Paul Elie is a senior fellow at Georgetown’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His books include The Life You Save May Be Your Own and The Last Supper. Also by this author Generalizing with Precision Get Commonweal’s latest, delivered twice weekly. Email address Published in the November 5, 2004 issue: View Contents Recommended for you Lethally Stupid By The Editors August 27, 2026 The Prevost Smile By Max Foley-Keene September 8, 2026 Convert Alert! By Eve Tushnet September 2, 2026