March 23, 2007

Minneapolis – Today's New York Times featured an article about Catholic Bishops criticizing the writings of Catholic theologian and ethicist, Daniel C. Maguire. Eight bishops and two cardinals at the U.S. Catholic Conference in Washington D.C. issued a document on March 22, denouncing professor Maguire for his views on contraception, abortion, and same sex marriage. It is Maguire's position that these issues can be freely debated in the Catholic church and that the bishops are not the only source of nsight on these or other moral issues.

To learn more about the teachings of Maguire one should read his book Sacred Choices: The Right to Contraception and Abortion in Ten World Religions in which he aims to show how ten major religious traditions are "storehouses of good sense and wisdom in the area of sexuality and family planning ... more than you expected."

Maguire is Professor of Moral Theology at Marquette University and President of The Religious Consultation on Population, Reproductive Health and Ethics, an organization made up of scholars from the world's major and indigenous religions. With a grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, he convened two conferences of outstanding scholars from ten of the world's religions. The research took three years, involved 15 scholars and developed new understanding of the texts and traditions. Sacred Choices examines contraception and abortion in ten religious traditions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Native Religions, Protestantism and Taoism. The project also examines these issues from the perspective of environment, overpopulation, ethics, and human rights.

Endorsements

"With all the shouting in the angry debate about abortion, you would think we possessed God's full understanding about our creation. Clearly, we need a new conversation, and Professor Maguire could move us toward a more civilized, more Christian, discussion." – John P. Blessington, American Catholic.

"In Sacred Choices, Dan Maguire has changed the debate over reproductive rights forever by conclusively demonstrating that there is a theological basis for the pro-choice position in ten world religions. He effectively challenges moderate religious folks to speak up about how their faith traditions inform their views, so that the public and policy makers will understand that the religious right does not possess the authoritative voice on these issues." – Rev. Stephen J. Mather, Member, Board of Directors, Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

"Sacred Choices is the right choice for anyone who wants to explode the poisonous myth that the world's religions oppose a woman's right to reproductive freedom. With the aid of authoritative theologians on each of the faiths examined, Professor Daniel Maguire has marshaled a wealth of factual information to show how the theologies of ten world religions support the right of a woman to decide whether and when to bear a child. Every bit as remarkable are the considerable wit and wisdom he has brought to the task of creating a breakthrough volume that is easily accessible and a delight to read." – Rabbi Balfour Brickner, Senior Rabbi, Emeritus, Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, New York City.

"What Dr. Maguire, with his scholarly guides, does so brilliantly is make the data accessible, lift the shroud of stereotype, and let the reader decide for her/himself." – Mary E. Hunt, Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual.

Other recently published books include:

A Moral Creed for All Christians (2005) in which he urges that Christianity's real relevance for the renewal of American public life lies not in the myopic morality of the Christian Right nor in any particular program of the Left but in the enduring relevance of Jesus and biblical Christianity. He explains Christianity's indispensable moral conviction about God's care,rapport with the earth, the nature of ownership, the bond between justice and peace, the nature of enmity, the illogic of militarism, and the creative potential of the human species.

The Horrors We Bless: Rethinking the Just War Legacy (2007) in which he proposes that state-sponsored violence can only be justified in a community context with legal and internationally enforceable restrictions comparable to the restraints we put upon our police. This understanding of war would put an end to "vigilante war" practiced by Adolph Hitler and others as well as the "preemptive war" policy currently emerging in America.

Daniel C. Maguire is a Professor of Moral Theological Ethics at Marquette University, a Catholic, Jesuit Institution and President of the Religious Consultation on Population, Reproductive Health and Ethics. Dr. Maguire has a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, one of the world's major catholic universities, with special ties to the Vatican.

Dr. Maguire has written over 150 articles printed in publications such as The New York Times, Atlantic, USA Today, The Crisis: Journal of the NAACP, etc. The articles include "Different but Equal: A Moral Assessment of the Woman's Liberation," "The Psychotherapist as Moralist," "The Freedom to Die," "Sex and Ethical Methodology," "The New Look of Death" and "Affirmative Action at Bay."

Of his many honors, he was listed by Ms. Magazine as one of the "40 male heroes of the past decade, men who took chances and made a difference," 1982. His book, The Moral Choice, won "Best Scholarly Book of the Year, 1978. The University of Notre Dame named Maguire one of the ten best teachers, 1983-1984.

Sacred Choices, By Daniel C. Maguire, ISBN: 978- 0-8006-3433-0, $13.00 5.5" x 8.5," paperback, 168 pages.

The Horrors We Bless: Rethinking the Just-War Legacy, By Daniel C. Maguire, ISBN: 978-08006-3897-9, $7.00 4.5" X 7," paperback, 144 pages.

A Moral Creed for All Christians, By Daniel C. Maguire, ISBN: 978-08006-3761-3, $14.00 5.5" x 8.5," paperback, 208 pages.

To order titles by Daniel C. Maguire please call Fortress Press at 1-800-328-4648 or visit the web site at http://www.fortresspress.com/.

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