Yesterday, President Obama mentioned the Crusades in his comments to the National Prayer Breakfast. OY!

All Hell has broken Loose. Those, who might otherwise mention the Crusaders, the Inquisition, etc, as a swipe at Catholics, let's just say some Protestands and Deborah Lipstadt (who might otherwise note the harsh treatment of Jews), are shocked, SHOCKED that Obama mentioned these historic travesties in light of ISIL's burning, behading, and general Islamic unruliness. Just when Catholics are coming to grips with historic wrongs and travesties (burnings, etc.) the anti-Islamisits are suggesting, we weren't THAT BAD....OY!

UPDATE: A link to President Obama's "remarks" (as they are called on the WH site). 

Ross Douthat weigns in on Obama's Niebuhrian outlook, "Obama the Theologian." I think Douthat over-reaches on this. Niebuhrians, take a look.

Margaret O’Brien Steinfels is a former editor of Commonweal. 

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