Opinion
Catholic Partisan Preferences…the latest
By Mark Silk — October 13, 2008
While we’re on the subject of Catholics, here’s some late breaking data from our new American Religious Identification Survey–ARIS 2008. Since the 2001 ARIS, the gap between Catholics who prefer Democrats and those who prefer Republicans has nearly doubled, from eight to 15 points. Overall, Catholics are essentially tracking national trends, just a few points […]
White Catholics?
By Mark Silk — October 13, 2008
I just heard Cokie Roberts on Morning Edition claiming that the only bright spot in the polls for McCain is white Catholics, who, she said, according to the latest ABC (WaPo) poll favor him by 11 points. I can’t verify this, since the version of the poll published in WaPo doesn’t provide that crosstab. As […]
The Kristol Ball
By Mark Silk — October 13, 2008
Last week it was take the gloves off. This week it’s put the gloves on. How about: Start praying.
McCain, Palin slam Obama on abortion
By cmcmorri — October 12, 2008
Last Thursday at a GOP rally in Waukesha, WI, McCain said that, on the issue of abortion, “Sen. Obama has a clear radical, far-left, pro-abortion record.” Yesterday, Palin at a rally in Johnstown, PA, continued with this line of criticism, proclaiming that she and McCain will be “defenders of the culture of life” and slamming […]
Christians good, Pagans bad.
By Mark Silk — October 12, 2008
Yesterday, Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of Grace Evangelical Free Church in Davenport, Iowa, prayed the following at a McCain rally in Davenport: I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god – […]
White Catholics for Obama
By Mark Silk — October 11, 2008
New Newsweek poll, showing Obama ahead by 11, has Obama up by a point among white Catholics, 48-47. Bear in mind that Bush carried white Catholics 52-45 in 2000 and 56-43 in 2004. It appears to be time to retire the idea that Obama has a white Catholic problem.
Iowans, the Presidential, and Abortion
By Mark Silk — October 11, 2008
Iowans definitely seem to be in Barack Obama’s camp–by 54-41, according to the latest SUSA poll. On abortion, Iowans split 53 percent pro-choice versus 45 percent pro-life. But whereas one-third of the pro-lifers prefer Obama, less than one-quarter of pro-choicers prefer McCain.
Gay Marriage in CT
By Mark Silk — October 11, 2008
My state of Connecticut, source of some of the most important First Amendment cases in American jurisprudence, is now the source of another: Kerrigan, under which the State Supreme Court determined that that state’s ban on same-sex marriage violated the state constitution’s equal protection clause. Never before has a final appellate ruling come right out […]
COMMENTARY: ISO: New leadership for large congregation
By RNS Blog Editor — October 10, 2008
Imagine that the four politicians running for president and vice president were clergy seeking to lead a large, diverse congregation instead of our nation. Here’s what the minutes of a congregational search committee might look like. (Rabbi Rudin, the American Jewish Committee’s senior interreligious adviser, is the author of “The Baptizing of America: The Religious […]
Hot off the Press
By Mark Silk — October 9, 2008
The new issue of Religion in the News is now online. My editor’s column deals with region and the campaign but otherwise, we’ve taken a break from electoral politics. Particularly worthy of note is Ron Kiener’s cover story on Agriprocessors, the kosher meatpacking plant raided by the feds, and Gene Gallaher’s article on the Fundamentalist […]
COMMENTARY: When material things become immaterial
By Phyllis Zagano — October 9, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) You know things are getting bad when the AARP Bulletin publishes stories about over-50, formerly upscale, now homeless folks sleeping in their cars in Santa Barbara, Calif. No kidding. The New Beginnings Counseling Center runs a city-funded safe parking project in that idyllic city by the sea. It’s where […]
COMMENTARY: When material things become immaterial
By Phyllis Zagano — October 9, 2008
The country and the world face hard times, and things could get worse before they get better. Now is as good a time as any to take stock of what matters. Chances are the list starts with family, and continues in no particular order with the priceless gifts of friends and freedom, health and memories. […]
Thurman on Palin’s Religion
By cmcmorri — October 8, 2008
Robert Thurman of Columbia University has his own grievance with Palin’s Religion. In his mind, what sets the Palin-Muthee connection apart from that of Obama and Wright is that she has gone beyond association and incorporated church teachings into her political addresses and policies. From this he intuits that Pailn might well make life changing […]
Have a Good Fast
By Mark Silk — October 8, 2008
And for those of you not observing Yom Kippur, take a look at “The Young and the Faithful,” a new survey released today by Faith in Public Life. Among the notable findings: Young evangelicals don’t seem to be swept away by Obama. Young Catholics are. and young Catholics are way liberal. Bear in mind that […]
