Amoris Laetitia Raising Issues of Authority

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Any sort of “creeping infallibility” that would attach the same level of authority to every papal utterance or document must be avoided. To fail to draw appropriate distinctions—whether between binding and non-binding documents of the ordinary magisterium, or between the development and the evolution of doctrine—is to dim the light of the Petrine ministry and impoverish the faithful.

CHR Comment: The Pope’s letter, an “apostolic exhortation,” has some Roman Catholics questioning the clarity and application of the document.

Source: Creeping Infallibility | Jessica M. Murdoch | First Things

Moral Assassinations of Priests

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Mexico’s Roman Catholic Church on Monday harshly criticized what it called a campaign to smear three priests murdered in less than a week by suggesting the victims had been involved in questionable behavior.

CHR Comment: Drug cartels and a government prosecutor have condemned ministers serving in Mexico where 28 priests have been killed since 2006.

Source: Catholic Church alleges smear campaign against slain priests – The Washington Post

Negotiations with Boko Haram Fail

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They were lying in ambush. When the Boko Haram militants on board motorbikes saw a group of Christians returning home from church service, they opened fire, killing eight of them, according to survivors.

CHR Comment: The Nigerian government is trying to negotiate the release of kidnapped girls. Many of these girls come from Christian villages and families as earlier reports have shown. As negotiations failed, Boko Haram militants renewed their attacks.

Source: Boko Haram militants shoot Christians returning home from church in Nigeria, killing 8; 2 other attacks claim 10 lives | Christian News on Christian Today

Fundraising Miracles! Vatican Issues New Rules

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The Vatican issued new rules for the process to determine if healings qualify as miracles for sainthood.

CHR Comment: Of all things to attract corruption, you wouldn’t think that the lives of honorable Christian people and miracles would be among them. But apparently there is always someone somewhere ready to make a buck no matter how disgraceful the enterprise. It’s good to see that the Vatican is responding to these reports of corruption and improving their process.

Source: Vatican makes new rules for miracles for sainthood

Priests Kidnapped and Killed in Mexico

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Roman Catholic Church officials pleaded on Thursday for the life of a priest who was kidnapped from his parish residence one day after two other priests were abducted and killed in another part of Mexico.

CHR Comment: Twenty-eight priests have been killed in Mexico since 2006. Father Jose Alfredo Lopez Guillen remains missing.

Source: Priest kidnapped in Mexico adds to worries after 2 killed – The Washington Post

Computers Decipher Burnt Scroll Found in Ancient Holy Ark

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Scientists have formally announced their reconstruction of the Ein Gedi Scroll, the most ancient Hebrew scroll since the Dead Sea Scrolls.

CHR Comment: The Ein Gedi Scroll contains a text of Leviticus that is consistent with the Masoretic text used by Jews and Christians today. This is also likely the kind of Hebrew text known to Jerome, who translated the Vulgate. The text stands between the Dead Sea Scrolls and those discovered in the medieval Cairo Genizah, helping to fill a gap in the story of the biblical text.

The second article below dates the text to between the second and fourth centuries AD.

Source: Computers Decipher Burnt Scroll Found in Ancient Holy Ark

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2016/0922/En-Gedi-scroll-unfurled-How-technology-helped-reveal-an-ancient-biblical-text

Terence Crutcher Fatally Shot

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Lawyers acting for the family of Terence Crutcher, the black pastor fatally shot by a white police officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have said he posed no imminent threat despite claims by police that he was reaching into his vehicle.

CHR Comment: The article describes Crutcher as a “pastor” but I am not finding information about whether he was ordained or what congregation he served. I am linking to a second article that describes his involvement with a Baptist church.

Source: Black pastor Terence Crutcher posed no threat to police who fatally shot him, say lawyers | Christian News on Christian Today

Terence Crutcher: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know