Opinion
Pretty Good
By Mark Silk — April 14, 2008
From the Obama peroration: What I believe is that all of us come to the public square with our own values and our ideals and our ethics, what we believe. And people of religious faith have the same right to come to that public square with values and ideals that are rooted in their faith. […]
Not Clear Enough
By Mark Silk — April 14, 2008
On the administration’s Faith Based initiative–a subject Obama introduced on his own–he was not as clear as he should have been. Specifically, does he believe faith-based organizations can use government funds to advance their faiths? Specifically, does he believe federal laws against religiously discriminatory hiring should apply to such organizations? And so, you know, just […]
Islam, Indonesian style
By Mark Silk — April 14, 2008
At the “Compassion Forum,” Barack Obama made clear that the moderate Islam that was the norm in the Indonesia of his youth is his model of what Islam should be in the world. And the brand of Islam that was being practiced in Indonesia at the time was a very tolerant Islam. The country itself […]
Queen Hillary
By Mark Silk — April 14, 2008
In last night’s Commpassion Forum, Campbell Brown asked Hillary Clinton to name her favorite Bible story and she named…the story of Esther: But clearly, for me, the recent Purim holiday for Jews raised the question of Esther. And I have been — ever since I was a little girl — a great admirer of Esther. […]
Not Relevant
By rvineis — April 13, 2008
Hillary Clinton said that the question of her church attendance “is not relevant” for tonight’s debate. Clinton went on to say “This is about what people feel is being said about them. I went to church on Easter. I mean, so?”
Rev. Wright Speaks
By rvineis — April 13, 2008
Jeremiah Wright delivered his first public sermon since stepping down from TUCC, today. He urged a congregation in Norfolk, VA. not to “quote Jeremiah Wright” but to instead “quote Jesus.” Otherwise the controversial spiritual leader avoided discussion of Obama or the firestorm surrounding previous sermons .
What’s Wrong with the White Working Class
By Mark Silk — April 13, 2008
“It’s not surprising that they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment.” No one jumped on Barack Obama for suggesting, in his speech on race, that affirmative action was an ongoing source of white hostility to African Americans. And I […]
What the Pope Has To Say
By Mark Silk — April 12, 2008
When popes come to America, so comes the inevitable criticism, pre- and post-visit, heaped upon the media for not understanding what the pope is really doing here. This is all rather wearying, especially since much of it is no more than partisan spinning by Catholic commentators eager to pretend that the pontiff is really on […]
All BHO’s Catholics
By Mark Silk — April 12, 2008
For the record, the complete National Advisory Council list: National Co-Chairs * Senator Bob Casey Representative Patrick Murphy (PA-08) Former Congressman Tim Roemer, President of the Center for National Policy Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas Governor Tim Kaine of Virginia Tom Chabolla, Assistant to the President, Service Employees International Union Victoria Reggie Kennedy, President, Common […]
Catholic Problem?
By Mark Silk — April 11, 2008
The generally astute Marc Ambinder chews over Obama’s alleged Catholic problem and, like most commentators, misses the point. As has been noted in this space before, taken in the aggregate, white Protestants are no more likely to vote for Obama than white Catholics. Obama doesn’t have a Catholic problem. He has a white Christian problem. […]
Obama’s Catholic Team
By Mark Silk — April 11, 2008
The Obama campaign rolled out its Catholic Advisory Council today, including: Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Congressman Patrick Murphy (PA-O8), Former Congressman Tim Roemer, Sr. Catherine Pinkerton, Congregation of St. Joseph, Tom Chabolla, Assistant to the President, Service Employees International Union, and Sharon Daly, Social Justice Advocate. The senator and sitting congressman tell you […]
TV Guide
By rvineis — April 11, 2008
I know what I’ll be watching Saturday evening…Jesus Camp Part Deux.
Waiting for the End
By Mark Silk — April 11, 2008
Comedy Central weighs in on the Huckaticktock. As for me, I’m expecting The Great Disappointment. Again.
Olympic Sacrilege
By Mark Silk — April 11, 2008
The ancient Olympic Games were as much a religious affair (honoring Zeus and King Pelops of Olympia) as an athletic one, and the modern Olympics should also be recognized as constituting a civil religion of its own. That’s how to understand IOC President Jacques Rogge’s using the word “crisis” to describe a situation in which […]
COMMENTARY: Passovers come and go, but the memories remain
By James Rudin — April 11, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Pesach _ or Passover _ is the eight-day festival commemorating the ancient Israelites’ exodus from Egyptian slavery. The holiday begins at sundown on April 19, when Jewish family members participate in one of the world’s oldest religious traditions, the Seder, or Passover meal. The Hebrew bible relates how the […]
