George W. Bush on Torture

Bush is threatening to veto a bill that bans specific interrogation techniques. Here are the details.

York University Prohibits Debate

Mark Shea posts about a decision made to cancel a debate about abortion at  York University in Toronto.

Palestinian Liberation Theology

LA Times interviewed Naim Ateek, founder of Sabeel. Article also notes that the Methodist Church will be debating divestment next month.

Catholic Liturgy and Authority

Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul is cracking down on liturgical aberrations. Archdiocese of Los Angeles is continuing to promote them.

I think what both of these stories illustrate is the power and authority of the local bishop. Contrary to the stereotype that Protestants have of Catholics marching in lock-step conformity with the pope, the Catholic church is really a motley collection of “local churches” headed by bishops who do what they want. There is genuine authoritarianism and abuse of authority in the Catholic church, but it’s more often at the level of the pastor and the bishop, since the pope rarely intervenes.