Monthly Archives: March 2008
Obama v. Wright?
By Mark Silk — March 24, 2008
In comments airing today on Philadelphia’s WPHT, Obama suggests that he and Jeremiah Wright have been discussing their differing views of the world for 20 years.
Carville: Richardson is Judas
By rvineis — March 22, 2008
The ragin’ cajun, James Carville, really got into the spirit of this Easter weekend when he likened Bill Richardson’s endorsement of Obama to a betrayal like Judas’. The Democratic strategist and HRC supporter said “Mr. Richardson’s endorsement came right around the anniversary of the day when Judas sold out for 30 pieces of silver, so […]
An Upshot
By Mark Silk — March 22, 2008
Much of the commentary on the Jeremiah Wright controversy and Barack Obama’s response to it has, naturally enough, focused on the possible consequences for Obama’s presidential campaign. But my guess is that it will also have an effect on American electoral politics as a whole. Coming in the wake of the much smaller flap over […]
Clinton’s Jeremiah Wright Problem
By Kevin Eckstrom — March 22, 2008
Seems Barack Obama isn’t the only candidate with a Jeremiah Wright problem. The Politico (and the NY Times) is reporting that Obama’s fire-breathing pastor had a meet-and-greet with Bill Clinton at the White House back in 1998. It’s the date people would probably remember more for Clinton’s mea culpa for the Monica Lewinsky scandal: “I […]
Jerusalem Turf Battles and Straight Shuls
By Kevin Eckstrom — March 22, 2008
Couple of good stories this week from The Forward, the New York-based Jewish newspaper: Straight Shuls: When Gayanne Geurin Weiss and her husband went looking for an Atlanta synagogue to join, they soon found one that had everything they wanted; it was warm, friendly and spiritual. There was just one catch: It was for gay […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 22, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service Church angry over Good Friday betting LONDON (RNS) Thousands of betting shops across Britain infuriated the Church of England and other religious organizations by opening for the first time on Good Friday (March 21), one of Christianity’s holiest days. Gamblers flocked into some 4,000 bookmaker premises to lay down their […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 22, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Today, knee-deep into election hype-steria, I am beginning to see an unfortunate repeat of the events of 2000 and 2004, when pundits, politicians, media and even some candidates for office sought to paint the Catholic bishops as bad guys manipulating parishioners into voting for a particular candidate based on […]
Black liberation theology takes direct aim at racism
By RNS Blog Editor — March 22, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) “No, no, no _ not God bless America. God damn America.” With these incendiary words, looped hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube and news broadcasts, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright preached himself and his most famous congregant, presidential contender Barack Obama, into a political maelstrom. Quickly the question of […]
Black liberation theology takes direct aim at racism
By Frank Jack Daniel — March 22, 2008
c. 2008 Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly WASHINGTON _ Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday (March 18) urged America to overcome its troubled racial history, starting with the “original sin” of slavery whose effects are still felt in modern-day inequality between blacks and whites. He also tried to overcome the racially charged comments of his former pastor, […]
Remember MLK?
By Mark Silk — March 21, 2008
Today, E.J. Dionne offers a powerful riposte to fellow Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson’s claim that Barack Obama had chosen the Path of Wright rather than the Path of Martin Luther King, Jr. The telling words of King, as presented by Dionne, are: Listen to what King said about the Vietnam War at his own […]
How Could He?
By Mark Silk — March 21, 2008
In today’s column, Charles Krauthammer asks how Barack Obama could not have left Jeremiah Wright’s church. Let us assume, for the sake of argument, that Krauthammer is not engaging in agitprop here, that the question he poses is worth trying to answer. One possibility is that Obama actually embraces the inflammatory things that, thanks to […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service Baptist Covenant leaders meet, set 2011 gathering (RNS) After gathering some 15,000 people in Atlanta early this year, moderate Baptist leaders say they do not want to form a new denomination but they do plan to meet again in three years. Leaders of the New Baptist Covenant held a follow-up […]
Scholars cast critical eye on Graham’s legacy
By Cecile Holmes — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Ecumenist, prophet, peacemaker. Friend of presidents and queens. Evangelical powerbroker who was sometimes too closely tied to politicians. Each description applies to Billy Graham. An official 1991 biography by William Martin called America’s foremost evangelist a “Prophet With Honor.” The editors of a new book largely agree, but not […]
Joel Osteen tops best-seller list: RNS Religion Best-Sellers List
By RNS Blog Editor — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service RELIGION BEST-SELLERS (Editor’s note: This February list is compiled by Publishers Weekly magazine from data received from general independent bookstores, chain stores and wholesalers within the month of January. Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly. Distributed by Religion News Service.) HARDCOVER 1. “Become a Better You,” by Joel Osteen (Free Press, $25.00) […]
