ThursdayâÂ?Â?s Religion News Roundup: Trump, Newt, Romney & Obama at Prayer Breakfast
Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so we will have more Newt and Trump, and the "very poor" will have Mitt. Obama has the National Prayer Breakfast, the 99 percent have their own prayer breakfast, and George Beverly Shea is 103.
It’s Groundhog Day! Not to be superstitious, but Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow, and that means six more weeks of winter. Which would be six more weeks than most of us have had so far.
The burning question is whether we will have six more weeks of the Republican primaries. Or six more months. Haven’t we been here before? What the heck, one more time:
- Donald Trump – whose hair is perfect for hibernating – will emerge from his lair to endorse Newt Gingrich today, which should convince voters to back Mitt Romney.
- But Romney has likely lost the support of “the very poor,” so maybe this thing will drag on.
- President Obama headlined the evangelical-led National Prayer Breakfast this morning. He has his work cut out for him with that crowd.
- Obama might have better luck outside the Capitol Hilton, where the “99 percent” were holding a People’s Prayer Breakfast to contrast with the Christian bigwigs inside.
- The White House is pushing back against claims that its contraception coverage mandate impinges religious freedom, and CNN asks whether this will cost Obama the Catholic vote.
On to newer news:
“Headless body and topless gal,” for instance. Oscar Wilde’s “Salome” gets a rewrite, as CNN’s Eric Marrapodi explains, and John the Baptist emerges as a star, as much as the daughter of Herodias, who is actually never named in the Gospel story.
Illustrations by the peerless Barry Moser (viz., Pennyroyal Caxton Bible).
Alan Jacobs channels Kahlil Gibran in order to destroy Kahlil Gibran. Witty, and worthy. But where will wedding planners go for profundity?
Tim Tebow will not be joining the Ohio revival of famed prosperity preacher Rod Parsley because he found out that Parsely is a prosperity preacher. Parsely says God wants you to be rich. God actually wants you to root for the Denver Broncos.
An elderly missionary couple in Monterrey have been murdered, the second slaying involving American missionaries in a year in the violence-plagued Mexican region bordering Texas.
You can now light a “virtual candle” at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York via their spanky new website.
The New York State legislature appears to be taking real-time steps to keep small congregations from being evicted from spaces they rent in New York City public schools. Deadline is Feb. 12.
Anyone still thrill to George Beverly Shea’s “How Great Thou Art”? He was amazing, and still is, at 103 years old.
Oh, and it’s Groundhog Day.
— David Gibson.