What's Happening at Notre Dame?

In the current struggles over identity politics and sexuality in the field of higher education (and indeed the church), we do well to hope that the Roman Catholics will hold the line.  I am not particularly sympathetic to Roman Catholic theology in the main, but the institution still carries huge (albeit diminishing) political weight, has the financial resources to fight legal cases on issues such as abortion, and has a history of social teaching which positions it well to engage clearly on ethical challenges.  Thus, it is worrying when flagship organisations connected to the RCC start to capitulate to the spirit of the age.   Here are three articles by Roman Catholic writer, Michael Bradley, on recent events at the University of Notre Dame: 'Marriage and Witness;' 'PrismND Leaders Discuss Club Mission;' and 'Between Magistrate and Magisterium.'  Of particular interest is the last article because it explores in more detail the rhetorical strategy of the LGBGT etc. etc. movement, to which I alluded earlier this week.

With the ongoing stramash surrounding Gordon College and its accreditation, the pressure is building on institutions of higher education with religious affiliations.  The only question now seems to be: how many will stand firm?  If an institution as prestigious and powerful as Notre Dame has fallen to the silver-tongued aesthetes of contemporary political taste, that is most worrying.  A cloud certainly, and that somewhat larger than a man's hand, I would suggest.