Pedersen's Passion

Fr. Jeffrey Mickler explains Pope Benedict's talk faith, reason and the nature of a University, that led to the controversy with Islam.

CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad debates George Weigel of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, on the comments by Pope Benedict on Muhammad

Watch this video clip

It is an interview with dr. Thomas Scheffer, Copenhagen University, on the pope´s speech.

His analysis is to the point that the quoting of a Byzantine emperor who lived 60 years before the Ottoman conquer of Constantinople is an open embrace of the pope towards the Orthodox Church before the pope's visit to Turkey. But not as dr. Scheffer thinks the Greek Orthodox Church, but the Ecumenical Patriarchate?

If inter religious dialogue is really dead I am much more skeptical. It seems to be on the rise at least in ecumenical circles.

Christianity and Globalization

Vatican Official Offers Guidelines

ROME, SEPT. 16, 2006 (Zenit.org).- A book published this summer offers a summary of the Church's view on globalization. In just over 100 pages Bishop Giampaolo Crepaldi, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, brings together some of the main points made by Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI on this complex theme, as well elements taken from other Church documents.

The book, published in Italian by Edizione Cantagalli, is entitled "Globalizzazione: Una prospettiva cristiana" (Globalization: A Christian Perspective). The text starts by noting that the Church has so far not published a systematic treatment of globalization. Instead, there are numerous speeches and documents that touch on the issue.

Read the full article at Zenit

The reactions to Pope Benedict's speech in Regensburg, Germany, last week has been hard from the Muslimer all over the world.

Due to this the Pope has now made an personal apology saying that his intention never was to offend Muslims.

Here is the full text:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The pastoral visit which I recently made to Bavaria was a deep spiritual experience, bringing together personal memories linked to places well known to me and pastoral initiatives towards an effective proclamation of the Gospel for today.

I thank God for the interior joy which he made possible, and I am also grateful to all those who worked hard for the success of this Pastoral Visit.

As is the custom, I will speak more of this during next Wednesday's general audience.

At this time, I wish also to add that I am deeply sorry for the reactions in some countries to a few passages of my address at the University of Regensburg, which were considered offensive to the sensibility of Muslims.

These in fact were a quotation from a medieval text, which do not in any way express my personal thought.

Yesterday, the Cardinal Secretary of State published a statement in this regard in which he explained the true meaning of my words.

I hope that this serves to appease hearts and to clarify the true meaning of my address, which in its totality was and is an invitation to frank and sincere dialogue, with great mutual respect.

The Muslim anger about the pope continues.

Muslim leaders from around the world has protested.

John L. Allan comments on Benedict's hihad remark.

The New York Times thinks the pope should give an apology

The Malaysian Prime Minister thinks the same

Slapstick Politics has gathered more reactions to the Pope's speech. http://slapstickpolitics.blogspot.com/2006/09/pope-benedict-on-islam-roundup.html

EDIT:
Daily Telegraph: God is not to be second-guessed

Slate Magazine: Papal Bull

On Monday, the International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic church and the Orthodox church resumes its activity with a Sept. 18-25 session in Belgrade, Serbia.

Many experts aren't holding their breath expecting great breakthroughs, but optimism nevertheless abounds in ecumenical circles, for whom the mere resumption of the talks after a six-year hiatus represents a victory.

Read the full commentary by John L. Allan here

Apparently pope Benedict has offended a lot of Muslims with a recent speech during his visit to Germany.

Here is a short extract (full speech below!):

In the seventh conversation (*4V8,>4H - controversy) edited by Professor Khoury, the emperor touches on the theme of the holy war. The emperor must have known that surah 2, 256 reads: "There is no compulsion in religion". According to the experts, this is one of the suras of the early period, when Mohammed was still powerless and under threat. But naturally the emperor also knew the instructions, developed later and recorded in the Qur'an, concerning holy war. Without descending to details, such as the difference in treatment accorded to those who have the "Book" and the "infidels", he addresses his interlocutor with a startling brusqueness on the central question about the relationship between religion and violence in general, saying: "Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached". The emperor, after having expressed himself so forcefully, goes on to explain in detail the reasons why spreading the faith through violence is something unreasonable.

You can read the full text of pope Benedict here and judge for yourself:

Speech of pope Benedict XVI

More Americans are active in religious groups than previously thought and many others without ties to congregations still believe in God or a higher power, according to a broad survey of faith in America released Monday.

The study also found that most traditional Christians reject the label "evangelical," preferring to describe themselves as "Bible-believing" or "born again."

The survey was conducted by the Baylor University Sociology Department and the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion as the first in a series on the spiritual life of Americans.

Researchers found that only 10.8 percent of Americans have no ties to a congregation, denomination or faith group. Previous surveys had put that figure at 14 percent, overlooking about 10 million people involved in some form of organized religion, the Baylor report said.

Read the full story at the Christian Post

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Russian Orthodox Church, which suspended ties with the U.S. Episcopal Church over its consecration of an openly gay bishop, has offered to restore ties with conservative Episcopal dioceses in the United States.
Related
Dallas Episcopalians Mull Break from Denomination
(August 24, 2006)

The Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh and other dioceses have shown disapproval of recent decisions by the Episcopal Church, including the 2003 consecration of Bishop V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

In a letter delivered Monday to Pittsburgh diocesan officials, the Russian Orthodox Church's head of external relations, Metropolitan Kirill, said his church "supports your act and expresses willingness to restore relations with your diocese."

Read the full story at the Christian Post

If you are not already following the Central Committee Meeting on the WCC website here is the link with news and photos:

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/events-sections/cc2006.html

Also make sure to follow the news from the Habitus Website: www.habitusnetwork.org

In the early days of Christianity confessions very a public affair which meant that they were done in the in front of the whole congregation. Liturgically the private confessions - which are the ones with which we are most familiar with today - are of a later date.

But with the emerge of the internet the public confessions now have a new revival. Or have they?

The evangelical network "Life Church" now makes it possible to confess your sins online. On the website www.mysecret.tv you can not alone confess your sins, but also make them available to the whole internet.

On the site you can browse sins by category. Choose between "addictions", "adultery", "lying" and a lot of other vices. In line with good American political correctness you also get parental warnings: These sins may contain adult material and are only for person above 18 years of age.

But wait a minute! Have the evangelicals become afraid of using the word "sin"?! The site is called "my secrets", and what I have termed sins above are indeed only called "secrets".

But the users of the site have no doubt: their actions are sins. This one can read from the many testimonials on the site.

The site itself does not label all these secrets as sins and indeed the site does not seem to be very religious. Except for the users?

Is the site just a place for voyeurs and exhibitionists or is it a place of confession?

What to think of this kind of public confessions?