Columns
The Great Commission Recession
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
BaptistPlanet explains why the latest numbers from the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches understate the decline of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Palin’s narrow escape, thanks to God
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
Politico’s definitely got the scoop of the day, in the form of disgruntled ex-Palin aide Frank Bailey’s unpublished e-mail-laced tell-all memoir. Best reported e-mail quote, by Palin after she was disinvited from a GOP congressional fundraiser in favor of Newt Gingrich: Yes, (Newt/GOP) are egotistical, narrow minded machine goons… but all the more reason God […]
What a mea culpa is worth
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
Earlier this month, the big dog in the Catholic hierarchy, Tim Dolan of New York, told NCR’s John Allen that church leaders needed to project a “sense of contrition” if they are to recover their pre-scandal credibility. “What we have to do, and the bishops have to lead it, is one big fat mea culpa,” […]
Marching down J Street
By Mark Silk — February 16, 2011
What to make of J Street, the Israel Lobby of the Left that has created such heartburn in the American Jewish Establishment? Jim Besser, the Jewish Week‘s veteran Washington correspondent, offers a fine, well-balanced guide for the perplexed in advance of the organization’s upcoming national conference. That J-Street has sometimes been its own worst enemy […]
The New Class and Religion
By Mark Silk — February 15, 2011
One of the sovereign beliefs of the culture warriors of the right is that the problem with America is that it is in the grip of over-educated elites who don’t uphold the traditional values of God and country. Especially God. And one of the sovereign beliefs of the culture warriors of the left is that […]
American Catholic Exceptionalism
By Mark Silk — February 14, 2011
“Will it never end?” Michael Sean Winters asked last week in contemplating the indictment handed up by a Philadelphia grand jury for sexual abuse against three priests, a lay teacher, and–most importantly–the high archdiocesan official who managed the cover-up. The answer I’d give is no, not as long as the Catholic church in America is […]
The challenge for Egypt
By Mark Silk — February 12, 2011
From Anthony Shadid’s report in today’s NYT: “I think the most important challenge for Egypt the next few years is how to build a new civil culture,” said Hanna Grace, an opposition leader. “Not military, not religious, but a civil culture. How do you build a secular modern state for religious people?” As the United […]
Oaks on Religious Freedom
By Mark Silk — February 11, 2011
Dallin Oaks, one of the LDS Church’s dozen Apostles, spoke last week on “Preserving Religious Freedom” at the Chapman University School of Law, and an interesting speech it was. Not least interesting was the way Oaks surrounded what he had to say with statements from non-Mormon religious authorities like Cardinal Francis George and Rabbi Harold […]
No experience necessary
By Mark Silk — February 9, 2011
seems to be the philosophy of the Obama administration when it comes to its top religion jobs. Joshua DuBois, head of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, had no background in social service provision. The ambassador to the Holy See, Miguel Diaz, came to his position with a background in academic theology, not diplomacy. […]
John Allen’s advice
By Mark Silk — February 8, 2011
Another document that reveals a Vatican official urging a bishop to be, ah, less than forthcoming with the civil authorities about a priest sex offender has inspired reflections from the NCR’s veteran Vatican hand, John Allen. Like a lot of reporters who have been on the beat a little too long, Allen has gone a […]
New Advisors for OFANP
By Mark Silk — February 7, 2011
Last Friday, the White House rolled out the first dozen names of those who will serve on the second iteration of the 25-member Advisory Council of the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships (OFANP). Given that the last Council wrapped up its work a year ago, you wonder why not just wait for the full […]
Pope turns in organ donor card
By Mark Silk — February 4, 2011
I’m a medievalist, so forgive me. But I’m sorry to learn that Pope Benedict decided to turn in his organ donor card when he became pope. I don’t believe scholastic theologians would have had a problem had he decided to do otherwise. Pace Polish Archbishop Zygmunt Zimowski, the head of the Vatican’s health office, who […]
