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E-book
Author O'Keefe, Meaghan, author

Title American Catholic bishops and the politics of scandal : rhetoric of authority / Meaghan O'Keefe
Published London ; New York : Routledge, 2019

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Description 1 online resource
Series Routledge studies in religion
Routledge studies in religion.
Contents Controlling consciences -- Citation and authority -- Human rights and the image of God -- Racism, abortion, and intrinsic evil -- The nuns on the bus -- Sounding authoritative
Summary This book explores the rhetoric and public communication of the Catholic Church in the United States in the wake of the sexual abuse scandals and offers a demonstration of how large organizations negotiate a loss of public trust while retaining political power. While the Catholic Church remains a major political force in the United States, recent scandals have undoubtedly had an adverse effect on both its reputation and moral authority. This has been exacerbated by the public responses of Catholic clergy, which have often left supporters of the Church, let alone critics, profoundly unsatisfied. Drawing on documents - voting guides, pastoral letters, sermons, press releases, and other materials - issued by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) as well as American nuns, the book explores Catholic political statements issued after the sexual abuse crises entered the public consciousness. Using approaches from linguistics and rhetoric, it analyses how these statements compare to similar materials issued before this time. This comparison demonstrates that for the American Catholic Church persuasion is less important than maintaining the impression that there has been no loss of authority. This is a timely study of the Catholic Church's handling of the recent revelations of abuse within the Church. As such, it will be of keen interest to scholars of religious rhetoric, contemporary Catholicism, linguistics, rhetoric, communication, and religious studies
Bibliography Includes bibliographical references and index
Notes Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher
Subject Catholic Church -- United States.
Catholic Church -- United States -- Bishops
Catholic Church -- Discipline.
SUBJECT Catholic Church fast
Subject Bishops -- Temporal power.
Authority -- Religious aspects -- Catholic Church.
Christianity and politics -- Catholic Church.
RELIGION -- Christianity -- Catholic.
RELIGION -- Religion, Politics & State.
RELIGION -- Christianity -- Catholicism.
RELIGION -- Clergy.
Authority -- Religious aspects -- Catholic Church
Bishops
Bishops -- Temporal power
Christianity and politics -- Catholic Church
Discipline
United States
Form Electronic book
LC no. 2019718975
ISBN 9780429671067
0429671067
9780429672552
0429672551
9780429669576
0429669577
9780429019746
0429019742