[NOTE: While this interview is with a Catholic theologian/sociologist, and his new book about “nonverts” has a chapter devoted to Catholic church dropouts, that’s not what the book is mainly about, or why it interests me. Quakers interest me, especially U. S. Quakers. I don’t know if the author mention Quakers, but it’s clear enough … Continue reading New Book Marks the Coming of Ex-Christian America
[NOTE: Despite the sponsor’s upbeat words, attendance at this onetime mega-conference will be down 70% from its peak in 2000. For Quakers, the slide is quite similar to the 80% drop (from almost 2000 in 2000 to 440) in registrations for the 2022 FGC summer Gathering. For FGC, the decline for ed a shift from an … Continue reading Once Huge Evangelical Mission Conference Faces Major Shrinkage
[NOTE: Some readers might wonder: why does this Quaker blogger post so often about Catholic church issues & development? Is it just because I was raised RC? No doubt that upbringing left its marks. [If you’re interested, this background is explored in my memoir, Meetings.] But there are broader reasons. Here are a few: — … Continue reading After Buying the Supreme Court for Rightwing Catholicism — Why not Add a Few Universities? Deal!
[NOTE: i’m somewhat slow on the uptake, but numerous shocks of 2022 have pounded home the sense that the principal architect of our increasingly dominant regime of minority rule is the Supreme Court. To get more up to speed on this process, I’m reading Senator Sheldon Whitehouse’s fine new book, The Scheme. Whitehouse has been … Continue reading The Big Read: Supreme Beings — Taking on the Architects of Our Emerging Judicially-Spawned Authoritarian Order
[NOTE: I’m no lawyer, but this opinion seems to come under the heading of “sauce for the goose . . .” and the part of the Constitution about the government is not to officially favor any specific religion, which its recent Dobbs decision obviously does. I’ll be watching for updates on the decision’s fate. Religious … Continue reading Indiana Judge vs. State Abortion Ban: Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged