“Offers a well-documented thesis that you have an explosive mixture when you mix a powerful hierarchical church with political neo-conservatism’s elitist view that the rich and powerful always know what is best. This is what [Clermont] chronicles early in the work, explaining that fundamentalist theological leanings and ultlra- conservative political ideology combined to create a Catholic Movement which was at ease working with rightwing Protestants. This coalition virtually created Ronald Reagan and set itself up as a bulwark against the purported liberalism, relativism and moral excess of liberals in the 1960s… These players were instrumental in finding common ground with the Protestant Religious Right, which was then assimilated into what Clermont calls “a common religious discourse, political sympathy and sense of priorities.” This analysis is largely ignored in other works and represents the first eye-opener for even those who think they are well attuned to the machinations of right-wing dogmatists. A second major contribution is the extraordinarily detailed description of how the Catholic hierarchy, in Rome and in the United States, became deeply involved in the past three presidential campaigns…A third topic rarely covered in detail before is the strong neo-Catholic support for— and benefits received from—President Bush’s Faith-Based Initiatives, his effort to give religious charities and even local churches federal dollars for their ostensibly secular programs dealing with hunger, homelessness, addiction and other social crises… The Neo-Catholics is a fine resource for persons interested and concerned about the unsettling union of church and state which always seems poised to enter the neighborhood—any neighborhood. She uses a dazzling array of sources and the endnotes are an invitation to further reading in this area.” Barry Lynn, Director of American United for the Separation of Church and State, reviewed in Conscience Magazine, September 2010
"Neo-Catholics and Neo-Cons: An Unholy Alliance (Satire)" by William Hughes, Media Monitors Network
"Betty Clermont helps us recall, in excruciating detail, a history of the U.S. Catholic right and its tremendous influence in the U.S. government since Ronald Reagan began forging ties with the Vatican. In vivid scene after scene, Ms. Clermont lets the documented facts tell the story, of how the American bishops diverted our money (not theirs) away from programs promoting social justice into political action that could only make Republicans smile. A darn well written study in the abuse of power by lordly bishops who rest assured because they rest assured." ROBERT BLAIR KAISER covered Vatican II for Time magazine. He is the author of Cardinal Mahony: A Novel.
"Betty Clermont's The Neo Catholics tracks the links of Republican politics, big money and Catholic ideologues with a muckraker's zeal. Even those who do not share Clermont's every position will be pulled along by her relentless scrutiny of how the pro-life agenda turned into a hothouse for war-mongering and the endless money-hunt." JASON BERRY, Vows of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II and Lead Us Not into Temptation: Catholic Priests and the Sexual Abuse of Children
"Now a new book lets us place the attack on CCHD in the larger context of a conspiracy by historic conservative lay groups within the Catholic Church, their allies in the Catholic hierarchy, and conservative Catholic business elites to defeat the welfare state, strengthen corporate power, and align public policy with socially conservative, individual morality theology. Author Betty Clermont, herself a lay Catholic and former employee of the Atlanta Diocese, makes this case in the Neo- Catholics: Implementing Christian Nationalism in America. It is well worth reading..." MIKE MILLER, Social Policy
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