Category: modern church

Oklahoma State Team Prays the Lord’s Prayer

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The scene prior to the Cowboys’ football game vs. Kansas rings too tragically familiar as a motorist kills homecoming paradegoers in Stillwater, Okla.

CHR Comment: Near the end of the article, one learns that the kneeling team recited the Lord’s Prayer together as a way of responding to the terrible news. This illustrates once again how important the Lord’s Prayer is as common ground for the broadest number of Christians, who have Jesus’ teaching on prayer memorized and use it regularly.

Source: Oklahoma State community endures another senseless tragedy

Barbie Dolls Posed as Religious Figures

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Argentine artwork featuring 33 Ken and Barbie dolls as religious figures doesn’t play well among all Catholics.

CHR Comment: What seems most offense if the description of religion as “plastic,” that is, implying that religion and religious people are fake. The article states that Roman Catholics in Peru were very offended by the exhibition. One should note that only 400 people were going to attend. This seems like a stunt by the artist to gain attention rather than saying anything substantive about religion or art.

Source: Ken stands in as martyred Jesus, Barbie as Virgin Mary

Biased Media for Synod on the Family

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The final document was an obvious compromise intended to gain support from both reformers and hardliners.

CHR Comment: Statements from the media seemed especially sensitive to some of the rhetoric from members of the synod. Articles published in the International Business Times and Reuters News Service described the pope as “lambasting” conservatives. The attached USA Today article accused the synod of punting on the topic of homosexuality. Members of the media seem intent on pushing for change in Roman Catholicism. One headline described the church as moving to the left slowly. The new statements about divorce are significant.

Source: Vatican summit opens door for divorced, punts on welcome to gays

Science and Religion. Pew Research

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A majority of the public says science and religion often conflict, but people’s sense that they do seems to have less to do with their own religious beliefs than their perception of others’ beliefs.

CHR comment: As science gained importance in the medieval era, Christian theologians emphasized the harmony between science and religious belief, which continued into the modern period. Since the Enlightenment, non-religious people have argued for a gulf between science and religion. The Pew findings illustrate that non-religious people continue to hold to that bias.

Source: What U.S. Religious Groups Think About Science Issues | Pew Research Center

Coach Asked Not to Pray

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Bremerton football coach Joe Kennedy knelt on the center of the field and prayed as his players left the field after the Homecoming game on Friday, October 16, . . .

CHR Comment: Sounds like the administration is trying to follow their understanding of church-state separation but dialoging with the coach. Hopefully things can be cleared up and he may continue to pray. Lord, grant it.

Source: Bremerton Football Coach Joe Kennedy Defies Orders, Prays On Field

Orthodox Priest Ordained for Service in China

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A sign of warming ties: Russian Orthodox Church ordains first Chinese priest in 60 years.

CHR Comment: The ordination took place at a seminary in St. Petersburg. The priest will serve in Hardin, China. The article describes the history of Orthodoxy in China, where follows are numbered in the thousands, including reference to  Albazinians. It also comments on Christianity in China more broadly. Enjoyed the video.

Source: Russia, China grow closer as tensions with USA increase