Here’s the latest development in the ongoing story of Dr. Kenneth Howell, the former adjunct professor at the University of Illinois, who recently lost his job for teaching his students the Catholic Church’s position on homosexual acts in an introductory course on Catholicism.
First Things has obtained a letter sent today by the Alliance Defense Fund to the University of Illinois on Dr. Howell’s behalf. ADF has charged the university with violating Dr. Howell’s First Amendment right, citing numerous cases where the Supreme Court has upheld the right and emphasized the value of university professor’s freedom to debate and share ideas. Read the letter here.
July 12th, 2010 | 1:24 pm
The Faith of all Christians rests within The Most Holy Trinity, THE inherent, ordered, complementary relationship of authentic Love. The inherent, complementary nature of Man and Woman reflects the Dignity of the Human Person who is made in The Image of God and called from The Beginning into a communion of authentic Love.
“Let Us Make Man In Our Image.” -The Blessed Trinity
The Constitution protects our Freedom to practice our Religion.The Constitution does not provide for establishing a separate personhood based upon sexual preferences.
July 12th, 2010 | 2:19 pm
You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. He was merely fired for teaching about the faith. Right around the corner is what’s happening in Canada–being arrested for the crime of stating this belief. Don’t believe me? Stay tuned.
July 12th, 2010 | 2:19 pm
PS. I would like to contribute to Dr. Howell’s defense fund.
July 12th, 2010 | 2:22 pm
I’m glad to hear that the ADF is stepping up to defend Dr. Howell!
July 12th, 2010 | 2:39 pm
[...] First Thoughts Share [...]
July 12th, 2010 | 2:46 pm
[...] UPDATE: Fired For Being Catholic? here. [...]
July 12th, 2010 | 2:48 pm
Where are all the Rawlsian liberals coming to Dr. Howell’s defense?
“Reasonable comprehensive doctrine,” apparently, was all just smoke and mirrors.
July 12th, 2010 | 3:37 pm
What’s next, going after the biology department for “gender tyranny?”
July 12th, 2010 | 3:40 pm
Joe DeVet–
The Alliance Defense Fund has a page here at which you can help:
http://www.speakupmovement.org/TakeAction
July 12th, 2010 | 3:42 pm
Based on what I’ve read Dr. Howell looks to have a strong case. So here’s one Rawlsian liberal who will take his side.
July 12th, 2010 | 4:06 pm
Good for you, Tristian.
I was being somewhat facetious, for I have at least two friends, both Rawlsian liberals, who are appalled by this case.
I do think, however, that the issue of gay marriage is a peculiar difficulty for Rawlsian liberalism. I have an article I just completed in which I discuss this. Hopefully, the journal to which I submitted it will publish it.
Frank
July 12th, 2010 | 4:09 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Orlando Braga, Tom Johnson. Tom Johnson said: Fired For Being Catholic?: … who recently lost his job for teaching his students the Catholic Church's position … http://bit.ly/c95ANH [...]
July 12th, 2010 | 4:14 pm
Frank, I’ll look for that article with interest–I think Rawlsian liberalism does very well with gay marriage.
July 12th, 2010 | 5:55 pm
If you support Dr. Howell, consider joining Save Dr. Ken on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=135669563126194&ref=ts
July 13th, 2010 | 2:30 am
UI did a very bad thing here. I think they will learn to regret this.
Imagine what will happen when a Muslim student (or some other member of a group protected by the PC umbrella) complains about an atheist philosophy professor who denounced the monotheistic religions in class? Doesn’t that violate university “standards of inclusivity”?
Creationist Muslims are already apparently putting the PC left in extremely awkward positions in Europe. It has to be a matter of time before some Muslim student organization comes along and demands biology professors be more “inclusive” in the statements they make in class about evolution.
Then what’s UI going to do once they’ve backed right into that trap?
July 13th, 2010 | 4:32 pm
[...] which I’ll leave to others. Over at FirstThings, one news item of concern is Kenneth Howell Fired for being Catholic? or at least stating what the Catholic Church teaches - and as a Catholic that he believes in [...]
July 13th, 2010 | 10:43 pm
[...] not yet understand that opposing viewpoints exist within a free society.” Fired For Being Catholic? Meghan [...]
July 14th, 2010 | 12:35 pm
I read the entire email from Dr. Howell. I was angered not because it was hate speech (I don’t think it was) but because it is so full of logical holes. Is this the best representation of the catholic thought? Any half-decent thinker can dissemble all of Howell’s points.
July 21st, 2010 | 2:24 pm
Excellent ADL, Anti Defamation league. This is a Jewish organization originally organized to stem the rising tide of sickening anti-semitism in the early half of the 20th century. They the ADL obviously feel that the rights of this professor at the University of Illinois being fired for his basic human right of free speech were violated and this hateful action of Anti-Catholic bigotry is as sickening and revulsive as Jew baiting and Jew hating. You destroy my rights, you destroy ALL Human rights seems to be the opinion of the Anti Defamation league.At least someone out there has the balls to smash the myth of reactionary leftist political correctness. Mazel Tov
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