Back in October, I linked to, and you folks discussed a radio debate between one David Quinn and Richard Dawkins.

Quinn has gone on to begin the "Iona Institute" in Ireland – a ZENIT interview with him about the Institute is here:

A new think tank in Ireland is making the case that marriage and religious practice are vital contributors to a healthy, well-functioning civil society.

The Iona Institute for Religion and Society, directed by religious and social affairs commentator David Quinn, was launched last month to disseminate evidence-based research in favor of the importance of strong families and religious values in Irish society.

Quinn, one of the best-known religious affairs correspondents for the Irish Independent, comments in this interview with us on the situation of the family and religious practice in Ireland.

Q: Why did you decide to found the Iona Institute?

Quinn: The chief reason is that there was no organization in Ireland making known the evidence that both marriage and religious practice have numerous social and personal benefits. Nor was there any organization dedicated to devising policies that might promote and strengthen marriage.

Marriage is under severe pressure from individualistic social norms and what might be called "the family diversity" view which maintains that all families are basically the same and there is no reason for the state to favor one over the other.

Check out the Iona Institute website:

Melanie Bettanelli has reason for cautious optimism, thank God.

Congratulations to bloggers Dave and Amy Pawlak (whom I had the pleasure of meeting in Milwaukee last year) on the birth of their baby over the weekend!