USCCB releases "Catholic Study Guide on Torture"

(Via Commonweal) - The Catholic members of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and the Office of International Justice and Peace of the USCCB have jointly produced a Catholic study guide on torture. [.pdf format]

Jeff Miller (Curt Jester) blogs his review.

Brownback "Pro-Torture"?

Is Sam Brownback pro-torture? May 18, 2007. (Via Jay @ Pro Ecclesia).

Update Jay Anderson and Publius have further noted (and Brownback's campaign blog contends as well), Brownback actually did not specifically endorse the use of torture during the debate, and his remarks (in response to another question) were taken out of context.

In the meantime, Jay has published issued a request for clarification to the Brownback campaign on this issue, and invites others to do so as well.

In the meantime, methinks grandiouse proclamations like "the entire field of GOP Candidates and most of the Allegedly Conservative Punditocracy favors [torture]!" brings more heat than light to the discussion, and Mark Shea (Catholic and Enjoying It) should give Brownback the benefit of the doubt.

On Brownback's (and other Catholic legislators) voting records on any number of issues (including torture), see David Schrader's Catholics in [109th] Congress (Special Report).

"The Truth about Torture"

The Evangelical Outpost is hosting an on-line symposium exploring the perspective(s) offered by Christian ethics on the claim that torture is morally permissible under certain circumstances. There are two contributions from Catholics: one from Father John Neuhaus and the other from Rich Vischer. I recommend all the essays.

Catholics in Congress on Torture

I recommend our readers check out the updated report on Catholics in Congress to see how our Catholic legislators came down on support for the McCain amendment prohibiting torture.

All of the Catholic senators voted for the amendment. Unfortunately, there were 21 Catholics in the House (20 Republicans and one Democrat) who voted against supporting the legislation. Though, I am not accusing these 21 Catholics of being "pro-torture", given the need, at this time in our battle against the terrorists, to reaffirm the United States objections to the the use of torture and the clear teaching of the Catholic Church against it (recently restated by a Vatican official) their "No" votes are IMO not an extension of their Catholic faith.

If it is wrong for pro-abort Catholics to ignore their faith on abortion, is it not wrong for these 21 House members to ignore it on torture?