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More Mixed Signals from Pope Francis; Church of England Wrestles with Rifts; Faith Groups Lobby Pro & Con on Irish Referendum; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…ction that we have been getting from the hierarchy is due to the welcoming spirit of Pope Francis, who wants to welcome everyone,” said [Sister Jeannine] Gramick, speaking by phone from Assisi, the pilgrims’ last stop before heading to Rome. “It’s very heartening to people who have felt alienated and rejected for so long, so we are feeling very hopeful.” “While LGBT Catholics hope for changes, they are realistic enough to know that Francis may not…

R.I.P. Pope John Paul’s “Contraceptive Mentality”: 1979–2014

By Patricia Miller

…that artificial contraception in some circumstances is permissible.” At the 1980 bishops’ synod, the last time the church officially grappled with “family” issues, Archbishop John Quinn, head of the U.S. bishops’ conference, urged a more nuanced approach to the contraception teaching that emphasized “greater pastoral insights” but was rebuked by John Paul. Now, it appears that “graduality” is back in, as is the idea of using pastoral practices to…

Will Women Priests Change the Church?

By Mary E. Hunt

…ook place in Detroit, Michigan; the eponymous organization arose from that spirited event. WOC sponsored another meeting in 1978 in Baltimore where women were very specific about the kind of renewed priestly ministry they would accept: one without clericalism, without mandatory celibacy, without hierarchy, but with the inclusion of all and a focus on social justice. WOC became the go-to organization on these matters, holding subsequent meetings an…

No God but Country: The Religion of John McCain Has Something Important to Tell Us

By Kathryn Lofton

…or a Suburban. Yet McCain supplies no wake-up call, no re-awakening of his spirit to explicate his substitution of Sunday affections. He offers no specifications of the kind of Christ that pressed him from a the Book of Common Prayer to the Baptist Faith and Message. Nor, as mentioned above, has he shown the increased piety of the convert. When asked how often he attends church McCain says, “not as often as I should.” When asked whether he has par…

Something Borrowed, Something Blue: Avatar and the Myth of Originality

By S. Brent Rodriguez Plate

…ary myth: the myth of the individual human who creates out of his own mind/spirit, unshackled from all tradition, pure genius, even transcending his own body. In the 1970s, literary critic Harold Bloom used the phrase “the anxiety of influence” to account for why modern poets attempted to separate themselves from their own tradition. The modern creator must discredit influence, build up the mythology of originality, the better to sell themselves t…

What is Juneteenth to America? It Has to Be More Than ‘Black 4th of July’ if It’s to Be Truly Meaningful

By A. E. Brooks-Key

…been here before, from Reconstruction to the Black Freedom Movement of the 1950s and 1960s the struggle to form a more perfect union has been continually been rejected in favor of new intransigent forms of anti-black racism. However, with each return to this very spot a portion of the nation’s soul is permanently lost. Prophets such as Douglass, King, and Baldwin have warned us time and time again that the nation cannot continue on this path and…

A Sacred Encounter with Erykah Badu’s Controversial Nude Video

By Tamura Lomax

…walking downtown Dallas where President John F. Kennedy was fatally shot in 1963, removing her clothing while singing in front unsuspecting onlookers of various ages and simulating “assassination” once completely naked. While Matt and Kim won MTV’s coveted “Breakthrough Video” award for creativity and direction, Badu has become somewhat of a despised prophet. Meaning, as predicted in her video, her subjectivity has been “assassinated” by public ra…

Five Things We Can Learn From Creationists

By Nathan Schneider

…sent, I’d like to offer a list. It’s not about you, exactly, but about what 150 years of creationism can teach us about your accomplishment. I hope you like it. 5 Things We Can Learn from the Creationists: 1) They show us that there is more at stake in science than science itself. People have other concerns at heart—religious, political, or otherwise. 2) They never tire of pointing out how scientific ideas can be misused by dangerous ideologies, f…

Anglican Bishops Punish Episcopal Church Over LGBT Inclusion; Secularization’s Role in Moving Latin America ‘Beyond Machismo’; Greek Orthodox Bishop Says Gays Deserve Respect; Global LGBT Recap

By Peter Montgomery

…witter users have described the wedding as an “incredible example” of the “spirit of tolerance,” democracy and respect, while others have criticized Taleb’s actions as a “disgrace for a Muslim.” The report says Taleb’s election campaign focused on the ideals of unity and tolerance. “We need to breathe clean air, without racism, without xenophobia and discrimination, we need a diverse society that includes all groups without exception”, she argued…

God Grows Up: Robert Wright’s Evolution of God

By Robert Wright

…away with these things in the first place when you live with a very small number of people. 2) That ancient Israel was monotheistic from the get-go. I don’t think monotheism emerged until the Babylonian exile of the 6th century BCE—nearly half a millennium after King David and way, way after Moses and Abraham supposedly signed on to monotheism. 3) That Jesus said “Love your enemy” and espoused universal love. I think the emphasis on a love that c…