Author: edengelbrecht6

Catching Up on Church History

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ee-teachingGreetings in Christ. I’m grateful to the many visitors on my site. This month I am catching up on news since I recently served as a guest lecturer in South Africa and I am beginning new service at a parish in Ohio. Please continue to share your thoughts and use the resources compiled here. Great to know that others share my interest in emerging church history and new discoveries about the past. I’m looking forward to writing a summary of church history from 2016.

Site Administrator Rev. Edward A. Engelbrecht, STM

William Simon’s Mission to Make Parishes Great Again

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“The local church is the greatest engine for good in human history,” businessman and philanthropist Bill Simon says of his hope for Catholic parishes.

CHR Comment: American conservative, Bill Simon, is a devout Roman Catholic who recently published “Great Catholic Parishes,” for which he studied 244 parishes. He advocates Bible Study, church music, and preaching as key to vital parish life.

Source: William Simon’s Mission to Make Parishes Great Again

Nobel Laureate Tutu Celebrates 85th Birthday

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Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu shed tears of gratitude on his 85th birthday Friday as he presided over a cathedral Mass despite his poor health. And in a newspaper column, the former archbishop said he would like to have the option of a “dignified assisted death” when the time comes.

CHR Comment: Tutu has been an advocate for many liberal theological views, the latest being homosexuality and assisted suicide.

Source: Nobel laureate Tutu celebrates 85th birthday, giving thanks – The Washington Post

Christianity, Chess, and the Queen of Katwe

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Phiona Mutesi, the prodigy featured in a new Disney film, was one of hundreds of children who learned to play at the Christian academy.

CHR Comment: Robert Katende’s Sports Outreach project in Uganda is bearing remarkable fruit, a Christian mission that uses sports and chess to improve the lives of the poor in Uganda. The article also mentions the warlord run Lord’s Resistance Army that has used violence in the name of Christianity. These examples illustrate the opportunities and difficulties of living out one’s faith in Uganda at this time.

Source: Uganda’s ‘Queen of Katwe’ got her start at this slum chess school – The Washington Post

Poland Abortion Bill Withdrawn

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Poland’s deputy prime minister says proposals for a near-total ban on abortion which sparked protests across the country will not go through.

CHR Comment: The article describes the bill as sponsored by the Catholic Church but also mentions the role of an “anti-abortion citizens’ initiative” that gathered 450,000 signatures. Likely the bill is being withdrawn before a vote as the legislators realize the votes are not present for passage. Given the large number of Poles who have expressed concern about abortion, we are likely to see a redraft of the bill, which would garner more support.

Source: Poland abortion: Deputy PM backs away from ban – BBC News

Pope, Anglican Leader Celebrate 50 Years of Dialogue

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Pope Francis is pushing through with an unusually high-powered month of outreach to other Christians, celebrating 50 years of Catholic dialogue with the Anglican Church in between important visits to Orthodox and Lutheran leaders.

CHR Comment: As some denominations have relaxed their standards for doctrine and practice, making them more ecumenical in tone, they have also distanced themselves from other churches since they have adopted doctrines and practices that collide with long held Christian teaching. With one hand they reach out to others while withdrawing the other. As a consequence, the ecumenical movement has had limited success in its goal of broader unity.

Source: Pope, Anglican leader celebrate 50 years of dialogue – The Washington Post