After the Paris attacks we must resist the urge to claim an eye for an eye
The (London) Guardian: René Girard's answer to mimetic violence is that
we have to break the cycle by refusing to mirror our enemies, Giles
Fraser says.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: On (not) responding to terror with terror
Flannery O'Connor: Finding God in human messiness
U.S. Catholic: Flannery O'Connor's gospel gaze would see through all of
this folly, finding sin just about everywhere and God's grace not far
behind, Ted Rosean says.
Religion is changing, fellowship too
Harvard Gazette: Millennials are creating their own style of community, say authors of “How We Gather.”
Washington Post: For millennials, first comes love -- then what?
Amish.biz
Aeon: The Amish are online, onscreen, and multiplying fast. In their battle with modernity, it's tough to say who's winning.
Another kind of conversion: Former church buildings in Pittsburgh region find new life
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: High ceilings, tons of light, open spaces --
what more could an art gallery, community center, live music venue or
photo studio want?
Friday, November 20, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Helping Refugees Before It Made News
November 19, 2015
A couple of photos
changed the way much of America, and the church, viewed the ongoing
refugee crisis spilling into Europe from the Middle East. In one, a
drowned three-year-old lay face down on the shoreline after the boat
carrying his family and other refugees from Syria capsized. In another, a
Turkish police officer carries his little body, feet dangling with
Velcro sneakers.
It's hard to imagine something more innocent or more tragic. This young victim galvanized a push to open borders. Ann Voskamp gathered evangelicals around the mantra We Welcome Refugees, urging the church to partner with resettlement agencies. People were even asking, "How can we get more of these refugees out of danger and into our country?"
It's hard to imagine something more innocent or more tragic. This young victim galvanized a push to open borders. Ann Voskamp gathered evangelicals around the mantra We Welcome Refugees, urging the church to partner with resettlement agencies. People were even asking, "How can we get more of these refugees out of danger and into our country?"
That was only two months ago. Now, in the wake of the deadliest
terrorists attacks in France's history, many Americans no longer think
of an innocent little boy when they picture a Syrian refugee. They
imagine the suicide bomber believed to have posed as a refugee to enter Europe. There's a stark contrast between the outcry for compassion following the viral photos
and the defensive unwelcome following the Paris attacks, but I worry
that both are examples of a collective gut reaction, roused by the
trending topic of the day.
We form our opinions quickly in the age of social media, even on topics
we may not have extensively considered before. As Christians, though, we
cannot live as people who quickly search for Bible verses to back up
our hot takes on the latest tragedy or controversy. We have to be the
ones doing the ongoing work of peace, mercy, and charity—even if it goes
overlooked.
I know many evangelicals who have long cared for refugees as a response
to their sense of calling and Scripture itself, not a particular
incident in the news. The day-to-day of helping refugees, as social worker Heather Evans writes,
feels far more mundane and less exciting than the proclamations and
stances on social media. Going to doctor's appointments, checking on
homework, and "sitting in a bare apartment with people who speak a
different language and come from a different culture can be awkward and
certainly unglamorous," she said. "But this, my fellow Christians, is
our call to practice hospitality."
As Trillia Newbell said in a recent post
about pro-life activism, we always hope that our actions will serve as a
positive witness for our faith. But we continue to obey God regardless
of whether we gain popular attention, acclaim, or approval for it.
Recent news has challenged me to resist the urge to quickly form an
opinion and demand action from those around me accordingly. Instead, I
hope to reverse it: To notice the ongoing work of the body of Christ in
areas that I am not an expert on (in this case, be they refugee
resettlement, national security, or foreign affairs).
I hope to listen and learn from those who have served faithfully in
these areas. This may be the best way I can begin to help. As a CT piece
reminded me this week, "Real listening is an act of servanthood... a
practice of presence and an act of humility and surrender. It's an act
of hospitality and a way to imitate Christ."
