Anti-Christian Laws in Europe

By Dr. Jeff Mirus ( bio - articles - email ) | Jul 03, 2013

Paul Coleman has published an outstanding yet fairly brief review of legal discrimination against European Christians in the June/July issue of First Things. This is a somewhat unhappy announcement because, for a certain period of time, you have to be a subscriber to read it on their website (www.firstthings.com). But you might want to check back in a couple of months, as older articles are more widely available.

A subscription to First Things is certainly worth every penny, and you could subscribe instantly to gain online access. But it is a highly intellectual journal which deliberately represents a broad spectrum of serious religion as it impacts public life. So you will find reflections by Protestants, Jews and sometimes Muslims, even though the preponderance of articles and the guiding principles are Catholic. The magazine is also mostly written by academics, whereas here at CatholicCulutre.org, I am about as academic as we get.

If you sometimes think I spend too much time worrying over ideas, without enough practical punch, then be warned: First Things will drive you over the edge. It is my favorite magazine and even I sometimes want to grab it by the neck, lift, and shake. So it is not for everybody. Still, if you wish to make a note, Paul Coleman is legal counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom in Vienna, Austria. The title of his highly-useful article is “European Faith Made Private”.