Talk of the Nation devoted half-an-hour to the Archbishop of Canterbury's controversial comments that some form of Shari-ah Law ought to be an option for British Muslims. It seems perfectly reasonable to me. Civil courts already encourage some form of mediation or binding arbitration for a variety of cases. If both parties voluntarily subject their divorce or custody case to faith-based mediation, what's the problem? Especially if either party has the right to appeal to the civil courts?
One guest was a Jewish scholar who informed us that this already happens with Orthodox Jewish divorces in the U.S. You get divorced in the eyes of God and the Jewish religion, and then the civil court often rubber stamps the religious court's settlement.
The idea that Rowan Williams would be advocating chopping off the hands of thieves or stoning adulterers is ludicrous. So why the hubbub? That might be worth an extra half-hour, how the media demonizes religion. Or a third half-hour on the boogeman of religion in the public square.
Speaking of the media demonizing religion, today on NPR's Fresh Air, Terry Gross interviewed Bart Ehrman. They always have to interview either a Jerry Falwell or a Bart Ehrman. For once, why couldn't they interview Walter Brueggemann or Richard Hays or Marva Dawn?
Posted by: Jonathan Marlowe | 19 February 2008 at 01:51 PM