Thanks for reading,
 |  |
Featured Posts
| |||
| |||
Evangelicals, Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses on Church Involvement
Reviews
A History of Faith and Flatulence
Terry Lindvall leads a tour of irreverent poems, bathroom jokes, and other running gags of religious satire.
Wesley Hill
If your Facebook feed is anything like mine, you know nothing unites your friends (aside from political debate and celebrity gossip) like a juicy link from The Onion, America's most popular satirical news site. Because I have so many Christian friends, Onion articles that touch on religious themes tend to garner the most "likes" in my feed. A couple of years ago, when a story appeared with the headline "Christ Reluctantly Enters Area Man's Heart," it dominated... continue reading >>
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Gold, frankincense and espresso
Don't ‘scapegoat’ Syrian refugees, Catholic bishops and evangelicals say
CNN: Two of the country's largest and most influential religious groups, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals, are urging the United States not to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees.
What better place to dance than church?
The Detroit News: At Cass Community United Methodist Church, it has become a tradition: On your wedding anniversary, you glide down in front of the altar and dance.
Gold, frankincense and espresso
Baptist News Global: You can't trust the world to preserve the Bethlehem story, Bill Leonard says.
Seminary's $50M project wins approval
Richmond BizSense: Union Presbyterian apartment complex will offer living options not only for students but also the general public to create a revenue stream to support scholarships.
Does the NFL fumble when it comes to ethics?
U.S. Catholic: Mounting bad press has created a perfect storm, making this as good a time as any to rethink our allegiance to football in general and to the NFL brand in particular.
CNN: Two of the country's largest and most influential religious groups, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the National Association of Evangelicals, are urging the United States not to halt the resettlement of Syrian refugees.
What better place to dance than church?
The Detroit News: At Cass Community United Methodist Church, it has become a tradition: On your wedding anniversary, you glide down in front of the altar and dance.
Gold, frankincense and espresso
Baptist News Global: You can't trust the world to preserve the Bethlehem story, Bill Leonard says.
Seminary's $50M project wins approval
Richmond BizSense: Union Presbyterian apartment complex will offer living options not only for students but also the general public to create a revenue stream to support scholarships.
Does the NFL fumble when it comes to ethics?
U.S. Catholic: Mounting bad press has created a perfect storm, making this as good a time as any to rethink our allegiance to football in general and to the NFL brand in particular.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
‘House of God refuge, not prison’
Francis cries out for welcoming church: ‘House of God refuge, not prison’
National Catholic Reporter: Pope Francis has again forcefully repeated his call that the Catholic church globally should open its doors to everyone, saying the church sometimes even keeps Jesus “prisoner” in its own institutions and does not let him out into the world.
Love will conquer hate
Baptist News Global: The minute we give in to the fear and violence, hatred and death all around us, we become part of the problem, says the Rev. Amy Butler.
10 reasons why United Methodists should ignore the Republican governors
United Methodist Reporter: The Rev. Wes Magruder offers 10 reasons why United Methodists should ignore the Republican governors' call to remove the welcome mat for Syrian refugees.
What to do about seminary?
BlogHer: What does it mean for seminaries when more and more students are using it as a space for discernment, rather than a space for preparation?
I'm radically pro-life, and not only when it's on the cheap
Religion News Service: Marcia Pally is emphatically pro-life -- which is why she thinks the 2013 Texas abortion regulations are hokum.
National Catholic Reporter: Pope Francis has again forcefully repeated his call that the Catholic church globally should open its doors to everyone, saying the church sometimes even keeps Jesus “prisoner” in its own institutions and does not let him out into the world.
Love will conquer hate
Baptist News Global: The minute we give in to the fear and violence, hatred and death all around us, we become part of the problem, says the Rev. Amy Butler.
10 reasons why United Methodists should ignore the Republican governors
United Methodist Reporter: The Rev. Wes Magruder offers 10 reasons why United Methodists should ignore the Republican governors' call to remove the welcome mat for Syrian refugees.
What to do about seminary?
BlogHer: What does it mean for seminaries when more and more students are using it as a space for discernment, rather than a space for preparation?
