Planet pope * Finally atheist * Father Divine : Tuesday’s Roundup

Given Pope Francis' tongue-lashing of the curia, we can only imagine what he has in store for climate change deniers. After a year, atheism sticks. And Father Divine is dead, but his religion lives on in a mansion outside Philadelphia.

London climate march 2014. Image by Garry Knight via Flickr.
London climate march 2014. Image by Garry Knight via Flickr.

London climate march 2014. Image by Garry Knight via Flickr.

Good morning. Earth Day will come early in 2015 . . . thanks to the Green Pope.

Pope Francis ♥ the planet

The pope who famously said “who am I to judge?” is about to judge . . . climate deniers. An encyclical on global warming has long been expected but now we have some details.


Here’s the plan: Francis is going to visit Tacloban, a Philippine city destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in 2012, and then publish an encyclical in March that will say 1. the overwhelming majority of climate scientists are right about the earth warming and 2. we have a moral obligation to reduce the production of greenhouse gases. He’ll follow up in September at the U.N. General Assembly in NYC where he will personally lobby world leaders on the issue.

Time Square’s Cross of Christ

Ken Ham’s group, Answers in Genesis, which opposes the removal of crosses, Nativity Scenes and other religious displays from public places, has mounted a video billboard in Times Square near the famous dropping ball, so that millions who tune in to watch it fall will also catch a glimpse of their billboard’s video cross.

According to the group, “the digital board will remind Americans of the religious freedoms they enjoy—whether they hold to the world views of Christianity, atheism, Judaism, and other belief systems—and must be defended. In addition, the Cross of Christ will be prominently displayed.”

Might Answers in Genesis” be a tad too optimistic about how a giant cross in Times Square will make atheists and other non-Christians appreciate religious freedom? Oh yeah, and the message is also addressed “to all of our intolerant liberal friends.”

Officially godlessUnknown-260x369

Remember Pastor Ryan Bell, who wrote the “Year Without God” blog this past year to try on life as an atheist. Well, his year became his future. He tells RNS’ Chris Stedman why he is now a non-believer. One takeaway quote:

 . . . the intellectual and emotional energy it takes to figure out how God fits into everything is far greater than dealing with reality as it presents itself to us. 

Episcopal bishop hit-and-run-and-return

The No. 2 Episcopal bishop in the Diocese of Maryland — Heather Elizabeth Cook — has been placed on administrative leave after she was involved in a car crash Saturday that killed a bicyclist, our colleague Michelle Boorstein at the Washington Post reports. Cook apparently left the scene and later returned as police were investigating.

Modi’s silence

Pressure on non-Hindus has continued to mount since Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi became India’s Prime Minister in May: Muslims offered food and money to convert, Christmas holidays cancelled for government workers, threats when subtle pressure doesn’t work. Does Modi have anything to say about this? The AP asks good questions about the rights of religious minorities.


Not Brittany Maynard

For those of you who did or didn’t follow the death of Brittany Maynard, the terminally ill woman who exercised her rights under Oregon’s assisted suicide law to spare her family and herself final months of agony, here’s Kara Tippetts, who is choosing a different path. Rod Dreher posts Tippett’s blog in The American Conservative:

My little body has grown tired of battle and treatment is no longer helping. But what I see, what I know, what I have is Jesus.

 

Father Divine

You really are a diehard religion buff if you’ve heard of Father Divine’s International Peace Mission Movement. The vestiges of this religious group, which was founded by an African-American man in the early 20th century who preached racial integration, generosity and celibacy to his followers, can be found today in a mansion outside Philadelphia. The New York Times explains and shows off the work of photographer Kristen Bedford.

Best of the rest from RNS

I am so glad we’ve signed Rabbi Jeffrey Salkin up to write for RNS. Here’s his latest post: the “plane” truth. And if you missed his “rabbi’s Christmas sermon,” you’ll be happy for this second chance.

Africa bears the brunt of Islamic radicalism too, reports our man in Nairobi, Fredrick Nzwili.

The top ten worst anti-Semitic incidents of 2014, courtesy of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Would-be papal assassin expelled from Italy, by our reporter at the Holy See, Jo McKenna.

This is the last Tuesday Religion News Roundup of 2014 and to say thanks for reading these past 52 or however many Tuesdays, I want to leave you with  . . .

Happy News

See Pope Francis ♥ the planet, above.

A Colorado mom gets creative when her daughter asks for a zebra for Christmas.

A canine Nutcracker.

– Lauren Markoe

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!