Experiencing Religion -Reply

[Emily Hartigan]

Last year I had a Jehovah's Witness in my Jurisprudence class (at a
Catholic law school) who initially did not want to read A MAN FOR ALL
SEASONS because his community said it was on a list (like the Catholic
Index) of books that might disturb his faith.  It talked of the devil as real,
etc.  I told him that it was a relative classic written by a man who
professed at the time not to believe in God, and was a course
requirement, but that if his community on reflection felt that he would be
harmed (I asked him to consult them) we would work out some
alternative.  He reported later that his elders said it would be OK so long
as it was alright for him to explain his objections in class.  He got too
involved in the content of the play to get around to that, when the time
came.  For me, if there is a "moral to the story" it is that a rule is less
effective than a process of dialogue, and that is perhaps why I find all
those indeterminate, balancing-type non-rules promising.  They are more
likely to allow a process of mediation, discussion, conversation, than a
rule that satisfies our hypotheticals, or provides false clarity.

Emily Fowler Hartigan
St. Mary's Law School
San Antonio, TX 78228
210-431-2273 (fax 436-3717)