I'm radically pro-life, and not only when it's on the cheap
Religion News Service: Marcia Pally is emphatically pro-life -- which is why she thinks the 2013 Texas abortion regulations are hokum.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Church involvement varies widely among U.S. Christian
In light of the Paris attacks, is it time to eradicate religion?
Washington Post: If the hope for the world depends on eradication of religion, we should all despair, says Miroslav Volf.
Would Jesus take in Syrian refugees?
Washington Post: For many American Christians, the Paris attacks have revealed a conflict between two priorities: The cause of persecuted Middle Eastern Christians and a hard line on security.
Washington Post: What Americans thought of Jewish refugees on the eve of World War II
Americans fret about Islam, immigrants, the future -- and each other
Religion News Service: Americans are anxious about Islam, bothered by immigrants and mistrustful across racial lines, finds a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute.
China accused of trying to ‘co-opt and emasculate’ Christianity
The (London) Guardian: Secretive conference to assess the future of Christianity in China triggers concerns that the Communist party may seek to bring church in line with state agenda.
Church involvement varies widely among U.S. Christians
Pew Research: While most Americans still identify as Christian, there are big differences when it comes to how involved they are with a congregation -- or whether they're involved at all.
Washington Post: If the hope for the world depends on eradication of religion, we should all despair, says Miroslav Volf.
Would Jesus take in Syrian refugees?
Washington Post: For many American Christians, the Paris attacks have revealed a conflict between two priorities: The cause of persecuted Middle Eastern Christians and a hard line on security.
Washington Post: What Americans thought of Jewish refugees on the eve of World War II
Americans fret about Islam, immigrants, the future -- and each other
Religion News Service: Americans are anxious about Islam, bothered by immigrants and mistrustful across racial lines, finds a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute.
China accused of trying to ‘co-opt and emasculate’ Christianity
The (London) Guardian: Secretive conference to assess the future of Christianity in China triggers concerns that the Communist party may seek to bring church in line with state agenda.
Church involvement varies widely among U.S. Christians
Pew Research: While most Americans still identify as Christian, there are big differences when it comes to how involved they are with a congregation -- or whether they're involved at all.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Calling Men to a Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality
MONDAY, November 16, 2015 | St. Gertrude, Patron of the West Indies
ESSAYS and POSTS about Paris and ISIS, Catholic education, "Spotlight", apocalyptic fiction, liberal theologians, evolution, Vatican II and religious freedom, and much more!
ISIS at the Doors: Erasing the Memory of a Christian Europe | Diogo Miguel Machado | By indulging our fetish for spiritual and cultural forgetfulness, we have permitted the coming-to-be of a hell on earth under the reign of ISIS.
Pope Francis: Paris terrorist attacks are part of "piecemeal WWIII" | CNA | At least 128 people are confirmed dead and more than 180 wounded in terrorist attacks which targeted bars, restaurants, a concert hall, and a football stadium in the heart of Paris.
Making the Case for Catholic Education | Christopher S. Morrissey | Modern approaches to education find their inspiration in Rousseau, while classical approaches find their support in Aristotle. Ryan Topping advocates the latter approach.
The Son of Man and the Little Apocalypse | Carl E. Olson | Jesus used prophetic language to describe his approaching Passion and death, through which he, the promised Messiah, would deliver his people from tribulation and inaugurate the restoration of Israel.
Shining a “Spotlight” on Yesterday’s Journalism | Anne Hendershott | A new film about reporters investigating Boston’s priestly sex abuse scandals gets several key points wrong—and overlooks several entirely.
Pope Francis and the Changing Times | Fr. James V. Schall, SJ | The central question is this: just what “dogmatic” issues are being upheld and what ones are customs that can be changed?
Apocalyptic Fiction | Ignatius Press Novels | An interview with Michael D. O’Brien about his new novel, Elijah in Jerusalem.
