Burn Baby, Burn
Posted on 10. Sep, 2010 by Theodore Roe in Current Events
September 11th this year marks the ninth anniversary of the attack on the World Trade Center towers. One would think the news would be more centered on a somber reflection on that fateful day that the United States finally recognized that our newest enemy did not wear a uniform or fly a single flag. It [...]
Tuhan Or Not Tuhan? That Is The Question.
Posted on 05. Jan, 2010 by Alex Sharp in Current Events, History
A recent row in Malaysia has caught the attention of Christians and Muslims around the world. A Malaysian court ruled that it is ok for a non-Muslim to use the word Allah for God. This is causing a panic in the majority Muslim nation, as it is feared that Christians might use the word Allah [...]
The United States And Islamic Theocracies Will Always Butt Heads
Posted on 03. Jun, 2009 by Theodore Roe in Current Events, Politics
In a time of great political upheaval in the United States, it is oddly comforting to know that some things always stay the same. Just days ahead of President Obama’s much anticipated speech in Egypt, a voice from the not so distant past has appeared on the world stage. Perhaps it would be more appropriate [...]
The Carnival Of Carnaval: Mardi Gras The World Over
Posted on 24. Feb, 2009 by Alex Sharp in History
While only a fraction of the world is Christian, one of this religion’s unofficial holidays gets major media attention across the globe. Known almost interchangeably as Mardi Gras and Carnaval, this festival is the wild celebration that comes before the Lenten season. This festival time, which can start as soon as January 9th (the 12th [...]
Will The Cold War Continue Between The Russian Orthodox And Roman Catholic Churches?
Posted on 28. Jan, 2009 by Alex Sharp in Current Events, History
A few days ago the Russian Orthodox Church elected a replacement for Patriarch Alexy II. On the 27th of January Metropolitan Kirill of Moscow was appointed Patriarch-elect for the Orthodox Christian Church of Russia. The choice has been generally well-received by the Orthodox community. The Russian Orthodox Church is often said to be the largest [...]
The Substance of Transubstantiation
Posted on 16. Jan, 2009 by Alex Sharp in History
One of the least understood parts of Roman Catholic theology is the sacrament of Eucharist, or so I have found over the years. The doctrine of transubstantiation is a subtle idea, one that plays with concepts of what an object is, and what it appears to be. This relationship is often referred to in terms [...]
New Year Around The World
Posted on 31. Dec, 2008 by Alex Sharp in Current Events, History
In a season of religious holidays there is an oddly secular feel to New Year celebrations in the Christian world. Indeed, the revelries surrounding the birth of a new year were (and to some extent still are) seen by Christians as excessive and paganistic. The Roman Catholic liturgical year does not recognize January 1st as [...]
Benedict XVI Lauds Achievements Of Archaeology
Posted on 24. Dec, 2008 by Alex Sharp in Current Events
Just a few days ago Pope Benedict XVI reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to understanding the past as a means of confirming faith. On December 20th His Holiness met with the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, greeting their most senior official, grand chancellor Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, with remarkable cordiality. The Holy Father remarked upon the, “precious and [...]
The Great Schism
Posted on 18. Nov, 2008 by Alex Sharp in History
In the United States, the Protestant Reformation is perhaps the best known schism in Christianity. The story of how Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany dominates our understanding of modern Christianity. Whether the reader supports the ideals of the Protestants or Catholics concerning this fundamental split, [...]
Christian India: A Two Thousand Year Old Tradition
Posted on 11. Nov, 2008 by Alex Sharp in History
Several days ago I had a fascinating conversation with a gentlemen who was totally unaware that India is, in fact, has one of the world’s oldest populations of Christians. I made a point of talking about this with a few other people, all of whom were similarly surprised by this information. While one of the [...]
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