Tuesday digest

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New today from the Century:

• Thomas Berg on religious freedom: "When conflicts come up between religious beliefs and the law, religious
  progressives should support certain religious exemptions--even if they
  disagree with the beliefs in question."

• Stanley Hauerwas reviews Karl Marlantes: "Karl Marlantes's new book is not fiction, but it develops the idea of his novel Matterhorn: that war provides a
  sense of transcendence that can be found nowhere else." (subscription required)
• John Buchanan on environmental activism: "How is it possible to read the first chapter of the Bible and not be an environmentalist?" (subscription required)
• Max Stackhouse's seven-word gospel: "God enters history; renewed covenants promise salvation."
• David Lewicki on pastoring during the holidays: "Sometimes cliches can make the reality rather than represent it, but I do think the holidays are particularly challenging for most
  pastors. Here's a list of five things that have been vexing for me this
  Christmas season."
• Henry Langknecht blogs the nativity lectionary: "Several
  years ago I received from a parishioner a "Jesus Is the Reason for the Season"
  cookie tin. Every time I reached for a piece of Doris's divinity, I had to read
  that cheery-angry motto of Christian moralism."
• P. C. Enniss's lectionary column from the magazine for the following Sunday, January 1: "Imagine the leader of a major Christian institution declaring on CNN
  that from now on, before one can become a Christian, one must first
  become a Jew, submit to the ritual of circumcision and vow to abide by
  the disciplines of the Mosaic law." (subscription required)

In the news:

• Pope certifies miracles for two U.S. saints
• Ten Commandments scroll goes on display in New York
• Episcopal clergy arrested at Occupy Wall Street protest
• Muslims push Lowe's boycott over reality series
• Anglican church's Christmas billboard vandalized in New Zealand
• U.S. jumps to top of charity index
• Lawmaker pulls bid to give rabbis control of Israeli electricity
• South Korean church leaders hope for peace following Kim's death
• Report shows Christianity shifting to Africa
• Baptists, Pentecostals seek common ground