no longer shares what we believe?" This question carries a special grav- ity because the secular culture has detached what it means to be a man from God and is aimlessly seeking answers. Quoting Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Archbishop Chaput answers his ques- tion by saying that believing Catholics and Christians must be a "conscious minority" that adds to the common good. We must fi ght a culture of lies by consciously living the truth instead of merely talking about it. In the end, Archbishop Chaput's guidance for our post-Christian culture is fi ttingly humble. "We're here to bear one another's burdens, to sacrifi ce ourselves for the needs of others, and to live a witness of Christian love … Every such life is the seed of dozens of others and begins a renewal of the world," he writes. For those concerned about the present and future of American soci- ety, "Strangers in a Strange Land" is a must-read that will leave you thinking and praying long after you've fi nished it. Guest Column David Uebbing serves as Chancellor for the Archdiocese of Denver. DAVID UEBBING the workforce and reintegrate into society. Studies consistently show that a key barrier to employment for an individual with a criminal record is when a job application requests information on their involvement with the justice system. When some- one checks the box indicating they have been charged or convicted of a crime, their application is often dis- carded immediately. This "box" on an initial application prevents many individuals, who would otherwise be considered qualifi ed for the position, from having a face-to-face interview with a potential employer. This pre- vents individuals with a criminal background from having the opportu- nity to adequately explain the o• ense as well the steps they have taken to rehabilitate themselves.¶¶ This year at the state legislature, the Colorado Chance to Compete Act seeks to foster more of those face to face conversations and employ- ment by removing inquiries into an applicant's criminal history on most private sector job applications. Com- monly known as "ban-the-box" leg- islation around the country, this bill allows employers to fulfi ll the senti- ment outlined in the Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our trespasses as we for- give those who trespass against us."¶¶ We all commit sins throughout our lives, but by the mercy of God's justice, we can move on with our lives and care for our families. If enacted, the Colo- rado Chance to Compete Act will rec- tify an immoral aspect of our approach to criminal justice and help countless Coloradans realize the mercy of God's grace and re-enter society.¶ The national conversation on crim- inal justice reform is heavily focused on the living conditions of prisoners and the laws that put people behind bars. But, and as Pope Francis has acknowledged, this conversation is not complete without "the Insti- tutions' concrete commitment to bring about an e• ective reintegration into society. When this objective is neglected, the implementation of the penalty degenerates into an instru- ment of punishment alone and of social retaliation, which in turn is det- rimental to the individual and society. And God does not do this with us. God, when He forgives us, He accompanies us and helps us along the way. . . This is the love of God, and we must imitate it! Society must imitate it."¶ We wholeheartedly support the Colorado Chance to Compete Act and implore you to contact your state leg- islator and voice your support for this legislation.

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