Monthly Archives: February 2009

Lutheran bishop on gay clergy proposal

Posted on February 25, 2009 by melissa nann burke

Bishop B. Penrose Hoover of the Lower Susquehanna Synod has issued a letter in response to last week’s proposal from a task force of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Among other things, the task force suggested that individual congregations … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Pennsylvania, Denominational doings | Leave a comment

A peek at the Christian film industry

Posted on February 24, 2009 by melissa nann burke

What was the biggest grossing independent film in 2008? If you guessed “Slumdog Millionaire,” you’re wrong. It’s a Christian film that’s been playing at several local churches recently — “Fireproof,” starring Kirk Cameron. According to this NPR story, it was … Continue reading →

Posted in Evangelicals, Film | Leave a comment

Sightings: Commodification

Posted on February 23, 2009 by melissa nann burke

Frugalism is part of religion scholar Martin Marty’s focus in his latest Sightings column. What remains to be seen is whether the collapse of everything — of global markets, shopaholicism, et cetera — are replaced by culture-wide adjustments to a … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Ecomony | Leave a comment

Christian parents give up Facebook for Lent

Posted on February 23, 2009 by melissa nann burke

For many Christians, the trying test of the 40-day Lenten season is resisting temptation — reflecting Jesus’ 40-day fast in the wilderness. Abstaining from Facebook was popular among college students last year, but the WSJ has a story about a … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Pennsylvania, Pop Culture | Leave a comment

Vatican announces New York’s new bishop

Posted on February 23, 2009 by melissa nann burke

If you missed the news this morning … Milwaukee Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan was named archbishop of New York. The Vatican said Dolan would succeed Cardinal Edward Egan, 76, who is retiring as archbishop after nearly nine years. Dolan, 59, … Continue reading →

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Word of the Day: God’s acre

Posted on February 22, 2009 by melissa nann burke

Today’s word comes courtesy of Wordsmith.org. God’s acre noun A cemetery, especially one next to a church

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Valentine’s Day: Christian, pagan or both?

Posted on February 15, 2009 by melissa nann burke

Valentinus was a common enough name in the Roman Empire that no fewer than seven, distinct saints bearing this name can be found on various Christian saints and martyrs rolls, according to Louis A. Ruprecht Jr., religion scholar at Georgia … Continue reading →

Posted in Catholicism, Pop Culture | Leave a comment

Restructuring means fewer ethnic parishes

Posted on February 15, 2009 by melissa nann burke

From the Scranton Times: Churches in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Scranton once were places where prayers were whispered in Polish, sins were confessed in German and hymns were sung in Lithuanian. The diocese will soon have fewer spaces that … Continue reading →

Posted in Around Pennsylvania, Catholicism, Denominational doings | Leave a comment

Vocabulary lesson in the culture war

Posted on February 15, 2009 by melissa nann burke

Sarah Pulliam at Christianity Today has an interesting piece about resistance to the ever-present catchphrase Religious Right. Some think it creates a negative impression. Several politically conservative evangelicals said in interviews that they do not want to be identified with … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture wars | 1 Comment

Special on Dover ID trial airs on WITF-TV

Posted on February 10, 2009 by melissa nann burke

The NOVA special “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial” will be shown 8 p.m. tonight on WITF-TV. It first aired last year. You can watch all 12 chapters of the two-hour program online.

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