The Pope’s visit, “the Speech”, etc.

I have an op-ed in today’s USA Today about the Pope’s visit, JFK’s speech, religion-and-politics, etc.  Here’s a bit:

Now, perhaps it reflects poorly on the state of political oratory that one of the most discussed, and most interesting, candidate speeches in the 2008 presidential campaign was delivered nearly 50 years ago. (At least until Mitt Romney’s speech about his Mormon faith last month in College Station, Texas.) Nonetheless, we should not be too surprised by the Speech’s staying power. After all, we Americans have long worried about, and wrestled with, the relationship between faith and politics.

At the same time, however, our public policies and aspirations have always been shaped by religious commitments and ideals. It is then appropriate, and healthy, that the religion-and-public-life themes elaborated in Kennedy’s Houston speech remain part of our national conversation. Indeed, it would be strange, and almost un-American, if they were excluded or ignored.