Vatican II and Religious Freedom: Rupture or Authentic Development? | Carl E. Olson | The authors of a new book on “Dignitatis Humanae” argue that the Declaration grounds the right to religious freedom in the obligation to seek the truth, especially the truth about God.
Two Years Among the Liberal Theologians | Dorothy Cummings McLean | The brain-blowing combination of asserting that what is not Catholic teaching is somehow Catholic teaching and then shrieking like a frightened schoolgirl when the word "heresy" is uttered is what the American Catholic/Jesuit theological academy is all about.
Catholicism, Evolution, and Divine Revelation: A Second Look | Fr. James V. Schall, SJ | Fr. Michael Chaberek's carefully researched and argued book Catholicism and Evolution examines how the magisterium of the Catholic Church has dealt with Darwin and the subsequent theories of evolution.
Bouyer's journey from Lutheran pastor to Ressourcement theologian | Dr. Christopher Shannon | A new English translation of the Memoirs of Fr. Louis Bouyer offers keen insights into the Church, the Second Vatican Council, and the intellectual landscape of the past century.
More Thoughts About Immigration—and Some Suggestions | James Kalb | As in sexual matters, we’ve undergone a revolution in respectable opinion that professes to benefit the marginalized while in fact entrenching the rich, powerful, and credentialed.
A Story for the Restless: "We’ll Never Tell Them" | John Herreid | There are two very powerful myths most of us at some level buy into, given that they are myths that permeate the modern world.
Saint Peter Damian, “Gomorrah”, and Today's Moral Crisis | CWR Staff | An interview with Matthew Cullinan Hoffman about his new translation of a treatise against sodomy, pederasty, and clerical corruption penned nearly a thousand years ago by a great reformer and Doctor of the Church.
Calling Men to a Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality | CWR Staff | "Catholic men are destroying themselves by their own free-willed choices," says Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, whose book "Behold the Man," focuses on Christ crucified, covenantal love, and fatherhood.
“Thanks to Your Noble Shadow”: The Life of the Last Irish Nun in Japan | Dom Alcuin Reid | An interview with journalist James Creedon about his documentary film on the life of Sister Paschal O’Sullivan, who was a missionary in Japan for 75 years.
Robert Cardinal Sarah, a new Augustine for Africa | Dorothy Cummings McLean | God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith, Nicholas Diat's interview with Cardinal Sarah, is filled with adventure, classical scholarship, orthodoxy and fidelity to doctrine.
“Christ was truly present”: Some personal reflections on the World Meeting of Families | Suzanne Schoen H armon | More than 20,000 pilgrims from more than 100 countries attended the six-day event, held in Philadelphia’s enormous and handsome Convention Center. Delegates came in every shape, size, and race and spoke a wide range of languages.
OTHER RECENT, POPULAR ARTICLES:
Intrinsic Evils, Final Realities, and the Synod | Dr. Samuel Gregg | As St. Pope John Paul II's "Veritatis Splendor" reminds us, the idea that there are intrinsically evil acts has always been central to Catholic ethics. Without it, Catholic morality would cease to be Catholic.
The template the Synod seems to have forgotten | Mary Beth Bonacci | The discussion of doctrine by bishops seems to revolve primarily around “where is the line between doctrine and discipline?” and “how far can we cut into the doctrine without formally changing it?”
“Spiritual Friendship” and Ministering to the Same-Sex Attracted | Dr. Rachel Lu | The “Spiritual Friendship” bloggers are the most visible spokesmen for what it means to be orthodox Christians and gay, but elements of their approach are inconsistent, and can hamper those genuinely anxious to help.
Thoughts and Questions about Immigration | James Kalb | It’s evident that immigration, like most issues of public policy, is a matter of prudence, and serious Catholics will disagree on the answers--so informed and intelligent discussion is needed
The Quebecoise Alternative to the St. Gallen Mafia | Tracey Rowland | Cardinal Marc Ouellet, author of Mystery and Sacrament of Love, does not think it possible to allow Communion to the divorced and remarried without doing violence to the sacramental ontology
"The Church has no authority...”: On the Limits of the Pope | Dr. Adam A. J. DeVille | Papal authority cannot be used to promote favored papal causes, no matter how noble. It is to be used to keep the Church one and focused on the one true God.
