tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52046429113056948882012-02-16T01:44:27.235-08:00News & Views on Long Island, New York, and the NationRaymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.comBlogger741100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-9142381287944937062011-04-11T06:04:00.000-07:002011-05-04T05:21:15.265-07:00

by Ray Keating Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel is a tale about a former CIA agent who became a Lutheran pastor. A shooting at his church and an assignment to help protect the Pope mean that Grant’s former and current lives collide. The following excerpt – a discussion about terrorists, torture and “just war” – occurs during a dinner party. The entrée came. It was grilled tuna –

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-2124852173155539232011-01-18T09:03:00.000-08:002011-01-18T09:03:40.956-08:00

by Ray Keating January 18, 2011 January 18-25 is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. On January 15, Pope Benedict XVI met with a Catholic-Lutheran delegation from Finland. According to Zenit News: "Every year," the Pope said, addressing the group in German, "this meeting bears witness to the friendship and cooperation that exist between Lutherans and Catholics and, in general, among all

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by Raymond J. Keating December 20, 2010 Oscar Wilde wrote: “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” That quote hit home when I read Pope Benedict XVI’s message for World Day of Peace, January 1, 2011, released on December 16. It turns out that Pope Benedict’s declaration struck very similar themes as the fictional Pope Augustine did in a letter to Christian leaders around the world

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November 15, 2010 What's Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel about? Where did the idea come from? And what got the author, Ray Keating, writing? Listen to the "Warrior Monk 1: Spy to Pastor" podcast at http://warriormonk.podbean.com/ Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-46944307266256567092010-10-30T11:35:00.000-07:002010-10-30T11:35:38.854-07:00

October 30-31, 2010 October 31 is not just Halloween. For many Christians, it’s Reformation Day. Check out an excerpt from Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel on some theological thoughts that tie in to Reformation Day. http://raymondkeating.blogspot.com/2010/10/excerpt-from-warrior-monk-in-light-of.html Also, something from the desk of Pastor Grant for Reformation Day. http://

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by Russell E. Saltzman October 4, 2010 Here is a fun adventure romp, a first novel by former Newsday columnist Ray Keating. Stephen Grant is an ex-CIA agent with notches on his pistol who, with a little bit of angst, turns his back on his secret life and becomes, get this, a pastor of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. We first meet Grant as he dispatches an opposing agent within the nave of

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Former Newsday columnist and current Dolan Media Company columnist Ray Keating has published his first novel – Warrior Monk: A Pastor Stephen Grant Novel.Warrior Monk revolves around a former CIA assassin, Stephen Grant, who has lived a far different, relatively quiet life as a parish pastor in recent years. However, a shooting at his church, an historic papal proposal, and threats to the Pope’s

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-18798811050202908732010-09-15T14:45:00.000-07:002010-09-15T14:46:43.264-07:00

September 15, 2010Can good Christian theology be fun, too?Absolutely! Take a look at the regular videos offered by Pastor Fisk at the Worldview Everlasting blog.They make me think and laugh. Good stuff._____Brief comment from Raymond J. Keating

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-13721395730481149672010-08-24T05:45:00.000-07:002010-08-24T05:48:24.639-07:00

by Russell E. SaltzmanAugust 24, 2010Nguyen Kim Tang was the informal head of the Topeka, Kansas, Vietnamese community in the late summer of 1975. He and his family were part of the South Vietnamese refugee exodus out of Saigon that year, following the defeat of South Vietnam by North Vietnam. I was chair of the resettlement committee at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Our Savior’s and a dozen

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August 20, 2010Sarah Hinlicky Wilson is the editor of the Lutheran Forum, which is published by the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau (I serve on the ALPB board). Wilson has an interesting opinion piece in the August 20 Wall Street Journal titled “A Thousand Miles in the Footsteps of Martin Luther.”It touches on what the Reformation – with the 500th anniversary of Luther’s 95 Theses coming in

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-67181906632661868792010-07-16T05:18:00.000-07:002010-07-16T05:20:47.587-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJuly 16, 2010Since the late twentieth century, when a Christian church body has made headlines, it’s usually bad news.Either some clergy did something unsavory, or a denomination took a dramatic step away from traditional Christian teachings and biblical morality. The latter occurred in August 2009 when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the largest Lutheran

