Your Eminence?

John Allen reports an interesting discussion among the US bishops that culminates in the following question by Cardinal George:

Is religion an independent variable? Or is it simply reduced to a cultural reality that can be explained in terms of something other than religion itself?

The most striking part is that Cardinal George says that he "does not know the answer." Not even regarding Christianity? Clearly, he was just being very diplomatic, but he should be careful lest people think that this kind of question can really be settled by the sociologists...