The Republican nominee delivered a scripted speech to black churchgoers in Detroit on Saturday in his latest attempt to connect with African American voters.
CHR Comment: Ben Carson escorted Trump to the service at Great Faith Ministers, a point unfortunately left out of the article. We pray that Carson’s humble and sincere manner continues to have good effect on this presidential candidate.
Source: Trump well-received by Detroit church: Should more remarks be scripted? (+video) – CSMonitor.com
Archaeologists in Jerusalem say they have for the first time reconstructed likely designs of a Biblical Jewish temple floor using original fragments.
CHR Comment: The courts of the Second Temple, reconstructed by Herod the Great, was a site where Jesus taught His disciples and where early Christians gathered for prayer. If these reconstructions prove accurate, they will give us a better sense of one place where early Christian teaching was shared. It’s important to learn more about how the reconstruction of the tiles took place.
Source: Jerusalem Biblical Temple floor designs ‘restored’ – BBC News
CHR Comment: A fine visual overview of many current English Bible Translations, distinguishing the major translation philosophies of literalism (word-for-word), dynamic equivalence (thought-for-thought), and paraphrase. The positioning of some of the translations could be disputed but this is a good tool for discussing translations in a Bible class.
She had access to the church credit card and is accused of using it for vacations and jewelry.
CHR Comment: A sad violation of the congregation’s trust. Churches need routine, open and honest systems for assuring that work is done in God pleasing ways.
Source: Former bookkeeper accused of stealing $600K from Tennessee church
The attackers, wearing suicide vests and carrying firearms, exchanged fire with security forces and were killed, the statement said.
Source: Militants attack Christian area in Pakistan, one guard dead – army – CSMonitor.com
For a nun whose name has long been a byword for pious compassion, her canonization has been met with controversy.
CHR Comment: Allegations are brought by persons in India who believe Calcutta’s reputation was badly damaged by the presence of her mission, as though Calcutta was the worst place for poverty. Others question the amount of suffering endured by persons who were terminally ill under her care. There are also complaints from atheists that Mother Teresa was a fraud. Despite these complaints, the “controversy” seems rather small compared with the broad support for her mission.
Source: Mother Teresa’s Canonization: Controversy Mars Nun’s Work – NBC News
The common orientation of priest and people during the Liturgy of the Eucharist symbolizes—or perhaps better, lives out—the Church’s conviction that the Mass is an act of worship offered to the Thrice-Holy God.
CHR Comment: The article includes comment on early Christian practice and Vatican II liturgical reform, which is now being reconsidered.
Source: He’s Not “Turning his Back to the People” | George Weigel | First Things
Increasing numbers of Muslim refugees to Switzerland and Germany are converting to Christianity, according to reports from the region.
CHR Comment: Two reasons for the conversions are given: (1) changing world views as persons raised Muslim reject radical Islam and its violent tendencies and (2) persons who were secretly Christians in their homelands now receiving Baptism for the first time.
Source: Muslim migrants are converting to Christianity in Switzerland | Christian News on Christian Today
A cancer patient and a coma victim credit her for their recovery. “You have to accept that there are things that science cannot explain,” says an atheist physician who’s investigated miracle stories.
CHR Comment: Detailed description of the process and the specific miracles and persons involved in the process, including Dr. Jacalyn Duffin, an atheist who investigated miracles.
A confusing statement in the article is that no other Christian denomination teaches that “an individual [is] in heaven mediating between God and humanity.” In fact there are Orthodox and Protestant denominations that do teach persons in heaven intercede for those on earth, though with different emphases and practices. For example, Revelation 6:10 describes martyrs in heaven praying that the Lord would judge the wicked. However, Protestants would encourage those on earth to pray directly to God rather than ask the saints to mediate for them.
Source: How The Catholic Church Documented Mother Teresa’s 2 Miracles : Parallels : NPR
Also, from the Washington Post.
Capital murder is punishable by execution or life in prison; the sisters’ religious orders have issued a joint statement against the death penalty.
CHR Comment: Motive for the killing may be robbery but remains unconfirmed. The killer was living across the street.
church history review 