Robin Darling Young -- an expert in the history of Christianity--on the crisis in the Washington Post/Newsweek "On Faith" blog.A recent catch-phrase among anti-abortion Catholics goes: "What will you say to the babies?" It refers to the ancient belief that aborted infants will see harsh justice done to their selfish parents on Judgment Day- already in the second century, the Apocalypse of Paul pictured parents in hell judged by the souls of their babies. Updated for the abortion polemic, this question asks not only parents, but all voters, how they would justify their vote for a "pro-abortion" politician such as Barack Obama.This Holy Week the question has an unintended association. What will the Roman Catholic Church say to the "little ones" about whom Jesus is reported to have told his disciples "If any of you scandalize one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea." (Matthew 18:6)

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Cathleen Kaveny is the Darald and Juliet Libby Professor in the Theology Department and Law School at Boston College.

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