Monthly Archives: August 2010
Wednesday’s roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — August 18, 2010
Politico says the so-called Ground Zero mosque is driving a wedge between the anti-mosque GOP (some worry that could backfire) and their Tea Party allies who want to keep the focus on taxes and government spending. Some Republicans, meanwhile, are calling President Obama an “elitist” who is “unsensitive” to 9/11 families over his muted support […]
10 minutes with … Mark Jacob
By Tracy Gordon — August 18, 2010
(RNS) Pope Clement VII was a connoisseur of mustard, Pope Martin VI had a taste for pickled eels, St. Rose of Lima’s devotional practices strayed into bulimia and the fish that Jesus used to feed the 5,000 was likely tilapia. It’s the kind of culinary minutiae contained in brothers Matthew Jacob and Mark Jacob’s new […]
Atheist group to raise funds for religious charity
By Tracy Gordon — August 18, 2010
(RNS) An atheist foundation that seeks to foster charitable giving among nonbelievers is encouraging members to donate to a religious charity — and the move is stirring mixed feelings among members. Foundation Beyond Belief, a nonprofit headquartered in Georgia, has designated London-based Quaker Peace & Social Witness as one of 10 charities its members will […]
Religious groups push action on prison rape
By Tracy Gordon — August 17, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) Six months before she was scheduled to be released on drug charges, Marilyn Shirley was raped in 2000 by a guard at the Texas prison where she was serving time. “I am still haunted by the words he whispered in my ear,” Shirley said Tuesday (Aug. 17). “Do you think you’re the only […]
Cleveland bishop seeks meeting with breakaway Catholics
By Tracy Gordon — August 17, 2010
CLEVELAND (RNS) Bishop Richard Lennon wants to meet with the priest and lay leaders of a breakaway congregation to try to bring them back into the fold, a spokesman for the diocese said Monday (Aug. 16). The Diocese of Cleveland was reacting to an unauthorized Mass celebrated Sunday by the Rev. Robert Marrone and about […]
Jews, Muslims make pilgrimage to Auschwitz
By Tracy Gordon — August 17, 2010
CARLSTADT, N.J. (RNS) The scenario might have seemed unlikely: prominent Muslims and Jews from the United States, trekking across the Atlantic in mournful, spiritual solidarity to visit two Nazi concentration camps. Together. The trip to Dachau and Auschwitz was meant to combat the rise in Holocaust denial that has popped up in various Muslim and […]
Tuesday’s roundup
By Daniel Burke — August 17, 2010
A local zoning debate on an Islamic center two blocks north of Ground Zero in NYC has become a political slugfest, with American Muslims caught in the middle, as GOP candidates on Monday intensified their efforts to turn support for the mosque into an election-year wedge issue. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich compared Cordoba House […]
Jews keep wary eye on new `Hebrew Catholics’ group
By Tracy Gordon — August 17, 2010
ST. LOUIS (RNS) Three years ago, just before Easter, then-Archbishop Raymond Burke attended a Passover seder with about 25 people to commemorate God’s liberation of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt. Guests wore yarmulkes — Burke brought his own fuchsia zucchetto worn by bishops — as a symbol of God’s presence, and enjoyed traditional seder fare: […]
COMMENTARY: The (real) New York state of mind
By Tracy Gordon — August 17, 2010
NEW YORK (RNS) Into the usual place came a surprising voice. At a Disciples of Christ pulpit on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, a rabbi preached tolerance of an Islamic center being planned near Ground Zero. A congregation known for its commitment to justice and diversity applauded his endorsement of religious freedom. In a city where […]
Down East
By Mark Silk — August 17, 2010
For most of the next couple of weeks. Sunny with (at most) intermittent blogging.
It’s Prophesied
By Alfredo Garcia — August 17, 2010
My recent article about the Rapture and apocalyptic theology prompted me to post this song by William Tapley that I stumbled upon. I provide the lyrics for your perusal in case you do not want to sit through the entirety of the song. “It’s Prophesied” By William Tapley Your future’s coming fast, my friend / […]
Atheists campaign for `right’ to blaspheme religion
By Tracy Gordon — August 16, 2010
(RNS) The Amherst, N.Y.-based Center for Inquiry (CFI) has changed the name of its International Blasphemy Day to International Blasphemy Rights Day in a bid t show that organizers are not interested in “mocking religion” for its own sake. CFI representatives said the name change better describes the purpose of the event amidst criticism received […]
Study says religious hospitals more efficient, provide better care
By Tracy Gordon — August 16, 2010
(RNS) Catholic and other church-run health care systems in the U.S. are more efficient and provide higher quality care than their secular counterparts, according to a new Thomson Reuters study. The study looked at 255 health care systems and found that Catholic and other church-owned systems are “significantly more likely to provide higher quality care […]
Fight over N.Y. mosque becomes a partisan wedge issue for Obama, GOP
By Tracy Gordon — August 16, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) What started as a local zoning debate about an Islamic center near Ground Zero, and then morphed into a fight over religious expression, has now turned into an election-year political brawl. Caught in the middle of the rancorous partisan fight are American Muslims, whose own voices have been drowned out by politicians on […]