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-69431339431349711982010-04-20T06:56:00.000-07:002010-04-20T06:57:48.717-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingApril 20, 2010April 22 is “Earth Day” – a date that the green movement treats as sacred.The question is: What should Christian churches do, if anything, with this day? On its thin “Faith” page this past Saturday, Newsday’s “Asking the Clergy” question was: “How does your congregation support Earth Day?”Father Dimitrios Moraitis, from St. Paraskevi Greek Orthodox Church in

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January 21, 2010The Reverend Gerald B. Kieschnick, president
of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, released the following statement on January 20 regarding the 37th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision:Friday, January 22, marks the 37th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that altered how our nation had valued life for the previous 200 years. Abortion has caused

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-27894963767184621392010-01-05T11:55:00.000-08:002010-01-05T11:58:08.185-08:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 5, 2010Well, we now know where the line is drawn when it comes debating the sex-capades of Tiger Woods.It’s OK to talk about the state of golf until Woods returns to the PGA Tour, what the reaction could be when he returns, and if he will win The Masters. That’s pretty mild stuff. It also isn’t much of a problem apparently to report on how many women the married

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-26502421192289783462010-01-02T18:25:00.000-08:002010-01-04T06:56:06.464-08:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 2-3, 2010When was the last time you wished that someone would write a good spy novel tied to Epiphany?Never. Well, nonetheless, David Morrell offers The Spy Who Came for Christmas, and it is an enjoyable read.First published in hardcover in October 2008, the paperback came out this past October. Morrell has penned some 30 thrillers, and is the creator of the Rambo

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-65093747470513905572009-11-13T05:46:00.000-08:002009-11-13T05:48:40.858-08:00

by Robert BenneNovember 13, 2009In its 2009 Churchwide Assembly in August of 2009, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) took the momentous step to allow for the blessing of gay and lesbian unions as well as for the ordination of gays and lesbians in partnered relationships. It was the first major confessional church to take those steps. In anticipation of much disagreement about its

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-19382927754684367472009-10-19T10:07:00.000-07:002009-10-19T10:10:37.171-07:00

(Every lover of books has older, old or perhaps even ancient tomes sitting on the shelf crying out to be read or re-read. The Long Island Sentinel periodically serves up a review from “The Old Bookshelf” for books that were published anywhere from a year to hundreds of years ago.)by Raymond J. KeatingOctober 19, 2009“Spirituality” and “spiritual” have become popular words in recent times.

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-85006643582243296142009-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:002009-10-06T06:03:55.711-07:00

Regarding the decisions of the 2009 Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly allowing non-celibate homosexuals to serve as rostered leaders, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod President Gerald B. Kieschnick wrote in an Oct. 1 letter to ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson and the ELCA Conference of Bishops.According to an LCMS statement, “Kieschnick's letter came on the heels of a

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-40773219162984796622009-09-21T07:03:00.000-07:002009-09-21T07:11:01.736-07:00

by Brian NoackSeptember 21, 2009Over the past couple of years, many so-called experts have been attempting to take the pulse of Christianity in America. After much study and deliberation, they have come to the conclusion that we live today in a post-Christian, post-church age. Churches across the country are seeing diminished attendance in all denominations. Giving to the church is down, even

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-89876980536750152022009-09-14T05:42:00.000-07:002009-09-14T05:45:18.273-07:00

by Jerry BowyerSeptember 14, 2009People rhetorically ask where God was on 9/11 as though He wasn't anywhere. Or they ask it accusingly, the way a detective asks a suspect if he has an alibi. "Where were you on the morning of September the 11th?""Can anyone confirm your alibi?"God was there, at every point in time and space of significance in the events of that day. He was in the date; He was in

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-67933366514701191222009-09-03T08:26:00.000-07:002009-09-03T08:29:44.091-07:00

(Every lover of books has older, old or perhaps even ancient tomes sitting on the shelf crying out to be read or re-read. The Long Island Sentinel periodically serves up a review from “The Old Bookshelf” for books that were published anywhere from a year to hundreds of years ago.)by Raymond J. KeatingSeptember 3, 2009When The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom (with Elizabeth and John Sherrill) was

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-22006470085823178792009-09-02T09:14:00.000-07:002009-09-02T09:17:53.859-07:00

by Robert BenneSeptember 2, 2009During the biennial Church Wide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the church affirmed major policy recommendations to allow for the blessing of same-sex unions (which practice will soon inflate to same-sex marriage) and the rostering of gay and lesbian pastors in partnered relationships. Earlier in the week it also passed by one

