Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana by Haiducul via Wikimedia Commons
Nine days from today, Pope Benedict XVI will step down. Until a new pope is chosen, no one will be pope. Following a centuries-old tradition, the cardinals shall exclaim, “nos operor non have a pope!” which roughly translates to “No one is in charge!”
I made that up. Alessandro Speciale explains what actually happens during the between-the-popes period, or, more regally, “the interregnum.”
Traditionalist Catholics, writing the first draft of B16’s reign, are expressing disappointment in the pope originally dubbed “God’s Rottweiler” writes David Gibson.
A man on many a papal shortlist, Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, told CNN that a sexual abuse scandal is unlikely to take root in the church in Africa because:
“African traditional systems kind of protect or have protected its population against this tendency.” The cardinal continued: “Because in several communities, in several cultures in Africa homosexuality or for that matter any affair between two sexes of the same kind are not countenanced in our society.”
A Spanish youth group wants to express its appreciation to Pope Benedict XVI by breaking the world record for the longest round of applause in history (which would be more than 90 minutes long.)
Much news from the American South today.
S.C. and Texas court cases involve local Episcopal churches breaking away from the denomination. But all eyes — Episcopalian and otherwise — are on them for clues as to how other disgruntled congregations will fare when they leave their national churches. Precedent may not hold.
Atlanta megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long is facing a suit from former parishioners who say he encouraged them to invest in a company that was operating an alleged Ponzi scheme, writes Adelle Banks.
Evangelical former S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford — the one who told everyone he went hiking solo when he had really run off to his lover in Argentina using state funds — is invoking “the God of Second Chances” as he makes a bid for the Congressional seat he once held.
Police are looking for a man who used the alias “Rylan Butterwood” and allegedly sexually abused women he found on the dating website ChristianMingle.com.
A United Nations committee on child welfare says U.S. civil authorities are too meek in pursuing allegations of the sexual abuse of children among religious groups.
The fastest growing branch in the Lutheran World Federation has severed ties with its longstanding American and Swedish partners, which it considers too liberal. Extra points if you can say where this branch is located.
Four missionaries, including an American, were arrested in Libya for trying to convert people to Christianity. A holdover law from the Gaddafi regime makes proselytizing for any religion other than Islam punishable by death.
Shi’ites in Pakistan are demanding that the government get control of Sunni militants bent on killing them — 85 Shi’ites died in a recent bombing in Quetta.
Here are the top things people are giving up for Lent this year . . . according to Twitter. Is anyone giving up Twitter?
The Forward notes that for the first time in recent memory, no one Jewish is running for the mayor of New York City.
– Lauren Markoe
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