Word: civic
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...seems that Adam Goldenberg, in his “Question of Boundaries,” (Comment, Apr. 27) conceives of a rather false dichotomy between religious and civic life. The institutions are separate, but the individuals who are a part of both institutions cannot partition their lives and their actions into non-overlapping circles without being false to their religion. The inherent roles of most religions are to prescribe, in some manner, a set of behaviors that they deem moral. Human actions, even when involved in secular, civic affairs, involve morality simply due to the fact that people are expected...
...secular political framework. With the passage of time, however, marriage has evolved to live a double life. On the one hand, it is a religious affair, with different churches conducting marriage ceremonies in places of worship conducted by ordained clergy. On the other hand, however, it is a civic institution, with states registering marriages in secular ceremonies held in courthouses presided over by civic officials. The Vatican has always exercised spiritual sovereignty over the religious institution of marriage within the Catholic faith. With its pronouncement against Spain’s parliament, however, the Church involved itself in the ongoing political...
Just as marriage itself comes in religious and civic varieties, so too should the debate over same-sex marriage. Last week’s papal pronouncement is a problem because it attempts to fuse these two separate debates, by combining the issue of civil same-sex marriage into the parallel religious debate. Religious denominations around the world have struggled with the question of same-sex marriage—the Anglican Church in Canada has nearly split over the issue—and just as it is not the state’s place to interfere with these religions?...
...failing to consider differences at the local level, he ignores some bright spots that have recently cropped up in Latin America. Innovative municipal governance in places like Curitiba, Brazil and Bogotá, Colombia has dramatically improved quality of life, reducing crime while furnishing world-class civic services...
...pretentious, stuffy experts that classical music seems to be associated with are far less desirable to Balliett, who has an offer to join the Civic Orchestra of Chicago upon graduation...