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-20076281838753529702009-08-27T07:39:00.000-07:002009-08-27T07:44:58.610-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingAugust 27, 2009Martin Luther never wanted to start a separate church. But among Luther’s key concerns was that Rome had wandered too far from Holy Scripture, that is, from God’s word.That makes the actions taken last week by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) tragically ironic. By voting to allow sexually active gays and lesbians to serve as clergy, the ELCA

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-9697788236472638712009-08-06T09:17:00.000-07:002009-08-06T09:19:58.805-07:00

(Every lover of books has tomes that were not published recently, and sit on the shelf crying out to be read or re-read. The Long Island Sentinel periodically serves up a review from “The Old Bookshelf” for books that were published anywhere from a year to hundreds of years ago.)by Raymond J. KeatingAugust 6, 2009Have there been times in life when you felt a particular closeness to God, almost

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-11232093144245837852009-07-29T09:09:00.000-07:002009-07-29T09:12:02.783-07:00

July 29, 2009July 29 marks Martha of Bethany on the Roman Catholic church calendar, and Mary and Martha of Bethany for Anglicans and Lutherans.The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod notes the following:Mary, Martha, and Lazarus of Bethany were disciples with whom Jesus had a special bond of love and friendship. John's Gospel records that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:15).

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-55946630443685281472009-07-22T13:02:00.000-07:002009-07-22T13:12:33.850-07:00

The following information came from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod:A free webcast is scheduled for tomorrow, July 23 at 9 p.m. (EST), about the abortion agenda included in health care reform legislation under consideration by Congress.During the 70-minute live webinar, congressmen and nationally-known leaders such as Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Dr. James Dobson of Focus on

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-41662416799033200812009-07-11T13:38:00.000-07:002009-07-11T13:40:18.568-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJuly 11-12, 2009At about 7:30 PM on Friday (July 10), seven bells rang out calling Scouts to a prayer service at the Baiting Hollow Scout Camp on the north shore in Suffolk County.It was a perfect night – clear and cool for July – to be at a campsite. And it was a special evening for a prayer service in the camp’s outdoor Pine Chapel – featuring a stone altar and large wooden

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-33348210254596942072009-07-10T09:29:00.000-07:002009-07-10T09:31:09.217-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJuly 10, 2009The Episcopal Church USA’s 76th general convention in Anaheim, California, runs through July 18. And it apparently offers all of the … well … uh … uniqueness, to be overly generous, one has come to expect from this once, but no longer traditional Christian church.There’s been the usual stuff from the lefty leadership of the Episcopal Church. Just paging through

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-25863420503271008742009-06-26T07:16:00.000-07:002009-06-26T07:28:05.282-07:00

June 26, 2009From June 22 to June 25 in Bedford, Texas, the Anglican Church in North America had its inaugural church assembly.From its “What we stand for” document, the church, in part, declares: Members of the Anglican Church in North America(ACNA) embrace Anglican orthodoxy – the biblically- faithful, authentically-Anglican way of following Jesus and being part of the “One Holy Catholic and

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-25563048406539976942009-06-26T07:14:00.000-07:002009-06-26T07:16:11.761-07:00

June 26, 2009Regarding the first gathering of the Anglican Church in North America in Texas this week, the Institute on Religion & Democracy released the following statement:Following years of preparation, evangelical, charismatic and catholic Anglicans from across North America, many of them recently departed from the Episcopal Church, convened in Texas today to formally launch the new Anglican

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-50328798597171591752009-06-26T07:12:00.000-07:002009-06-26T07:13:57.699-07:00

June 26, 2009Anglicans for Life identitfied itself as “the only life-affirming ministry in the Anglican Communion dedicated to ending abortion and euthanasia, protecting stem cells from research abuse and promoting abstinence and adoption. We believe that, as Christians, we must follow God's biblical call to uphold the sanctity of every human life from conception to natural death.” On June 24, it

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-76567587590488660222009-06-26T07:10:00.000-07:002009-06-26T07:11:58.914-07:00

June 26, 2009In reaction to the proposed "hate crimes" legislation pending in the U.S. Senate, Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, issued the following statement this week:Late in April, the U.S. House of Representatives passed by a vote of 249 to 175 H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which expands the definition of "

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-45348011947075747622009-06-20T14:40:00.000-07:002009-06-20T14:42:13.315-07:00

by Russell E. SaltzmanJune 20-21, 2009My youngest child is now twelve. I was fifty when she was born, a child of my second marriage. There are six preceding her ranging in age from forty-six down to the twelve-year-old. The forty-six year-old was one of the unaccompanied minors out of Vietnam in 1975; that puts me at twenty-eight with an eleven-year-old who didn't speak any English other than "

