Fewer Protestants, but better Protestants?

Last updated on: October 15, 2012 at 6:29 am By tmatt

After decades of sobering statistics about rising intermarriage rates, falling birthrates and their declining flocks, eventually Jewish clergy began talking about a future in which there would be “fewer Jews, but better Jews.” Faced with sobering evidence that the number of priests was falling, along with statistics for Confession and weekly Mass, many Catholic leaders started talking about a future in which there would be “fewer Catholics, but better Catholics.” Now, according to a new survey by the Pew Forum... Read more

Apocalyptic visions about Chernobyl

Last updated on: October 8, 2012 at 6:02 am By tmatt

KIEV — The apocalyptic visions begin just inside the doors of the Ukrainian National Chernobyl Museum and many of them lead straight into the Book of Revelation. The final pages of Christian scripture are full of angels, trumpets, flames, thunder, lighting, earthquakes and catastrophes that shake heaven and earth. In this museum, the key is in the eighth chapter: “And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it... Read more

Soulful voice on a Capitol Hill sidewalk

Last updated on: October 1, 2012 at 5:07 am By tmatt

The atmosphere on Capitol Hill’s brick sidewalks stays frosty year round as the power-walking professionals rush along in suits of wool-blend armor, their earphones in place, smartphones loaded and eyes focused dead ahead. But things changed at the corner of Second Street and Massachusetts Avenue NE. That’s where streams of pedestrians converge near Union Station, the U.S. Senate office buildings, the Federal Judiciary Center, the Heritage Foundation and other buildings packed with prestige and power. For the past decade, this... Read more

So a cardinal, Jesuit and comedian get to chat …

Last updated on: September 24, 2012 at 9:08 am By tmatt

In the year 752, a priest named Stephen was elected pope, but died four days later — before officially filling the chair of St. Peter in Rome. For centuries Catholic records included him as Pope Stephen II — until the Second Vatican Council. At that time, Pope Stephen III officially became Pope Stephen II (III) and the other later popes named Stephen received similarly strange titles. So Pope Stephen III kind of vanished and that title became a kind of... Read more

Cardinal prays with Democrats, too

Last updated on: September 17, 2012 at 6:00 am By tmatt

As the Republican show closed in Tampa, Cardinal Timothy Dolan faced a flock of Tea Party activists, religious conservatives and country-club loyalists and gently addressed the sanctity of life. “We ask your benediction upon those yet to be born, and on those who are about to see you at the end of this life,” said the shepherd of New York, who also leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. A week later, Dolan offered the final benediction for a Democratic... Read more

Cardinal praying in a GOP spotlight

Last updated on: September 10, 2012 at 9:04 am By tmatt

Political conventions have always included prayers and, through the decades, legions of preachers, rabbis, bishops and others have stepped to the podium to deliver them — whether the delegates were paying attention or not. Then Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles faced the Democratic National Convention in 2000. First, he reminded the delegates they were in the presence of God and that true prayers must focus on “moral values, not partisan politics.” In his litany, Mahony said: “In You, O... Read more

Russia, rock, riots and religion

Last updated on: September 3, 2012 at 5:59 am By tmatt

It wasn’t easy being a rebel in the Soviet Union, back in the 1970s when Sergy Ribko was a rock drummer who cherished whatever scraps of music and media made it through the Iron Curtain. Most of all, the self-proclaimed hippy who would later become a Russian Orthodox priest loved The Beatles. The band taught “us to think about the meaning of life, good and evil, even about God and eternity, taught us to understand and love freedom in all... Read more

What Baptists can learn from craft beers

Last updated on: August 27, 2012 at 6:38 am By tmatt

It would be hard to imagine a vision of Baptist life edgier than the one served up by a recent Wake Forest School of Divinity graduate named Zachary Bailes. This parable starts something like this: Once upon a time, America was dominated by giant breweries that produced rivers of ordinary beers like Budweiser, Coors and Miller Lite. Some of their local outlets grew into mega-franchises that could seat thousands of people in shopping-mall-like facilities featuring giant video screens, pop-rock bands... Read more

Hillary Clinton defends religious liberty — abroad

Last updated on: August 20, 2012 at 9:11 am By tmatt

The U.S. State Department wasn’t surprised last October when Egyptian security forces smashed into flocks of demonstrators outside the state Radio and Television Building, killing 25 and injuring hundreds. After all, the rally was called to protest the government’s failure to stop the burning of Coptic Orthodox churches or to arrest and convict leaders of the mobs. Sure enough, waves of thugs attacked the Copts, starting riots that drew deadly police vehicles. Once again, it didn’t shock State Department insiders... Read more

Jail a new church-state option for bishops?

Last updated on: August 13, 2012 at 6:09 am By tmatt

No one is surprised that the man who will soon lead the Archdiocese of Glascow opposes Scotland’s plans to legalize same-sex marriage. Still, Archbishop-designate Philip Tartaglia raised eyebrows with his prediction of dire consequences if he kept defending church teachings on marriage and sex after the legislation went into effect. “I could see myself going to jail possibly at some point over the next 15 years, if God spares me, if I speak out,” the 61-year-old bishop told STV News.... Read more