E. Michael Jones
Encyclopedia
Eugene Michael Jones is a writer, former professor, and the current editor of Culture Wars magazine (formerly Fidelity Magazine).
He was raised in the Roman Catholic Church
, but lost interest in it in early adulthood. He became involved in the counterculture of the 1960s
. He found little satisfaction after leaving his faith, and eventually returned to it after reading The Seven Storey Mountain
by Thomas Merton
. Jones then obtained his Ph.D. from Temple University
and began to teach at Saint Mary's College
, of Notre Dame, Indiana
. To Jones' displeasure, he found this college to be what he considered to be (in the words of Michael W. Cuneo who interviewed him) "the antithesis of what a Catholic college should be", being pro-choice
, feminist and secular. He made little effort to conceal his views, leading to conflicts with many faculty, his department chairwoman and eventually the college's president. His department, which viewed him as a religious absolutist, decided against renewing his contract after his first year.
Jones's work has primarily been concerned with the relationship between the Catholic Church and secular culture as well as the sexual revolution and the wider cultural effects of the second Vatican council. Later work has focussed on the historical friction between the Catholic Church and Jews. Some of his critics have claimed his later work displays antisemitism, a claim that Jones denies, saying that any form of racism is against his Catholic faith.
Jones has stated publicly that he considers modern Judaism
to be a wicked ideology, but that he condemns criticism of Jews
based upon race. In February, 2008, due to a complaint of anti-Semitism from the Southern Poverty Law Center
, the School of Architecture at The Catholic University of America
cancelled a lecture series in which Jones was scheduled to speak. In an interview with The Washington Times
Jones said that he rejected racism in all of its forms, consistent with Catholic teaching and responded to the cancellation in an article in Culture Wars.
In an interview with PressTV on the Libyan Civil War, Jones praised Muammar Gaddafi
for running his government "in the interest of the Libyan people" and denounced the NATO intervention
as "a looting operation... This is NATO's attempt to use the Arab spring revolutions
as cover to take over a country; a sovereign country that has not attacked NATO and to loot this country of its resources; its oil, its water and its gold."
He was raised in the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, but lost interest in it in early adulthood. He became involved in the counterculture of the 1960s
Counterculture of the 1960s
The counterculture of the 1960s refers to a cultural movement that mainly developed in the United States and spread throughout much of the western world between 1960 and 1973. The movement gained momentum during the U.S. government's extensive military intervention in Vietnam...
. He found little satisfaction after leaving his faith, and eventually returned to it after reading The Seven Storey Mountain
The Seven Storey Mountain
The Seven Storey Mountain is the 1948 autobiography of Thomas Merton, a Trappist Monk and a noted author of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. Merton finished the book in 1946 at the age of 31, five years after entering the Gethsemani Abbey near Bardstown, Kentucky...
by Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton
Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O. was a 20th century Anglo-American Catholic writer and mystic. A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist, and student of comparative religion...
. Jones then obtained his Ph.D. from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
and began to teach at Saint Mary's College
Saint Mary's College (Indiana)
Saint Mary's College is a private Catholic liberal arts college founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross. It is located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community northeast of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States — as are the University of Notre Dame and Holy...
, of Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame, Indiana
Notre Dame is a census-designated place north of South Bend in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States; it includes the campuses of three colleges: the University of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, and Holy Cross College. Notre Dame is split between Clay and Portage Townships...
. To Jones' displeasure, he found this college to be what he considered to be (in the words of Michael W. Cuneo who interviewed him) "the antithesis of what a Catholic college should be", being pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
, feminist and secular. He made little effort to conceal his views, leading to conflicts with many faculty, his department chairwoman and eventually the college's president. His department, which viewed him as a religious absolutist, decided against renewing his contract after his first year.
Jones's work has primarily been concerned with the relationship between the Catholic Church and secular culture as well as the sexual revolution and the wider cultural effects of the second Vatican council. Later work has focussed on the historical friction between the Catholic Church and Jews. Some of his critics have claimed his later work displays antisemitism, a claim that Jones denies, saying that any form of racism is against his Catholic faith.
Jones has stated publicly that he considers modern Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
to be a wicked ideology, but that he condemns criticism of Jews
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
based upon race. In February, 2008, due to a complaint of anti-Semitism from the Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center
The Southern Poverty Law Center is an American nonprofit civil rights organization noted for its legal victories against white supremacist groups; legal representation for victims of hate groups; monitoring of alleged hate groups, militias and extremist organizations; and educational programs that...
, the School of Architecture at The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
cancelled a lecture series in which Jones was scheduled to speak. In an interview with The Washington Times
The Washington Times
The Washington Times is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church founder Sun Myung Moon, and until 2010 was owned by News World Communications, an international media conglomerate associated with the...
Jones said that he rejected racism in all of its forms, consistent with Catholic teaching and responded to the cancellation in an article in Culture Wars.
In an interview with PressTV on the Libyan Civil War, Jones praised Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
for running his government "in the interest of the Libyan people" and denounced the NATO intervention
2011 military intervention in Libya
On 19 March 2011, a multi-state coalition began a military intervention in Libya to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which was taken in response to events during the 2011 Libyan civil war...
as "a looting operation... This is NATO's attempt to use the Arab spring revolutions
Arab Spring
The Arab Spring , otherwise known as the Arab Awakening, is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on Saturday, 18 December 2010...
as cover to take over a country; a sovereign country that has not attacked NATO and to loot this country of its resources; its oil, its water and its gold."