Kate Cohen: The Pope, the President, and the Problem of Moral Authority

Founded in 1876, theNew York Society for Ethical Cultureis a community dedicated to ethical living and social justice. Guided by Humanist values, we aim to bring out the best in the human spirit through education, advocacy, and service.We host a range of activities for all ages that include discussion groups, educational workshops, seasonal celebrations, and community service. We also collaborate with partner organizations to co-host events that raise awareness and encourage action across movements for democracy, sustainability, and human rights.

New York Society for Ethical Culture

Sunday Platform at Ethical Culture with journalist and author Kate Cohen.

Notice: This page is for IN-PERSON RSVPs. To join online, <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FUn_yTWrQJydBnoOeDf13g" title="https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FUn_yTWrQJydBnoOeDf13g" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a moral authority to whom we could appeal when we weren’t sure whether something was right or wrong? Or to back us up when we were? In these catastrophic/ridiculous times, you don’t have to be Catholic to take satisfaction in the Pope’s recent public support of simple decency. But even when the Pope says something self-evidently right, we have to remind ourselves that morality doesn’t inhere in any one person or text. And that, perhaps, our collective desire for such an external authority has helped create the mess we’re in.Community lunch follows, free for first-time guests and families participating in the Young Ethical Explorers Program.<h3>About Kate Cohen</h3><a href="http://katecohen.net/" title="http://katecohen.net/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Kate Cohen</a> is a former Washington Post contributing columnist and the author of We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending to Believe (And Maybe You Should Too), which chronicles her journey to outspoken atheism and examines whether nonbelievers can still have the benefits religion promises. For this work and for her columns inspecting American deference to religion, the Freedom from Religion Foundation honored her with its 2023 “Freethought Heroine” award. She now writes an independent column called <a href="http://scratchcolumn.substack.com/" title="http://scratchcolumn.substack.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Scratch</a>, about creating — instead of buying or simply accepting — the stuff, nature, and purpose of our lives. Follow her on <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/katecohen.bsky.social" title="https://bsky.app/profile/katecohen.bsky.social" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Bluesky</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/katecohen92/" title="https://www.instagram.com/katecohen92/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Instagram</a>.

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Kate Cohen: The Pope, the President, and the Problem of Moral Authority

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Kate Cohen: The Pope, the President, and the Problem of Moral Authority

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