Assisted suicide: The nightmare has become the reality | Russell Shaw | Although even advocates of the right to die generally concede the need for safeguards against abuses, the dynamic of the underlying ideology encourages step by step movement in a radical direction.
Love, Truth, and Pastoral Care | Mary Jo Anderson | Encouraging any disorder—whatever it may be—is not an act of love, but an act of surrender that leaves the person in bondage to the disorder.
The Mystery of Creation and the Sacrament of Marriage | Carl E. Olson | Divorce is rampant, adultery is common, and “same-sex marriage” now appears to be an inevitable social and cultural "reality". It is not surprising, then, to sometimes hear that marriage is doomed.
ESSAYS and POSTS about Paris and ISIS, Catholic education, "Spotlight", apocalyptic fiction, liberal theologians, evolution, Vatican II and religious freedom, and much more!
ISIS at the Doors: Erasing the Memory of a Christian Europe | Diogo Miguel Machado | By indulging our fetish for spiritual and cultural forgetfulness, we have permitted the coming-to-be of a hell on earth under the reign of ISIS.
Pope Francis: Paris terrorist attacks are part of "piecemeal WWIII" | CNA | At least 128 people are confirmed dead and more than 180 wounded in terrorist attacks which targeted bars, restaurants, a concert hall, and a football stadium in the heart of Paris.
Making the Case for Catholic Education | Christopher S. Morrissey | Modern approaches to education find their inspiration in Rousseau, while classical approaches find their support in Aristotle. Ryan Topping advocates the latter approach.
The Son of Man and the Little Apocalypse | Carl E. Olson | Jesus used prophetic language to describe his approaching Passion and death, through which he, the promised Messiah, would deliver his people from tribulation and inaugurate the restoration of Israel.
Shining a “Spotlight” on Yesterday’s Journalism | Anne Hendershott | A new film about reporters investigating Boston’s priestly sex abuse scandals gets several key points wrong—and overlooks several entirely.
Pope Francis and the Changing Times | Fr. James V. Schall, SJ | The central question is this: just what “dogmatic” issues are being upheld and what ones are customs that can be changed?
Apocalyptic Fiction | Ignatius Press Novels | An interview with Michael D. O’Brien about his new novel, Elijah in Jerusalem.
Vatican II and Religious Freedom: Rupture or Authentic Development? | Carl E. Olson | The authors of a new book on “Dignitatis Humanae” argue that the Declaration grounds the right to religious freedom in the obligation to seek the truth, especially the truth about God.
Two Years Among the Liberal Theologians | Dorothy Cummings McLean | The brain-blowing combination of asserting that what is not Catholic teaching is somehow Catholic teaching and then shrieking like a frightened schoolgirl when the word "heresy" is uttered is what the American Catholic/Jesuit theological academy is all about.
Catholicism, Evolution, and Divine Revelation: A Second Look | Fr. James V. Schall, SJ | Fr. Michael Chaberek's carefully researched and argued book Catholicism and Evolution examines how the magisterium of the Catholic Church has dealt with Darwin and the subsequent theories of evolution.
Bouyer's journey from Lutheran pastor to Ressourcement theologian | Dr. Christopher Shannon | A new English translation of the Memoirs of Fr. Louis Bouyer offers keen insights into the Church, the Second Vatican Council, and the intellectual landscape of the past century.
More Thoughts About Immigration—and Some Suggestions | James Kalb | As in sexual matters, we’ve undergone a revolution in respectable opinion that professes to benefit the marginalized while in fact entrenching the rich, powerful, and credentialed.
A Story for the Restless: "We’ll Never Tell Them" | John Herreid | There are two very powerful myths most of us at some level buy into, given that they are myths that permeate the modern world.
