News & Ideas

Friday's News & Ideas - 1/11/2019

  • Where Christianity is headed
  • CoE clergy treated violently
  • Steinfels slams PA grand jury report
  • U.S. Catholics' faith in clergy shaken
  • Church/hockey organist
  • Footprints in the snow

Where is Christianity headed? The view from 2019
Religion News Service: Wesley Granberg-Michaelson on the deeper trends and challenges, beneath the headlines, that are likely to shape the future of faith.

One in ten clergy 'treated violently' in past two years, survey says
Church Times: Ten percent of Church of England clergy who responded to a government-funded survey said that they had been treated violently during the past two years -- in one in five cases, sustaining injuries.

Former New York Times reporter slams grand jury report on clerical abuse
Religion News Service: Peter Steinfels describes last August's Pennsylvania grand jury report as "grossly misleading, irresponsible, inaccurate, and unjust" in its sweeping accusation that Catholic bishops refused to protect children from sexual abuse.
Commonweal: The PA grand-jury report: not what it seems

A third of US Catholics think priests are not honest or ethical
The (London) Guardian: Poll shows confidence in church at record low after report on sexual abuse in Pennsylvania.
Gallup: U.S. Catholics' faith in clergy is shaken

Missouri organist plays for both church and hockey team
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Jeremy Boyer is in his 12th season as the St. Louis Blue's official organist and splits his time between these two worlds: sports and religion.

The Spark

Footprints in the snow lead to an emotional rescue
Pam Bales left the pavement and stepped onto the snow-covered trail to begin her mid-October climb. As The New Hampshire Union-Leader reports, she planned a six-hour loop hike by herself. She had packed for almost every contingency and intended to walk alone.

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