As my Facebook friends are aware, the past two weeks I’ve been at Fort Hood, Texas, for my National Guard unit’s annual training. It was a great time as always, mentally and physically exhausting as always. I brought home plenty of MREs for the family to enjoy. 🙂 Now, back to the routine.
They were talking about Buddhist chaplains when I did my Chaplain Officer Basic Course back in 1986 and 1990. The Army finally has one on active duty: CH (CPT) Somya Malasri. CH Thomas Dyer has served in the National Guard since 2009.
The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have reinstituted the Friday fast.
I have a sermon or article that’s been stewing on the back burner for some time. In this post, I want to jot down some points that I want to elaborate on at another time. 1. Adventists look forward to the second coming of Jesus as “the Blessed Hope.” It isn’t something to fear, it…
If you are of a certain age, you may remember the television game show, “To Tell the Truth.” Three challengers would be asked to introduce themselves—they would all say, “My name is X.” Two were lying. Celebrity panelists tried to guess who was telling the truth. When the time for questions was over, the announcer…
Our Sunday Visitor had an article on “Top 10 Annulment Myths.” It provoked this response from Bai Macfarlane (divorced in scandalous fashion by her Catholic celebrity husband, Bud). For more about Bai and her struggle to save her own marriage and the marriages of others, see Mary’s Advocates.
I don’t care what the critics say … I liked “There Be Dragons.” As in “The Mission,” Joffe juxtaposes two contrasting characters. He portrays men of faith (Fr. Gabriel in “The Mission” and Josemaria Escriva, here) sympathetically, without Hollywood cynicism. He may not be a believer, but he creates believable stories in which people of…
A sophomore journalism major decides that an understanding of religion is irrelevant to journalists, and gets published in USA Today. Get Religion gives a wee bit of perspective. But a picture is worth 1000 words …
You may have heard the story of the Australian bishop who was removed by the pope. Here’s the rest of the story.
Navy Chief of Chaplains rescinds policy that would have permitted chaplains to perform gay marriages in chapels if permitted by state law. This now causes other problems, as I see it. Chaplains of liberal denominations that permit gay marriage will be able to argue that chapels are available for all other religious rituals, but not…
The Presbyterian Church (USA) paves the way for gay clergy by doing away with the expectation of chastity for unmarried clergy.
Informed consent is a basic principle in health care today–except when the topic is abortion. That’s become clear in the reaction of the Abortion Industry to sonogram laws, as noted in this NPR story. Can you imagine a doctor not using imaging technology of some kind before any other medical procedure? Can you imagine lobbyists…
A Chabad rabbi was accepted as a chaplain in the Army Reserve, but the acceptance letter was rescinded the next day because he has a beard. The Army has granted beard waivers for others, but is apparently saying he would have to shave first and then ask for a waiver. This is ridiculous.
The Navy has decidedthat chaplains whose denominations approve of gay marriages can use Navy chapels for the weddings in those states where gay marriage is legal. Some are sensationalizing the story and suggesting that chaplains will be pressured now to perform such weddings. I’m not worried. Regulations on the rights and responsibilities of chaplains are…
The president has, as usual, declared this Thursday to be a National Day of Prayer. Note: the presidential proclamation is distinct from the private organization that calls itself the National Day of Prayer Taskforce. That’s an evangelical organization with a specific agenda. Links.
My latest contribution to Spectrum.
Pax et bonum 