Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup

Today is All Souls’ Day, during which the living are supposed to help pray the deceased out of Purgatory, which I’ve always thought of as a kind of endless escalator. Anyhoo, by a vote of 396-9, the House reaffirmed “In God We Trust” as the national motto. Rep. Randy Forbes of Virginia, who spearheaded the […]

Today is All Souls’ Day, during which the living are supposed to help pray the deceased out of Purgatory, which I’ve always thought of as a kind of endless escalator.

Anyhoo, by a vote of 396-9, the House reaffirmed “In God We Trust” as the national motto.

Rep. Randy Forbes of Virginia, who spearheaded the resolution, said it was necessary because “our nation faces challenging times,” and nothing bucks people up like a nice motto.


The NYT laments that intellectuals were largely silent during the Arab Spring.

A French satirical magazine was firebombed after it published an issue “guest edited” by the Prophet Muhammad to salute the victory of an Islamist party in Tunisian elections.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams voiced support for the OWS movement, saying there is a powerful sense that bankers have not been held accountable for trashing the economy. His article was published hours after London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral decided not to evict OWS protestors.

Williams also told the protesters make more specific demands and backed the Vatican’s call for a “Robin Hood” tax on bankers.

The LA Times reports that OWS is a largely secular movement, but Mark Silk says its signature expression, the 24/7 protest, resembles a religious vigil more than a political rally.

Actor Matthew Modine says Jesus was a communist.

The Rev. Jim Wallis and Southern Bapitist guru Richard Land will discuss evangelicals and the 2012 campaign tonight in Washington. Hope they booked a big room.

NPR looks at the Vatican’s upcoming conference on adult stem cell therapies.

In Ireland, a country one former pope called “the most Catholic in the world,” more than 50 percent of people now hold an unfavorable view of the church.


A German Catholic priest has been indicted on 267 counts of sexual contact with children.

Dozens of European rabbis gathered in Warsaw for the largest meeting of Jewish religious leaders in Poland since World War II.

Iran’s plot to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S. has raised concerns that violence could mar this year’s hajj pilgrimage, which starts Friday.

In a Two Tales, One Torah, two remarkable stories surround a scroll given to a New Oreleans synagogue after Katrina.

A book called Man Up! 367 Classic Skills for the Modern Guy includes three helpful tips for the religiously ignorant. I’ll paraphrase so none of you have to read it.

1. Wear nice socks at religious ceremonies.

2. A baby dining set makes an excellent baptism gift.

3. When a friend tries to convert you, stop hanging out with him.

I’ll add a fourth tip here: read the Religion News Roundup every day. It’s cheaper than books!


Yr hmbl aggregator,

Daniel Burke

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