Monthly Archives: December 2005
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — December 15, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Religion Writers Rank Biggest Stories of 2005 (RNS) Religion writers deemed Pope John Paul II’s death and the naming of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, the top two religion stories of 2005. An end-of-life dispute, faith-based disaster relief and the ordination of gay clergy also made the list, released by […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — December 15, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Religion Writers Rank Biggest Stories of 2005 (RNS) Religion writers deemed Pope John Paul II’s death and the naming of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, the top two religion stories of 2005. An end-of-life dispute, faith-based disaster relief and the ordination of gay clergy also made the list, released by […]
Exiled Iraqi Christians Vote With Concern About Their Future
By RNS Blog Editor — December 15, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service SKOKIE, Ill. _ Yalda Hajey, draped in traditional Assyrian scarves around his neck and waist, with red and green feathers protruding from his hat, dropped his vote into a ballot box, dipped his finger into a purple ink sponge and sprang into an Iraqi jig. But Hajey’s dancing mood turned […]
RNS Weekly Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — December 15, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Conservative Rabbi Urges Conversions for Non-Jewish Spouses (RNS) The head of the Conservative Jewish movement says Jews should focus more energy on reaching out to intermarried couples while urging the non-Jewish member to convert. Rabbi Jerome Epstein delivered a 35-minute address Tuesday (Dec. 6) to the United Synagogue of Conservative […]
RNS Weekly Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — December 15, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Conservative Rabbi Urges Conversions for Non-Jewish Spouses (RNS) The head of the Conservative Jewish movement says Jews should focus more energy on reaching out to intermarried couples while urging the non-Jewish member to convert. Rabbi Jerome Epstein delivered a 35-minute address Tuesday (Dec. 6) to the United Synagogue of Conservative […]
Christmas “commercial pollution”
By Tracy Gordon — December 15, 2005
Quote of the Day: Pope Benedict XVI “In today’s consumer society, this time of year unfortunately suffers from a sort of commercial pollution that threatens to alter its true spirit.” -Pope Benedict XVI addressing a Sunday (Jan. 11) general audience on the meaning of Christmas. The pope encouraged people to set up nativity scenes as […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service French Poll of Muslims Finds Anti-Semitism, Attachment to French Values PARIS (RNS) Nearly half of practicing Muslims among France’s ethnic immigrant population are likely to be anti-Semitic, a new study finds. Forty-six percent of practicing Muslims _ compared with 30 percent of non-practicing Muslims _ have anti-Semitic views, the survey […]
Pope Speaks Out Against Sophisticated Weapons of War
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service VATICAN CITY _ Pope Benedict XVI called Tuesday (Nov. 13) for countries at war to uphold international law, urging the international community to apply current arms regulations to “newer and more sophisticated weapons.” Benedict did not name countries, but the United States has been under heavy scrutiny in Europe for […]
COMMENTARY: `Holiday Tree’ vs. `Christmas Tree’? Don’t Waste Your Time
By Tom Ehrich — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) “What is your opinion on the recent arguments surrounding the `Christmas Tree’ or `Holiday Tree’ issue?” asks a reader. “I actually have friends who are losing sleep because of this!” I’d say: Get more sleep. If those friends are wasting one breath on how to greet shoppers or what […]
Hanukkah a Reminder Light Can Fix the World
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The Jewish principle of “tikkun olam,” meaning to fix the world, resounds this time of year with the coming of Hanukkah and its emphasis on light and freedom. Hanukkah’s origin dates to Hellenistic oppression of the Jews in 168 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes decreed the worship of images in […]
With Tourism Struggling, Plenty of Rooms at the Inns in Bethlehem
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service BETHLEHEM, West Bank _ Most of the items for sale in the Bethlehem Star Store have been sitting, undisturbed, on glass-encased shelves since 2000, the last time large numbers of pilgrims frequented this town, the place where Jesus was born, according to the Christian Bible. “Back then we worked day […]
COMMENTARY: When Giving Is a Materialistic Duty, It’s Rarely a Joy
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The December giving frenzy has begun. ‘Tis the season to be jolly _ and generous. Drop a dollar into a Salvation Army bowl. Adopt an underprivileged family for Christmas dinner. Write a check to your favorite charity. Giving to others is the one thing on Earth that shouldn’t raise […]
Benedict on new weapons; tourism in Bethlehem; and the origins of Hanukkah
By RNS Blog Editor — December 14, 2005
We start off Tuesday’s RNS report with a story from the Vatican City about Pope Benedict’s message against new weapons of war. Stacy Meichtry reports: Pope Benedict XVI called for countries at war to uphold international law Tuesday, urging the international community to apply current arms regulations to “newer and more sophisticated weapons.” Benedict did […]
HUMOR: Holy Humor for the Holidays
By RNS Blog Editor — December 13, 2005
c. 2005 The Joyful Noiseletter (UNDATED) An elderly woman went to the Post Office to buy stamps for her Christmas cards. She asked the clerk, “May I have 50 Christmas stamps?” “What denomination?” the clerk asked. “God help us,” the woman replied. “Has it come to this? Give me six Presbyterian, six Lutheran, six Catholic, […]
Peter Mayer; Rabbi Steven Greenberg; and a Joyful Noise
By RNS Blog Editor — December 13, 2005
RNS starts off on December 12 with a feature on Jimmy Buffett‘s lead guitarist, Peter Mayer, who produces his own spiritual music when he’s not performing with Buffett. Evelyn Theiss writes: Pop guitarist and vocalist Peter Mayer was in India long before the Beatles made their famous trip there in 1968. Of course, his situation […]
