Month: July 2012

Book Reviews2 Comments

How the 20th-Century Heirs of 19th-Century Evangelicalism Divided (and Squandered) Their Heritage

georgepwood

From Kenneth J. Collin’s forthcoming book, Power, Politics and the Fragmentation of Evangelicalism: The key issue in the breakup of American evangelicalism [from the late 19th to the early 20th centuries] was not that leaders like Rauschenbusch and Gladden were endorsing social concern. Indeed, the Salvation Army did not miss a bit in its social witness from one century to the next. Rather Social Gospel leaders were perceived by their fundamentalist cousins as undertaking social action “in an exclusivist way.” Such a judgment set up an unfortunate dynamic among fundamentalist evangelicals, who eventually abandoned important parts of their own story … Continue reading How the 20th-Century Heirs of 19th-Century Evangelicalism Divided (and Squandered) Their Heritage

Politics & CultureLeave a comment

Little Voter Discomfort with Romney’s Mormon Religion: Only About Half Identify Obama as Christian

georgepwood

Yesterday, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a report on how voters view the presidential candidates’ religion. From the report: Most voters continue to say it is important for a president to have strong religious beliefs. But voters have limited awareness of the religious faiths of both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. And there is little evidence to suggest that concerns about the candidates’ respective faiths will have a meaningful impact in the fall elections. The latest national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the … Continue reading Little Voter Discomfort with Romney’s Mormon Religion: Only About Half Identify Obama as Christian

Current Events, Politics & Culture1 Comment

Poultry excuse, Mayor: Radical imam OK but not Chick-fil-A

georgepwood

Heh. Given his stance on Chick-fil-A, would Mayor Tom Menino grant permits to a group that has counted among its leaders a man who has repeatedly called homosexuality a “crime that must be punished” by death? Actually, he has done that  . . . and more! Menino effectively gave away city land valued at $1.8 million to the organization, and he gave a speech at its ribbon-cutting ceremony. It’s the Islamic Society of Boston’s mosque, and when it comes to anti-gay sentiment, one of its early supporters makes Chick-fil-A look like the Provincetown Men’s Chorus. During the (understandable) controversy over the city selling land … Continue reading Poultry excuse, Mayor: Radical imam OK but not Chick-fil-A

Current EventsLeave a comment

Religion At 2012 Olympics: From Ancient Greece To London

georgepwood

The London 2012 Olympics begin tonight. HuffPost Religion published an interesting article on the connection between religion and the games. Here’s an exceprt: Though not sectarian, the modern games began to take on their own quasi-religious rituals. Coubertin borrowed ceremonies, hymns, and rituals from the ancient festival to shape a transcendent “Olympism,” uniting all athletes. Some scholars today refer to his creation as a “civil religion.” “The civil religion was not so much the worship or devotion to the state, as it is often now understood,” explained Joseph Price, a professor of religion at Whittier College in California who researches … Continue reading Religion At 2012 Olympics: From Ancient Greece To London

Current Events1 Comment

Colorado Shooting Survivor Forgives Alleged Gunman

georgepwood

From HuffPost Religion: DENVER — A survivor of the deadly shootings at a Colorado movie theater says he has forgiven the alleged gunman. Denver Rescue Mission employee Pierce O’Farrill was shot three times, in the left arm and left leg, in the attack Friday at an Aurora theater showing the new Batman movie. He was released from the hospital Wednesday. James Eagan Holmes is accused of launching the attack that killed 12 people and injured 58. “Of course, I forgive him with all my heart. When I saw him in his hearing, I felt nothing but sorrow for him – … Continue reading Colorado Shooting Survivor Forgives Alleged Gunman

Politics & CultureLeave a comment

Republicans and the ‘Quality of Sodom’: Or, How to Distort GOP Positions and Give Biblical Cover to Bad Policy

georgepwood

Over at The Daily Beast, Gershom Gorenberg accuses Republicans of being sodomites. (No, not that kind of sodomite.) I’ll let Gorenberg explain: …I am definitely not referring to sexual orientation. The idea that sodomy has to do with sex is one more piece of evidence that Judaism and Christianity are two religions separated by a common scripture. In Judaism, Sodom stands for economic injustice, selfishness and refusal to redistribute wealth. Republican presidential candidate and former governor, Mitt Romney, delivers remarks via satellite March 6, 2012 to the American Israel Political Action Committee (Karen Bleier / AFP / Getty Images) In … Continue reading Republicans and the ‘Quality of Sodom’: Or, How to Distort GOP Positions and Give Biblical Cover to Bad Policy

Current Events, Politics & CultureLeave a comment

Cohabiting women having more babies

georgepwood

Given that cohabiting before marriage correlates with divorce, and that many cohabiting couples express “ambivalence” about having a child, this trend seem ominous to me, both for the potential marriage and for the actual child. The report found that about 37% of births in the USA were unintended at the time of conception, a percentage that hasn’t changed since 1982. The proportion of unintended births declined among married white women, but those accounted for a smaller proportion of births. Meanwhile, births to single or cohabiting women rose. The report also reveals more details about contraception. In 2008, for example, 19% … Continue reading Cohabiting women having more babies

Current EventsLeave a comment

Skydiver Felix Baumgartner Completes 18 Mile Jump

georgepwood

Needless to say, I will not be doing this: Daredevil Felix Baumgartner this morning landed from his 18-mile dive back to Earth from the edge of space, in a plummet that reached a speed of more than 500 mph. Mission Control gave the go ahead this morning for the launch, saying “God Speed Felix” from Roswell, N.M., where the mission is being hosted. Baumgartner, an Austrian national, was lifted in a capsule carried afloat by a huge helium balloon. The balloon took 90 minutes to get to 90,000 feet. The crane holding the capsule went up as fast as it … Continue reading Skydiver Felix Baumgartner Completes 18 Mile Jump

Current EventsLeave a comment

Wounded teen helped another badly hurt man out of Aurora theater

georgepwood

His name is Prodeo Patria. In Latin, the phrase pro deo et patria means “For God and country.” So Prodeo Patria seems like an apt name for a hero. Here’s his story: Doctors tell Prodeo Patria that the pain throbbing near the bullet lodged in his side will fade away. But the memory of a terror-filled night when he was one of 70 people shot isn’t likely to leave him. The 14 year-old Overland High School student sat with his mother, father and another couple at the midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” when James Eagan Holmes allegedly threw … Continue reading Wounded teen helped another badly hurt man out of Aurora theater

Current Events, Politics & Culture1 Comment

‘Chicago values’ evidently means that you reject homophobia, unless it’s tinged with antisemitism, in which case it’s okay

georgepwood

From the Chicago Sun-Times: Emanuel goes after Chick-fil-A for boss’ anti-gay views The anti-gay views openly espoused by the president of a fast food chain specializing in chicken sandwiches have run afoul of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and a local alderman, who are determined to block Chick-fil-A from expanding in Chicago. “Chick-fil-A’s values are not Chicago values. They’re not respectful of our residents, our neighbors and our family members. And if you’re gonna be part of the Chicago community, you should reflect Chicago values,” Emanuel said Wednesday. “What the CEO has said as it relates to gay marriage and gay couples … Continue reading ‘Chicago values’ evidently means that you reject homophobia, unless it’s tinged with antisemitism, in which case it’s okay