Why the Knights of Malta resist the Vatican—and the Knights of Columbus should have done the same

The escalating dispute between the Vatican and the Knights of Malta brings to mind a somewhat similar debate from years past. During the 1980s, as the abortion issue gave rise to the most contentious arguments on the American political scene, the Knights of Columbus (KofC) faced a tough question: Could a Catholic man who supported unrestricted legal abortion—in flagrant disregard for the teaching of the Church—remain a member? Membership in the KofC is open to men