So I’m reading this book of essays about the future of the church. Some of them are pretty good, but last night I hit a real clunker. The writer is stressing the importance of a right and proper formulation of “the gospel”: The true gospel. The real gospel. The gospel of the Bible, the one that stands at the very heart of the Christian faith, the one on which the church stands or falls. There are all kinds of gospels... Read more

I don’t understand the partisan response to the killing of Trayvon Martin. Yes, many liberals are upset that a child was gunned down with impunity. (It’s been more than a month now.) But they are not upset for partisan reasons or for “liberal” reasons or for Democratic Party reasons. They are upset because a child was gunned down with impunity. That ought to upset conservatives too. I appreciate that the Republican Party ca. 2012 has a knee-jerk opposition to anything... Read more

I wanted to post that story yesterday, about Texas Catholic schools sticking up for Jews and Muslims, before turning to this one. I don’t want anyone to misread this story as evidence that all Catholics are morally bankrupt, reprehensible people. That’s not the point of this story. The point of this story is that the leadership of the Catholic church in America — the bishops — is made up of morally bankrupt, reprehensible people. “Church Puts Legal Pressure on Abuse... Read more

“Tonight I think no poetry will serve” “He was a giant and his influence was felt across the music world.” “Violence against women is as American as apple pie.” “I don’t want this to happen to anybody else.” “Common to human experience, [Jürgen] Moltmann proposes, is the experience of godforsakenness.” “Moltmann’s theology is based on the idea that God is fundamentally in solidarity with the human condition.” “What’s clear from Philadelphia and Kansas City, however, is that when push comes... Read more

The depressing news from the U.S. Supreme Court isn’t just that several of the more conservative justices seem willing to upend a century of legal precedent if it would score a win for their party. The depressing news is that these justices do not seem to understand the Affordable Care Act, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act of 1986, the purpose and function of health insurance, the American health care system, or even the most basic aspects of... Read more

Charles Kuffner points us to this encouraging story from Texas — “Catholic group urges TAPPS review.” TAPPS is the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, which made national news earlier this year for waiting to get sued before agreeing to reschedule a state basketballl playoff game. TAPPS had scheduled a Jewish school to play on the Sabbath and, initially, told the team to play or to forfeit. Kuffner links to another story about the association’s nasty treatment of an... Read more

“The only reason people wouldn’t have insurance is if they’re cheapskates? Really?” “Family health insurance premiums that would have taken a minimum wage worker 329 hours to earn in 1979 would have taken 2,079 hours in 2011.” “Nine employees covered by the federal health insurance plan.” Justice Antonin Scalia: less demand means higher prices. Wait … what? “My other advice is to check their watches from time to time: it is 2012, not the mid-1970s.” “Wise investment in infrastructure now... Read more

“From your first cigarette to your last dyin’ day” “Rue, played by the adorable Amandla Sternberg, was described as having ‘dark brown skin and eyes’ – thus the ruination of the film at the hands of a dark-skinned, dark-eyed actress.” “Health care reform made lifetime limits illegal — which is why Violet’s family breathed easier when it passed — but now her parents are worried the Supreme Court could restore the limits and Violet would lose her insurance.” “They do... Read more