Category: modern church

Vatican Says Catholics Should Not Try to Convert Jews

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Catholics should not try to convert Jews and should work with them to fight anti-Semitism, the Vatican said on Thursday in a major document drawing the Church further away from the strained relations of the past.

CHR Comment: On the fiftieth anniversary of the papal document Nostra Aetate, which helped initiate Jewish-Catholic dialogues, this announcement is not too surprising. Catholic theologians hold that Jews and Christians worship the same God. They also teach that one does not have to be a Christian to receive salvation (doctrine of anonymous Christians).

Source: Vatican says Catholics should not try to convert Jews, should fight anti-semitism | Reuters

Atheist Anti-Church Billboards: Are They Effective?

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Billboards placed by an atheist group in different parts of the US are drawing strong reaction from both atheists and Christians alike.

CHR Comment: American Atheists is the group that pays for the billboards. They target Christmas as the most widely celebrated holiday by the majority religious group: Christianity. Their goal is to separate belief in charity and morality from religion.

Source: Atheist anti-church billboards land: Are they effective?

Religion in the American Culture Wars

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Muslims, like Catholics and Mormons, fall victim to our persistent fear of those who worship differently.

CHR Comment: Professor Stephen Prothero of Boston University gives his views on the role that religion has played in American life and politics. He mentions the suspicions Protestants had about Roman Catholics and Mormons as a lens through which to see how conservative Christians are speaking about Islam today.

Source: Trump’s religious bigotry is as American as apple pie: Column

Why Catholic Schools Are Reconsidering Common Core

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

In light of recent backlash against implementation of the controversial learning standards in public schools, private Catholic schools around the country are reconsidering Common Core and how it may fit within the Catholic mission.

CHR Comment: Mission is the key element in these changes. Common Core is designed to prepare children for college, which is important. But Roman Catholic educators wish to reestablish the spiritual goals of their work: creating faithful believers who will go to heaven.

Source: Why Catholic schools are reconsidering Common Core – CSMonitor.com

Pope Francis Declares Extraordinary Jubilee

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Pope Francis opened the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the Jubilee of Mercy — a special Holy Year, amid heightened security. More than 10 million pilgrims are expected.

CHR Comment: While visiting the Central African Republic, Pope Francis announced an extraordinary Jubilee. According to the article, a jubilee of mercy and indulgences typically occurs every 25 years. But Pope Francis has declares this new one after only 15 years.

Source: Pope Francis opens Holy Door to begin Jubilee of Mercy

Vatican Appoints PricewaterhouseCoopers to Audit Accounts

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

For the first time the Vatican submits its finances to an external auditor as part of Pope Francis’ bid to bring greater transparency to the Catholic Church.

CHR Comment: To learn more about the financial controversy, visit the second link below.

Source: Vatican appoints PricewaterhouseCoopers to audit accounts – BBC News

https://churchhistoryreview.org/2015/11/03/vatican-arrests-2-accused-of-leaking-documents/

World’s Largest Christian University Allows Concealed Firearms

edengelbrecht61 Comment

The president of Liberty University urged his students Friday to carry concealed firearms on campus, adding to diverse university rhetoric on the issue of gun control.

CHR Comment: Christian traditions differ significantly on the issue of bearing arms. For example, many Anabaptist groups are committed to pacifism. The Falwell family church, Thomas Road Baptist Church, is affiliated with the Baptist Bible Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Convention. English Baptists have traditionally supported self-defense, the right to bear arms, and just war.

Source: Liberty University students urged to carry guns. Do other schools agree? – CSMonitor.com

Praying During Times of Tragedy

edengelbrecht6Leave a comment

Why do Christians keep offering prayers every time there is an act of terror, civil unrest or a natural disaster? To many in our world, praying to God at times like these seems foolish and even ina…

CHR Comment: Recent political comments about turning to prayer in times of tragedy sparked this helpful article on why Christians turn to God in prayer. The article illustrates that prayer is not inaction but a most appropriate action for a Christian to take.

Source: Praying During Times of Tragedy