Where I grew up, polite people didn’t talk about sex, religion, or politics in mixed company, but if the beginning of this election season is any indication, we’ll probably spend the next year talking about all three–and nothing else. Rick Perry’s exclusively evangelical outreach is gaining much attention, including from endlessly-entertaining uber-atheist Christoper Hitchens over at Slate. More seriously for journalist-types, and from someone who takes religion a bit more seriously, Amy Sullivan at Time magazine has some serious questions everyone should be asking a politician who wears her faith on her sleeve. AP religion writer Rachel Zoll has more in-depth coverage of the role theology may play in the coming year.
On to my favorite topic: liturgical translation! The new English texts made their debut on Sunday in the land of the Queen’s English. Despite Catholic News Service stories that assure us that the texts are being received with open arms, one Catholic journalist gives them a mixed, mostly negative review, while Anthony Ruff at PrayTell has collected a number of contrary opinions. You can listen to a BBC radio broadcast of the liturgy with the new translations here.
And, last but not least on this day after Labor Day, Philadelphia Catholic school teachers vote to go on strike.
