Bishop Javier Echevarría, who served as a personal secretary to Opus Dei’s founder for more than 20 years, was the last link to the first generation of Opus Dei’s leadership. He died Monday at age 84.
Source: Powerful Roman Catholic Group Opus Dei Faces Transition After Leader’s Death : The Two-Way : NPR
ARCHAEOLOGY’s editors reveal the year’s most compelling finds
CHR Comment: Two the top ten discoveries relate to Christian history. On Mona Island, Puerto Rico, archaeologists investigated rock art from Spanish Christians, which was etched alongside rock art from the indigenous people. In Salem, MA, researchers located the site where the “witches” were executed following the infamous Salem Witch Trials.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today issues a stark warning about lack of religious freedom in Burma, where, it says, Christianity is institutionally discriminated against and Buddhism has been elevated to the de facto state religion.
Tom saw as his primary task the discernment of how the Holy Spirit was leading the church and how, in his role as a pastor and academic, he might fit into the Spirit’s leading.
CHR Comment: Oden became a leading proponent for studying and valuing the history of biblical interpretation as a guide for interpretation and application of the Bible today.
Source: Remembering Thomas Oden | Joel Elowsky | First Things
Anthony Esolen stands firmly in that great Catholic tradition of liberal learning. A college whose leadership is committed to that tradition would celebrate his contributions—it wouldn’t coddle his persecutors.
CHR Comment: An interesting though odd rant about Roman Catholic higher education. The author defends Prof. Esolen without providing any clear statement about the issues at stake, just that the professor raised questions about “diversity.” Therefore, I have added a link to a second article in The American Conservative where Esolen is interviewed about the controversy, which involves accusations of racism and issues of Catholic identity and cultural engagement.
In dark days near the beginning of World War II, Bonhoeffer, the famed Protestant theologian, found himself living in a Catholic community. Bonhoeffer found spiritual nourishment at Ettal in the daily rhythms of Scripture, prayer, silence, and song.
Source: Bonhoeffer at Ettal: Advent 1940 | Timothy George | First Things
The roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshipers in southern Nigeria on Saturday.
CHR Comment: Reigners Bible Church, which preaches the prosperity Gospel, may have collapsed due to poor workmanship resulting from corruption.
CHR Comment: The call for prayer came from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, archbishop of Manila where police efforts to control the sale of illegal drugs has resulted in thousands of deaths. President Duterte enacted the war on drugs and supports the death penalty. He has made several statements that have offended Roman Catholic leaders in the Philippines, who hold to their denomination’s sanctity of life view.
Source: Catholic church in Manila issues prayer against expanded death penalty | Reuters
The blast took place as a Sunday Mass being held in the chapel was about to end.
CHR Comment: St. Mark’s is the religious center for Coptic Christians in Egypt and the seat of governance for Pope Tawadros II, the leading bishop. In other words, for the Copts, this would be like a bomb blast at the Vatican.
I have added below a follow-up article from the New York Times, which provides further background on persecution in Egypt.
In February 2015, ISIS abducted 226 victims were all Christians. Against impossible odds, a determined bishop helped secure their release.
church history review 