Regarding "Church within First Amendment right" (Feb. 27): In his commentary on the Catholic Church's stance on same-sex marriage, Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan seems to equate much of the criticism of the church on that and other issues with anti-Catholicism. Given that the church has had much to answer for recently, it is probably to be expected that its hierarchy tends to react defensively.

Archbishop Sheehan rightly notes that some of the same groups that attack the church on its gay-rights positions have supported it on other issues. Still, the archbishop and his church apparently do not understand a major reason why the church as an institution draws so much fire for many of its stands on various public issues.

For at least part of that understanding, the church should look to certain other publicly active members of the clergy, such as the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa. Notwithstanding their faith and calling, when the Rev. King and Archbishop Tutu spoke out on the extremely controversial issues with which they became associated, their arguments rested on persuasion and example. They quoted the Bible, but did not act as though theirs was the only received wisdom. They engaged their critics. Perhaps as important, they did not threaten public officials and members of their flocks with sanctions for daring to disagree with them.

They appreciated, in short, that the First Amendment and its counterparts do not exist in a vacuum, but rather are designed to enable democracy by protecting public discussion on the important issues of the day, even if the discussion is sharp or blunt (but, one hopes along with Archbishop Sheehan, at least civil).

They also appreciated that elected officials are charged with representing the people in their designated constituencies, not the Catholic Church or any other religious group or organization.

If the church adopts a less autocratic approach, it just might find that its political opinions are better regarded, even by those who disagree.

James Martin is a longtime Santa Fe resident who is a firm believer in the First Amendment and Jefferson's Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom.