Attorney General William Barr recently decried those who attack religious values leading to moral upheaval. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/12/politics/william-barr-religious-values-moral-upheaval/index.html One wonders if Barr thinks that Trump acts on religious values? Isn’t it obvious that Trump is a role model for moral upheaval of the worst sort?
Of course, Trump the secularist is not the target of Barr’s diatribe. Instead Barr singles out progressives. Barr’s remarks are overdrawn in this respect. Progressives believe that the stranger, the vulnerable, and the poor deserve special concern and protection – a message at the heart of any respectable religion, a message that Barr and his allies daily deny. But there is a germ of truth in Barr’s remarks. Too often progressives sneer at religion. The genesis of the sneer is rooted in science. It is one thing to oppose institutional religion because of an interpretation of its miracle claims, however. Similarly, there is much in the history of institutional religion to wonder how God might fit in. Also, the problem of evil is a difficult one for believers to cope with.
Let us leave aside the responses of theologians who agree with or have responses worth attending to regarding these criticisms. These criticisms are not enough to dismiss religion with a sneer. Virtually everyone believes that there are moral truths to be found in literature. Why would anyone think that religions with thousands of years of debate about how to lead a moral life based on the stories told in their scriptures (and commentary there on) might not have something valuable to say?
I am currently reading a wonderful book by Sarah Hurwitz, Michelle Obama’s former speech writer, which is filled with insight about Jewish scripture, commentary, and debates thereon. In her hands, Jewish tradition is rightfully adapted to changing cultures and contexts. The book, Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality, and a Deeper Connection to Life – in Judaism is beautifully written, uplifting, and very wise. Its adult approach to Judaism would be instructive to Jews and Christians alike, particularly those whose religious education was geared to children.
William Barr seeks to fuse progressives with attacks on religious values. To be sure, there is some of that. Before he lashes out at progressives, however, he might consider the support he has given to conservative Christian institutions whose membership is deteriorating because their leaders appear to value power more than Christian values, and he might reflect on his corrupt betrayal of Justice Department principles for the militant secularist President he serves.