The Catholic Church's widening sexual abuse scandal has hit home for Pope Benedict XVI, shown here celebrating Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York in 2008. The Archdiocese of Munich, where Benedict was bishop from 1977-1982, admitted on Friday to "serious errors" in transferring a priest accused of molesting a child in 1980. Religion News Service file photo by Jin Lee/Staten Island Advance. | Download/Purchase this photo
Abuse scandal hits home for pope
By Francis X. Rocca
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Catholic Church in Europe’s widening sexual abuse scandal hit home for Pope Benedict XVI on Friday, as his former archdiocese admitted to making “serious errors” in the case of a priest suspected of molesting a child.
Benedict discussed the spreading scandal with the head of Germany’s Catholic bishops on Friday (March 12), hours before it drew closer than ever to the pontiff himself, as the Archdiocese of Munich, where Benedict was archbishop from 1977-1982, released a statement acknowledging it had reassigned an accused sex abuser in 1980.
Benedict, then known as Cardinal Joseph …
Friday, March 12, 2010
Was Dobson forced out?
Talking Points Memo is asking whether Focus on the Family founder James Dobson was pushed out of his longtime position with the Colorado ministry.
It quotes Dobson friend and former professional football player Ken Hutcherson, a pastor in Washington state, who thought it odd that Focus gave Dobson $1 million to help start his new radio program, "Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson.''
"Dr. Dobson gets off the radio in February, and he's starting a new program in May. It just didn't make sense. Why get off if you don't …
RNS FAITH DEATHS (RNS4-MAR09) Jeffrey and Marci Beagley of Oregon City, Ore., are taken into custody by deputies after being sentenced to 16 months in prison for the negligent faith-healing death of their son, Neil. For use with RNS-FAITH-DEATHS, transmitted March 9, 2010. RNS photo by Doug Beghtel/The Oregonian.
(RNS1-MAR10) Rebecca Newberger Goldstein's recent novel, ``36 Arguments for the Existence of God,'' is a thoughtful and irreverent romp through the contemporary debate between atheists and believers. For use with RNS-10-MINUTES, transmitted March 10, 2010. RNS photo courtesy Steven Pinker. | Download/Purchase this photo
10 Minutes with … Rebecca Newberger Goldstein
By Daniel Burke
(RNS) A famous atheist who harbors a secret soul. A 6-year-old Hasidic mathematical genius. A pompous and increasingly loony college professor with delusions of divine grandeur.
These are the characters that populate Rebecca Newberger Goldstein’s recent novel, “36 Arguments for the Existence of God,” a thoughtful and irreverent romp through the contemporary debate between atheists and believers.
Like Cass Seltzer (the novel’s soulful atheist), Goldstein has added an appendix with 36 arguments about God to her book—and found the flaws in each.
The award-winning philosopher/novelist talked about why 36 is a sacred number, what …