Saint Peter Damian, “Gomorrah”, and Today's Moral Crisis | CWR Staff | An interview with Matthew Cullinan Hoffman about his new translation of a treatise against sodomy, pederasty, and clerical corruption penned nearly a thousand years ago by a great reformer and Doctor of the Church.
Calling Men to a Catholic Vision of Male Spirituality | CWR Staff | "Catholic men are destroying themselves by their own free-willed choices," says Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, whose book "Behold the Man," focuses on Christ crucified, covenantal love, and fatherhood.
“Thanks to Your Noble Shadow”: The Life of the Last Irish Nun in Japan | Dom Alcuin Reid | An interview with journalist James Creedon about his documentary film on the life of Sister Paschal O’Sullivan, who was a missionary in Japan for 75 years.
Robert Cardinal Sarah, a new Augustine for Africa | Dorothy Cummings McLean | God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith, Nicholas Diat's interview with Cardinal Sarah, is filled with adventure, classical scholarship, orthodoxy and fidelity to doctrine.
“Christ was truly present”: Some personal reflections on the World Meeting of Families | Suzanne Schoen H armon | More than 20,000 pilgrims from more than 100 countries attended the six-day event, held in Philadelphia’s enormous and handsome Convention Center. Delegates came in every shape, size, and race and spoke a wide range of languages.
OTHER RECENT, POPULAR ARTICLES:
Intrinsic Evils, Final Realities, and the Synod | Dr. Samuel Gregg | As St. Pope John Paul II's "Veritatis Splendor" reminds us, the idea that there are intrinsically evil acts has always been central to Catholic ethics. Without it, Catholic morality would cease to be Catholic.
The template the Synod seems to have forgotten | Mary Beth Bonacci | The discussion of doctrine by bishops seems to revolve primarily around “where is the line between doctrine and discipline?” and “how far can we cut into the doctrine without formally changing it?”
“Spiritual Friendship” and Ministering to the Same-Sex Attracted | Dr. Rachel Lu | The “Spiritual Friendship” bloggers are the most visible spokesmen for what it means to be orthodox Christians and gay, but elements of their approach are inconsistent, and can hamper those genuinely anxious to help.
Thoughts and Questions about Immigration | James Kalb | It’s evident that immigration, like most issues of public policy, is a matter of prudence, and serious Catholics will disagree on the answers--so informed and intelligent discussion is needed
The Quebecoise Alternative to the St. Gallen Mafia | Tracey Rowland | Cardinal Marc Ouellet, author of Mystery and Sacrament of Love, does not think it possible to allow Communion to the divorced and remarried without doing violence to the sacramental ontology
"The Church has no authority...”: On the Limits of the Pope | Dr. Adam A. J. DeVille | Papal authority cannot be used to promote favored papal causes, no matter how noble. It is to be used to keep the Church one and focused on the one true God.
Assisted suicide: The nightmare has become the reality | Russell Shaw | Although even advocates of the right to die generally concede the need for safeguards against abuses, the dynamic of the underlying ideology encourages step by step movement in a radical direction.
Love, Truth, and Pastoral Care | Mary Jo Anderson | Encouraging any disorder—whatever it may be—is not an act of love, but an act of surrender that leaves the person in bondage to the disorder.
The Mystery of Creation and the Sacrament of Marriage | Carl E. Olson | Divorce is rampant, adultery is common, and “same-sex marriage” now appears to be an inevitable social and cultural "reality". It is not surprising, then, to sometimes hear that marriage is doomed.
The Mystery of Hope in Paris
Soulwork
The Mystery of Hope in Paris
Why we light candles at a time like this.
Mark Galli
Seemingly within minutes of the massacre in Paris, people gathered at one place or another, in Paris and in cities across the world. They laid flowers. They prayed. They played "Amazing Grace." They held hands. They displayed the colors of the French flag. They wept. They also lit candles. Lighting candles has become a common public liturgy following terrorist... continue reading >>
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
| |||
Does religion give rise to violence?
