Religion Dispatches
…Minnesota Public Radio reports, “led the national response to the clergy abuse scandal in 2002 and helped write the U.S. Catholic Church’s policy on abuse.” He said he couldn’t remember if he ever received a list of abusers from his predecessor, if he investigated cases of abuse, or why he never released the list of 33 priests “credibly accused” of abuse by the diocese. I guess he wasn’t on duty….
Read More…rom which to choose people to deliver prayers, they are making available a list of individuals who are able to deliver an invocation from a secular or atheist perspective. From the group’s statement: The Supreme Court’s ruling, authored by Justice Kennedy, makes clear that local governments must make “reasonable efforts to identify all of the congregations located within its borders” and welcome an invocation by anyone who wishes to give one, rega…
Read More…scene. Apparently in Greece itself, atheists may fall on the “assemblies” list thanks, you guessed it, to their local branch of the Sunday Assembly. So, ok, fine. It’s really the “religious perspective” part of Greece’s policy that should cause shivers in the heart of anyone who still believes in the separation of church and state. Are we really asking the government to decide, again, what is or is not a religion? Yes. In New York, atheists may b…
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…subpoenas as examples of anti-faith atrocity during the Obama administration, each carefully selected for partisan utility, and each highly disputable even among people of faith. “Sadly, these are not isolated instances of government attacking religious practitioners,” he laments. “The list goes on and on.” With primary examples like these, one suspects that Connelly’s list is actually pretty short, and carefully limited to matters of concern for…
Read More…in addition to taking his religious items away, the fact the IDOC doesn’t list Eastern Orthodoxy in its religious handbook has meant no chaplains and no religious services are provided. Glenn claims he has repeatedly requested Eastern Orthodox services since 2010. The Department of Corrections’ Religious Services Director, David Liebel, reportedly told Glenn to be patient. “Prison staff,” according to Glenn, “do not know what offenders are allowe…
Read More…f a memorandum from President Obama charging US foreign policy agencies to promote LGBT rights said that US efforts have been important to activists promoting equality and facing persecution around the world. Read the Washington Blade’s report here. On Wednesday, the Daily Beast hosted an event called Quorum: Global LGBT Voices that featured interviews with more than 25 activists from around the world to talk about “what is happening on the front…
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…stiest mass murderers claim religious inspiration. Defenders: That’s a simplistic way to look at an incredibly complex history that has everything to do with the coming of modernity and an abortive nationalism to much of the Middle East, and little to do with Islam or with a serious reading of the Qur’an. The problem with those who carried out the actions on 9/11 is precisely how little they knew of Islam, not how much. NA: For every Mother Teresa…
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…ks that Occupy Faith has set itself are: to ally with unions and others to promote fair wages for all, especially low-wage workers to work for fair tax policy to join coalitions supporting constitutional change to get money out of politics and limit the power of corporations to participate in events and initiatives organized to promote justice and fairness to take nonviolent, direct action to the streets and halls of corporate and government p…
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…be digital confessionals, virtual booths for expressing fears and desires. Listening to a podcast is itself an intimate experience, not unlike being third party to a personal conversation. The Runners Up in this category are both known for using humor to explore otherwise difficult experiences. RISK! by Kevin Allison asks people to “tell true stories they never thought they’d dare to share in public,” and it has quickly become the podcast of recor…
Read More…ontexts. As a thumbnail sketch of what big “R” Religion is all about, this list of goods is admirably clear. But for precisely that reason it begs the question against Sullivan and others who speak for the equal dignity of citizens whose lives do not aim at the alleged goods of ineffability, salvation, or transcendence. What reason is there to think that the goods on Koppelman’s list and only these goods are worthy of protection? For those opposed…
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