Author: edengelbrecht6

Defrocked Gay Vatican Priest Pins Hopes on Pope Francis

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The Polish priest announced on Oct. 3 that he was gay, on the eve of the Vatican’s synod on the family.

CHR Comment: The interview expresses significant disappointment in the synod on the family, the Vatican, and the Catholic Church in general. Charamsa does not think the church will change its doctrine. Yet the disaffected priest still expresses hope that Pope Francis will foster greater openness to homosexual Roman Catholics. One wonders how Charamsa’s public and defiant actions affected future discussions of the issues.

Source: Defrocked gay Vatican priest says he has no regrets

Telling the True Story of Thanksgiving

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A National Geographic film takes an even-handed approach to the story of Thanksgiving.

CHR Comment: The film should be interesting. The article fails to mentions some important features of the history, such as the way some Indians looked to the Europeans as potential allies against other Indians as well as the role of disease, which was the primary cause of the decimation of the Indian population. Jered Diamond’s “Guns, Germs, and Steel” helps explain the role of disease especially well. I hope the film likewise describes the Puritanism of the Pilgrims, understanding them as Christians. The second article linked below refers to a documentary in PBS’s American Experience series, which is also about the Pilgrims.

Source: Voices: Telling the true story of Thanksgiving

Pilgrim Double Feature

Christians Facing “Indonesian Jihad”

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If you look to the left as your plane approaches the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport near Jakarta, one can easily see the 153-foot Christ Blessing statue in off in the distance in Manado City.

CHR Comment: Christians in the Aceh region face opposition from the Muslim majority. The region is governed by Sharia law. In October a group of Muslim’s carrying axes and machetes attacked a church in Suka Makmur. 8,000 Christians were “displaced”; one person, thought to be a Muslim attacker, died from a gun shot. Tensions are increasing in the capital, Jakarta, as Christians from outlying areas move into the city to find work. Attempts to start churches are being violently opposed or stopped through prejudicial regulations.

Source: Christians facing ‘Indonesian jihad’ as churches burned on imams’ orders: report | Fox News#.Vkc4Ujgm4rg.email

Ben Carson Requests Prayer for Donald Trump

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U.S. presidential candidate Ben Carson recommended praying for rival Donald Trump after the real-estate mogul and television personality, in a 95-minute rant in Iowa, likened him to a child molester, Carson’s business manager said on Friday.

CHR Comment: Carson’s demeanor is helpful and positive in this stormy political season. The question is whether this approach is what voters are looking for.

Source: Carson’s comeback to Trump’s insults: ‘Pray for him’ | Reuters#ZBQpkGF8FbQ6xkuc.97

Christians among Troops that Retake Hol, Syria

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Kurdish Peshmerga forces pushed into the strategic town of Sinjar in northern Iraq, and a coalition of Arab, Christian, and Kurdish rebel factions recaptured another town from the militants across the border in Syria on Friday.

CHR Comment: Christian troops were among those who participated in the liberation of Hol, Syria. They are part of the Democratic Forces of Syria, which formed in mid-October, 2015.

Source: Kurdish forces retake towns in Iraq, Syria; dealing double blow to ISIS – CSMonitor.com

500 Years of Virgin Mary Sightings in One Map

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Apparitions of the Virgin Mary, inspiring wonder and devotion among millions, have been tracked for centuries.

CHR Comment: A fantastic visual exploration of popular Roman Catholic piety. The infographic charts show how the number of sightings has increased in modern times, perhaps due to better recording and reporting. This illustrates how important new revelations are to Roman Catholics. I will add a link to this on the maps page of Church History Review.

Source: 500 Years of Virgin Mary Sightings in One Map

Controversial Noah’s Ark Theme Park Slated To Open July 2016

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“It’s going to be the biggest timber-frame building in the world. And I think people will come to see it just from the perspective of even the architecture and the engineering.”

CHR Comment: The Creation Museum folks are building a second site to be located in Williamstown, KY. Spokesman Ken Ham describes the character of the park. The ark will be the largest timber framed building in the world.

Source: Controversial Noah’s Ark Theme Park Slated To Open July 2016

New Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Interview

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The Episcopal Church USA’s first African-American leader hopes to call his divided church to “a deeper unity.”

CHR Comment: Curry explains his personal background and his goals for the liberal denomination which has recently lost 20% of its membership over the issue of ordaining homosexuals as priests and bishops. He is a supporter of activist religious politics and a Buffalo Bills fan.

Source: New Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry | October 30, 2015 | Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly | PBS

New German Biography Casts Hitler in Different Light

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A new biography of Hitler by a prominent German historian is likely to stir controversy with its argument that the Nazi leader’s political acumen has been underestimated and that the belief in his hypnotic grip over Germans is inflated.

CHR Comment: Longerich characterizes Hitler as a gifted political opportunist. The article notes that the rise of National Socialism created tensions in the churches. Some churches were drawn into supporting the Nazis, such as the Deutsche Christen Movement, while others resisted, such as the Confessing Church.

Source: New German Biography Casts Hitler in Different Light – NBC News