Pope: Religious justification for Paris attacks ‘blasphemy,’ love of neighbor needed
National Catholic Reporter: Pope Francis condemns the recent horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, saying he wanted to express closeness to the families of the victims and calling any religious justification for such attacks “blasphemy.”
Washington Post: Don't offer bumper-sticker theology: Five simple ways to help after the Paris attacks
Does religion give rise to violence -- or the other way around?
Religion News Service: French philosopher René Girard's most lasting cultural legacy is to provide an intellectual basis for Christian pacifism.
“Did I do what I should have done?”: white clergy in 1960s Mississippi
Oxford University Press blog: In Mississippi, the state known as “the toughest nut to crack” by movement leaders, a few white church pastors tried to do the right thing.
Mormon resignations put support for gays over fealty to faith
The New York Times: Mormons lined up in Salt Lake City on Saturday to hand in their resignations from the church.
Houston deaf church enhances sanctuary with vibrating floor and high-tech lighting
Houston Chronicle: Houston deaf church held first sermon at renovated sanctuary.
National Catholic Reporter: Pope Francis condemns the recent horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, saying he wanted to express closeness to the families of the victims and calling any religious justification for such attacks “blasphemy.”
Washington Post: Don't offer bumper-sticker theology: Five simple ways to help after the Paris attacks
Does religion give rise to violence -- or the other way around?
Religion News Service: French philosopher René Girard's most lasting cultural legacy is to provide an intellectual basis for Christian pacifism.
“Did I do what I should have done?”: white clergy in 1960s Mississippi
Oxford University Press blog: In Mississippi, the state known as “the toughest nut to crack” by movement leaders, a few white church pastors tried to do the right thing.
Mormon resignations put support for gays over fealty to faith
The New York Times: Mormons lined up in Salt Lake City on Saturday to hand in their resignations from the church.
Houston deaf church enhances sanctuary with vibrating floor and high-tech lighting
Houston Chronicle: Houston deaf church held first sermon at renovated sanctuary.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Linda Di Giorgio was called Home
On November 4, 2015, Linda Di Giorgio was called Home to be with Jesus.
We ask that you keep her family - Bob (Linda's husband) and their three
children and families - in your thoughts and prayers as they grieve over
her loss yet rejoice at her home-going.Linda's Memorial Service will be Saturday November 21 at 1:00pm at Covenant Presbyterian Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Crossroads Christian Ministries, Inc., which Linda led and organized for years with her husband.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Explaining Away Miracles
Explaining Away Miracles
I thought in this postmodern era, we were done with trying to find scientific rationales for biblical miracles, but this article in Slate says the genre is alive and well. And as this author retorts,
the attempt itself assumes a false view of the world, which is
countered by the more biblical understanding: "Reported miracles in
Scripture are critically important passages that remind us of a
desperately needed truth: there is no natural world." And this: "Our God
can work miracles. He does things we cannot explain. He does things
that make us uncomfortable."
| ||
What the Other Gospels Tell Us About Jesus
It's no secret that the early church had access to more gospels than
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And a common narrative goes like this:
[T]he earliest centuries of the faith (before Constantine) were marked
by sprawling diversity and creativity, and many schools of thought
contested freely. But the democratic, egalitarian, and Spirit-filled
Jesus movement then atrophied into the repressive, bureaucratic Catholic
Church of the Middle Ages. The narrow orthodoxies of a monolithic
church replaced the effervescent "many Christianities" of the earliest
centuries.
To this, historian Philip Jenkins says hogwash. And his book, The Many Faces of Christ: The Thousand-Year Story of the Survival and Influence of the Lost Gospels
reveals that for better or worse, these other gospels stayed in
circulation for centuries—and for better or worse, shaped the faith of
early Christians. What is more remarkable, in light of the many choices
available, is "the wisdom of the church and the wisdom of God" which
kept coming back to "Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, four awesome and
inspiring narratives whose treasures are inexhaustible." So says Wheaton
professor Amy Peeler in her review of Jenkins' latest book.
| ||
New Zealand Is Awesome Times 26
And definitely not to be confused with Australia, as a few New Zealand
fans of The Galli Report kindly pointed out last week! I mistakenly
said the moon rise video was shot in THAT OTHER COUNTRY. My bad. No
excuses.
