Monthly Archives: September 2011

One Nation Under Mammon

by Richard Flory New internet sensation Alessio Rastani, a self-identified independent trader, bluntly predicted in an interview on the BBC what he says most other savvy capitalists are anticipating: impending global economic meltdown. The news media response to Rastani's comments, … Continue reading

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Church and State, Questions and Context

by Sandi Dolbee Am I the only one tiring of the same old single-dimensional tweets, stories and blogs about how the line between politics and pulpits is becoming increasingly blurry? Journalism is like driving a car. You need to spend … Continue reading

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Dissent, Diversity and Anxiety

by Lee Gilmore Recent tweaks to collective American anxieties around the shifting of our cultural, spiritual and sexual sands provide an opportunity revisit some persistent and emerging religious narratives. The military's official repeal of DADT earlier this week may have … Continue reading

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Debunking Muslim Myths

by Becky Garrison In the Washington Post, Muslim scholar, writer and activist Yasir Qadhi debunks five myths many Americans still believe about Islam ten years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. In particular, he notes that Americans continue … Continue reading

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Not Seen, Not Heard: Day-to-Day Life in Palestine

by Dalia Hashad Next week, Palestinian leaders will appeal to the United Nations in a bid for state recognition. Media reports have focused on the array of possible outcomes and their consequences. Leaders of the occupied territories might request full … Continue reading

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"Outrage Machine" v. Bloomberg: First Amendment Victory or Secularism's Last Stand?

by Jacques Berlinerblau The dust-up this past weekend over Mayor Michael Bloomberg's decision not to feature clerical speakers at the 9/11 memorial service in New York has now thankfully settled. Even though the conservative Christian “outrage machine,” as Americans United … Continue reading

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Civil Religion in High Steel

by Kevin Healey The New York Times Magazine's recent photo-portfolio of Ground Zero steelworkers contains no explicit religious imagery. Likewise, the accompanying articles and interviews by Randy Kennedy, Dean Robinson and James Estrin make no explicit mention of religion. But … Continue reading

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The Ephemera of Commemoration

by Judith Weisenfeld The first substantive session of my undergraduate seminar at Vassar College on the topic “Gods of the City: Religion in New York” was to take place on the afternoon of September 11, 2001. I had selected a … Continue reading

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The Saint of 9/11?

by J. Terry Todd One of the most fascinating instances of 9/11 memorializing is the push for the canonization of Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan priest and New York Fire Department chaplain who is listed in official records as New … Continue reading

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Whose 9/11 Memorial Is It Anyway?

by Becky Garrison Given the ongoing controversy surrounding the inclusion of a cross-like structure at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, reporters might consider other religious and spiritual angles on how 9/11 victims are memorialized. As noted in the September 2 broadcast … Continue reading

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