Culture clash in France?

The other day I saw this interesting news story: French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in an exceedingly rare presidential address to parliament, said that the Muslim 'burqa' - a full body gown would not be welcome anywhere in France as it is, he said, a sign of "debasement of women."

"The burqa is not a religious sign, it's a sign of subservience, a sign of debasement — I want to say it solemnly," he said. "It will not be welcome on the territory of the French Republic."

This story is very interesting to me because it illustrates, I believe, the very real cultural clash that exists between modern Western liberalism and more traditional cultures in several ways.
First note that Sarkozy has declared that the garment, though exclusively associated with Islam, is not a religious sign; I wonder though, if conservative Muslims would agree? Certainly it has associations with their traditional gender mores, if not a vital part of Islam itself. In any case, how is it that president Sarkozy has made this determination?

Secondly this is interesting to me because it is the very same ideology that claims to embrace "pluralism" and "inclusivism" that is now (ironically) selectively banning certain traditional clothing choices in the name of liberty and equality. Surely there is something self-contradictory here (perhaps even something self-destructive) in the way that our liberal Western ideology plays out?

Now I don't doubt that at least some traditional Arab - and indeed Islamic - gender mores do indeed involve the abasement of women. But is it the place of Western cultures that praise multiculturalism to dictate the cultural expressions of those of other cultures who live within our boarders?

I certainly would not be in favor of allowing immoral practices to go on in my state or country just because they express the culture of a sub-group in our midst (and indeed it is because of my own religious convictions and social upbringing that I would not). And yet the dilemma is there: what of all that "inclusivism"? Is it just so much talk? Perhaps so - and if so, maybe we should just be a bit more honest with immigrants - in our Western countries it really is our way or the highway.

I personally believe, that in an increasingly complex world, governmental leadership must be wise, and seek after balance and compromise. I also believe that this can be done with greater fairness and sensitivity if these sorts of issues are decided on the local level for the local context.

What do you guys think?
(note: the picture above was taken a while back in England - the sign reads "Stop France from outlawing Islam")

New Wheaton Program on Patristics

Interest in the Early Church Fathers and the practices of the ancient undivided church has been steadily growing for years among Evangelicals and other Protestants thanks to the work of such figures as Rob Webber, Thomas Oden, and others.

Now, thanks to generous donors, Wheaton College, one of the best respected and most intellectually substantial Evangelical colleges in the US, has launched a Center for Early Christian Studies, dedicated to encouraging interaction between Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox regarding the common heritage of all Christians in the fathers of the undivided Church of the first millenium. This is exciting stuff to me - hopefully it is a step in the direction of greater acknowledgment of our common ancient and ecumenical faith AND a move toward a deeper and more permanent appreciation of the Fathers among Protestants.

Archbishop's Reflections on Easter

Rowan Williams, with that wizard-like presence that makes you want to believe him, presents a very simple message of Easter. Through the videos we get snippets of the worship and liturgical life of Christians in the Anglican tradition, a tradition to which we United Methodists are also heirs (though sometimes we forget it).

We also see shots, just across the river from the Archbishop's Lambeth Palace, of the halls of power at Westminster, and we are left with the tension and the hope that comes in setting the Easter story, with all its promise of New Creation, next to the hard, and often depressing, political realities of our time.

Unrelated stories of interest

1) First, here is a fascinating New York Times piece that tracks the "paradox" of declining female happiness.

American women are wealthier, healthier and better educated than they were 30 years ago. They’re more likely to work outside the home, and more likely to earn salaries comparable to men’s when they do. They can leave abusive marriages and
sue sexist employers. They enjoy unprecedented control over their own fertility. On some fronts — graduation rates, life expectancy and even job security — men look increasingly like the second sex.
But all the achievements of the feminist era may have delivered women to greater unhappiness.

Looking at the state of sexuality and gender in our society, I am inclined to believe that we have missed something here. No doubt that much has happened in our culture around gender and family in the last century, both positive and negative developments. It may be that in the name of egalitarianism we have forgotten to celebrate womanhood and manhood, motherhood and fatherhood as such. It may be that we have let a commitment to individualism erode our commitments to family and community. I don't know, but I hope they do more research here.

2) Second: Australia's last World War 1 vet dies at 110. I am surprised to hear that there are in fact a handful of such veterans of 'the Great War' still alive. I must admit a fascination with World War 1 as it was one of the stupidest, darkest and most avoidable tragedies in human history, one that helped accelerate the demise of traditional Western Society and led directly the many horrors of the 20th century.

3) Third: A new study says television makes our infants dumber. I always knew it!