So this slide show
is in part (only in part) an apology, but more I wanted to showcase
some incredible photography of the handiwork of God and man in the land
of the Kiwi.
| ||
Friday the 13th Trivia
The superstitions surrounding this infamous day (called
paraskevidekatriaphobia!) are said to have some Christian connections.
Doubtful, but nonetheless interesting.
| ||
Grace and peace,
| ||
| ||
The Illusion of Respectability
The Illusion of Respectability
Our mission is simple. And it means death to one of our greatest lusts.
Allen Guelzo
It is very nearly four decades since, as a terribly callow graduate student with an interest in philosophy, I made a pilgrimage with a friend to the home of a professor of Christian apologetics. I was looking for direction, and even though Cornelius Van Til had been retired for many years, he was known to welcome inquirers... continue reading >>
Guardini Has Much to Say to the People of Today, Says Pope Franci
In address to Foundation, Looks at Philosopher's Writings on Dostoevsky's "The Brothers Karamazov"
Rome,
November 13, 2015 (ZENIT.org)
This morning, the Pope received
in audience members of the Romano Guardini Foundation attending a Congress
promoted by the Pontifical Gregorian University to commemorate the 150th
anniversary of the birth of the Italian-born German priest, theologian and
writer.
During the audience, the president
of the foundation, Professor Ludwig von Pufendorf, announced the imminent
publication of a previously unpublished text by Guardini who, as the Holy
Father affirmed, “has much to say to the people of our time, and not only
Christians."
Francis recalled that Guardini,
in his book “The Religious World of Dostoevsky”, cites the episode in “The
Brothers Karamazov” in which a peasant confesses to the starec (the spiritual
guide of Orthodox monasteries) that she had killed her sick husband who had
mistreated her throughout his life. The starec notes that the woman,
desperately aware of her guilt, is entirely closed in on herself and that any
reflection, comfort or counsel would meet this wall. The woman is convinced she
is condemned; however, the priest shows her the way out. Her life has meaning,
because God will receive her at the moment of repentance. He urges her not to
be afraid since there is not, and there cannot be, a sin on earth that God
cannot forgive to those who repent sincerely, nor can there be a sin so great
that it exhausts God's infinite love. In confession the woman is transformed
and receives new hope.
“The simplest people understand what
this is about”, said the Pope. “They perceive the greatness that shines in the
starec's wisdom and the strength of his love. They understand what holiness
means, that is, an existence lived in faith, able to see that God is close to
man, that He holds their life in His hands. In this respect, Guardini says,
that by accepting with simplicity existence in the hand of God, personal will transforms
into divine will and in this way, without the creature ceasing to be only a
creature and God truly God, their living unity is brought about."
For Guardini, this “living unity”
with God consists of the concrete relationship of people with the world and
with others around them. “The individual feels a part of the fabric of the
population, that is, in an original union of men that by type, country and
historical evolution in life and destinies are a single entity”. The author of
“The Meaning of the Church” considered the concept of “population” as the
“compendium of what in man is genuine, profound and substantial. We are able to
recognise in the population, as in a mirror, “field of the force of divine
action”.
“Perhaps we can apply Guardini's
reflections to our own time, seeking to uncover the hand of God in current
events”, observed the Holy Father. “In this way we will perhaps be able to
recognise that God, in His wisdom, sent us, in rich Europe, the hungry to be
fed, the thirsty to slake their thirst, the stranger to be welcomed and the
naked to be clothed. History then shows this: if we are a population, we will
certainly welcome these as our brothers; if we are merely a group of
individuals, we will be tempted only to save our own skins, but we will have no
continuity”.
The Pope greeted the members of the
Foundation, expressing his hope that Guardini's work will help them
increasingly to understand the meaning and value of the Christian foundations
of culture and society.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
