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Ballots, not blood
For South Africa’s young democracy, the split in the African National Congress represents a major test for the country’s capacity of tolerating political challenges. Our democracy may well be energised by the emergence of a potent electoral alternative to the ANC, which in 2004 received almost 70% of the vote. A properly functioning democracy by necessity demands viable electoral competition, which hitherto has been absent in post-apartheid South Africa (and, indeed, during most of the apartheid era). While the breakaway party may not yet constitute a functional challenge to an ANC majority, it will surely cut into the ruling party’s hegemony. This should be welcomed even among those democrats inclined to sympathise with the ANC-led alliance.
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Warped rules on marriage
I read recently in Britain’s Telegraph newspaper: “Church bans impotent groom”. It was reported that an Italian bishop told a paraplegic man he could not marry in church because he was impotent, despite his fiancée being aware of the condition. Read more…
God in the Business World
God and Business
The first two Commandments
The first two commandments we find in the Bible are found in the sentence: “Be fruitful, fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). We have happily complied with the first request, with over 7 billion people populating our planet. God elaborates on the second command in Genesis (to subdue the earth), by giving to humanity control of all the resources of the world (Gen. 1:28b – 30). This command, namely to work, is so basic to society and its survival that it deserves special attention. Read more…
Walking out of a homily
A while back a friend told me that she is considering writing a book called Silent Homilies. I told her that I have a sub-title: “Preaching to Ourselves”. One chapter can be titled “When to walk out of a homily”.
I have done so twice this year. Read more…
The war over creation
By Brian Jacoby
A battle over the creation of the world is currently being fought in the United States. Reportedly about 60% of Americans do not agree with scientific evolution and subscribe to some form of creationism—the belief, based on a literal interpretation of the biblical creation story, that the universe was created directly by God in one fell swoop over a short time. Dinosaurs and humans co-existed no more than 6, 000 years ago, they say. Read more…
Words and Actions
Morris West in his memoirs reminds us of the words he puts into the mouth of Giordano Bruno in his play, The Heretic: Read more…
Pius XII: Cutting it both ways
The historic moment of a rabbi addressing the Synod of Bishops this month was diluted by his use of that platform to rebuke Pope Pius XII for his perceived failure to speak out against the Nazi genocide of Jews.
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Cardinal Newman’s love
The rumpus caused by the proposed transfer of Cardinal Newman’s remains to Birmingham Oratory in England deserves comment. Read more…
God as a woman?
I have heard it said that God could be a woman. I think, as a Catholic believing in Jesus, that this is an absurd comment to make. Jesus taught us to pray “Our Father”, and all Christians repeat this prayer. Since when is it possible for a father to be a woman?
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Challenged parenthood
In traditional society, the authority of parents was unchallenged. It was assumed that parents possessed knowledge and wisdom which children could not claim to have.
And not so long ago, the parents’ religion was unquestioned. If the parents were Catholics, it was taken for granted that the children would also grow up as Catholics and pass the Catholic faith on to their own children. Similarly, if the parents were Protestants their children were also expected to be Protestants and to worship in the denomination of the parents. Read more…
