Editor,
The August 13 letter from Jay Nelson opposing the establishment of an endowed chair at UNM in Roman Catholic studies is precisely the reason such a chair makes sense. In his letter, Nelson attacks the church in several ways, including questioning its "intellectual honesty."
As a lifelong Roman Catholic, I am not surprised to see a reaction such as Nelson's to the establishment of the chair. Anti-Catholic bigotry has been around since King Henry VIII of England was denied an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon by Pope Clement VII in 1529.
Unfortunately, some of that medieval bigotry has carried over to the modern day. It is easy to attack another church's faith purely on the grounds of personal bias or even religious, political or historical bigotry. But it is much greater to allow and welcome the honest intellectual discourse that an endowed chair in Roman Catholic studies will provide.
I think it is also worth noting that only students interested in taking courses in Roman Catholic studies will be learning facts about the church. It will not be required of uninterested students.
A Roman Catholic studies class will help dispel the many half-truths, myths and outright lies that anti-Catholic bigots espouse. It is an opportunity for any interested person to become more enlightened and educated about the Roman Catholic church.
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Furthermore, given that many New Mexicans can trace their Roman Catholic religious heritage all the way to 1598, it is all the more appropriate that such an endowed chair be welcomed at UNM. Finally, it is my understanding that Archbishop Michael Sheehan of Santa Fe will not have the final say on who is selected for the position, but rather it will be the academic officer of UNM in charge of the department. The Archbishop will serve in more of an advisory position.
I think the fact that the church is willing to put in about $1 million to endow the chair shows the church's commitment to the University and its interest in promoting religious understanding and respect among all faiths. I believe the chair will prove a major success for students, faculty, UNM and the community in general.
A. Michael Martinez
UNM alumnus
