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After controversial video, Vatican hosts serious discussion on Islam
As a Vatican delegation prepared in October to leave for war-torn Syria, the Catholic Church’s fraught relationship with Islam emerged as one of the main themes at a major gathering of the world’s ...
Just ignore it
On a recent afternoon, I skimmed from page to page in the newspaper, glancing at headlines about environmental deregulation, an increase in the state murder rate, schools that aren’t educating their students, massacres in Syria and other grim realities. My reaction? I’m embarrassed to confess: “Not my problem, not my problem, not my problem, and not my problem.” Then I turned to the sports section.
The guts of the passage
In my tradition, we pride ourselves on the intellect and roll our eyes at emotional sermons. We think of them as (1) dumbing down content or (2) manipulating people. But ignoring the importance of emotion in our spiritual lives can make us... well... boring.
Monday digest
New today from the Century: Amy Frykholm on clergy health, Jonathan Walton reviews Edward Blum and Paul Harvey, more.
Jesus in black and white
The Color of Christ confronts the complicated history of the Christ image and racial politics in the United States. Edward Blum and Paul Harvey's ambitious—some might say audacious—aim is to track “the creating and exercise of racial and religious power through the images of Jesus and how that power has been experienced by everyday people.”
Open door for terrorism: Christian-Muslim tensions in Kenya
Kenyan Muslims are a marginalized minority. Many are concentrated in Coast Province, where unfair land distribution is a festering wound.
A new name for God
I have a new name for God, at least new to me. The old three-letter word "God" is worn out. Words only last so long before they need to be retired for a season....
Friday digest
New today from the Century: Isaac Mwangi on religious tensions in Kenya, Rachel Stone on the gospel and obesity, more.
The gospel of personal responsibility and obesity
While I was away a few weeks ago, regular reader and fellow blogger Charity Jill tweeted to me about speaker/blogger Shane Blackshear’s post “It’s Probably Time We All Talked About Obesity and the Church”.
Shane’s post is not particularly unique in its outlook; over a year ago, Marcus Thompson, a pastor in Oakland, CA, published a piece on Relevant called“The Immorality of Gluttony” that expresses very similar concerns. (I responded to it here.)
Analysis: As Mitt Romney moves to the middle, anti-abortion activists try to cover his right flank
c. 2012 Religion News Service (RNS)...
Report: Knights of Columbus and allies are leading funders of anti-gay marriage drives
c. 2012 Religion News Service (RNS)...
Southern diocese leaving Episcopal Church
The Diocese of South Carolina has announced that it has disaffiliated with the Episcopal Church, escalating a long-running skirmish and setting the stage to become the fifth diocese to secede from ...
Adventists call actions to allow women's ordinations 'mistakes'
Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church have said that recent decisions by two regional bodies to allow ordination of female pastors were “serious mistakes,” and women who are ordained won’t be...
Jewish and Christian groups at impasse over U.S. aid to Israel
An established interfaith group is in danger of disintegrating as major American Jewish groups and prominent mainline Protestant churches differ over U.S....
Competence and intent
In politics, competence sometimes serves as a rhetorical proxy for intent. Politicians like to talk about how terrific they/their ideas are. They aren’t always as gabby about what they/those ideas aim to accomplish.
Example: privatization. Some conservatives insist that private enterprise is simply more efficient--more competent--than the government. So why not let the private sector take over certain public functions?
But even if we concede that business is categorically more efficient than government, there remains the question of what it's doing so efficiently.
Oh, the farmer and the shepherd should be archetypal enemies
By now, we are all familiar with what liberation theology and Catholic social teaching have called the Bible’s “preferential option for the poor.” But what about a biblical preferential option for the rebel?
In a new book by biblical scholar Yoram Hazony called The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture—which I learned about from Jonathan Yudelman’s review—the story of Cain and Abel receives a reading different from any I have heard.
Thursday digest
New today from the Century: Christine Pohl on kindness, Steve Thorngate on Romney's fiscal intentions, more.
"Liveblogging" the "town hall"
My real-time notes on the presidential debate last night, followed by some cleanup and linking this morning. I listened to much of it on the radio instead of watching. It's nice. You don't have to see the candidates' forced smiles and condescending smirks.
See also my notes on the first debate and the VP debate.