At Economic Times, a report on a study that shows teenagers are "picking and choosing" their religious beliefs, and which cites the impact of social media on this phenomenon. I do not doubt that the technology we use influences the way we view the world and interact with it, but I also think we sometimes tend to overstate the case. Calling all historians: We need an examination of the degree to which people in the 11th or 14th century or even the 1940s were comprehensively orthodox. There was clearly something deeply faithful in the culture that produced the cathedrals at Chartres or Monreale, but I am guessing some of the stone masons were skeptical of at least some of the Church's teachings.
At the National Catholic Register, an interview with Richard Doerflinger, longtime leader of the pro-life activities office at the USCCB. I did not always agree with Doerflinger, but he was a lion in the pro-life movement and I always saw in him a man who shared many of my values if not all of my sensibilities. I hope those who follow him will read this interview and especially his admission that one of the pro-life movement's biggest mistakes was to target pro-life Democrats after the ACA vote.
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan struck a deal with the Obama Treasury Department on a plan to restructure Puerto Rico's debt. I will have more commentary on this tomorrow. Politico has the story.