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-88280567181249742772009-06-16T05:57:00.000-07:002009-06-16T06:58:16.662-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJune 16, 2009Science and religion, friends or foes?That was the question Dan Brown chose for the backdrop of his 2000 novel Angels & Demons. Now, of course, it is a movie that hit theaters on May 15. Unfortunately, neither the book nor the film offers much of an answer.Angels & Demons, the book, introduced Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who also was the central character

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-38692434675401786062009-06-05T05:05:00.000-07:002009-06-05T05:07:28.819-07:00

June 5, 2009Boniface was born in the late seventh century in England. Though he was educated, became a monk, and was ordained as a presbyter in England, he was inspired by the example of others to become a missionary. Upon receiving a papal commission in 719 to work in Germany, Boniface devoted himself to planting, organizing, and reforming churches and monasteries in Hesse, Thuringia, and

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-46465257315531594252009-06-01T08:11:00.000-07:002009-06-01T08:12:38.201-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJune 1, 2009At Reformation Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kansas, on Sunday (May 31), a man entered, shot an usher dead, fled the scene, and was arrested some three hours later, according to a variety of news reports.Every murder is tragic, disturbing and inexcusable. And it is made worse somehow by occurring in a church. In a statement by the victim’s family, they noted that

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-20502164200525199852009-05-23T10:48:00.000-07:002009-05-23T10:53:15.874-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingMay 23-25, 2009Saturday morning provided a gorgeous start to the Memorial Day weekend. The sun shined, and a refreshing breeze blew.Yet, rather than getting ready for barbecues, picnics, a round of golf or a baseball game, thousands of people were at a cemetery – specifically, at Calverton National Cemetery.Calverton became the third national cemetery on Long Island when it

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-49774374012338798702009-05-15T04:13:00.000-07:002009-05-15T04:16:30.575-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingMay 15, 2009A Pew Research poll released late last month found an interesting – and perhaps unexpected shift – in the public’s view of two major social issues, i.e., guns and abortion.On the gun issue, a survey of 1,521 adults were asked which was more important – controlling gun ownership or protecting gun owners’ rights. The same question asked over the past few years put

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-53950814199247940052009-05-11T13:15:00.000-07:002009-05-11T13:20:44.841-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingMay 11, 2009If you’re a traditional Christian, it’s been extremely difficult in recent times to remain an Episcopalian given that the Episcopal Church’s theologically loopy leadership. But a major announcement late last month offers hope for a strengthening Anglican alternative in the U.S.Leaders of the Episcopal Church USA have moved relentlessly away from anything close to

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-75621999579045619272009-05-05T06:41:00.000-07:002009-05-05T06:42:48.408-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingMay 5, 2009We’ve heard a good deal lately about what President Barack Obama thinks about the use of torture on terrorists. But what do the American people think?On April 30, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life released the results of how the U.S. population in general views the issue of torturing terrorist suspects, and then, most interestingly, breaking

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-21687585983513990032009-04-25T15:19:00.000-07:002009-04-25T15:24:06.938-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingApril 25-26, 2009Will the real N.T. Wright please stand up?After reading Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (HarperOne, 2008), that question came to mind about the book’s author.N.T. Wright is the Bishop of Durham for the Church of England. And this Anglican clergyman is a prolific, and often insightful Christian writer.With

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-67547748665487795732009-04-22T09:01:00.000-07:002009-04-22T09:03:32.559-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingApril 22, 2009Happy Earth Day, or should I say Happy Pagan Day?Earth Day, April 22, arrived on the scene in 1970, with Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson given credit for its creation. It often serves as the date marking the start of the modern-day environmental movement.Environmentalism has since grown into a formidable cultural and political force. But for many, it has become

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-44835605352372185302009-04-21T05:41:00.000-07:002009-04-21T05:42:49.144-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingApril 21, 2009When it comes to the decades-long scandal that broke in 2002 involving sexual abuse of children by a very small percentage of Roman Catholic priests, it’s actually hard to figure out which group was more disgusting and morally bankrupt – the perpetrators wearing collars, or those in the church hierarchy who covered up for and enabled those predators?While the

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-9076270360203600252009-04-20T12:45:00.000-07:002009-04-20T12:46:54.368-07:00

April 20, 2009The Tomorrow’s Hope Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre will be hosting its fourth annual “Stars for Students Scholarship Gala” on May 8.The Diocese announced the following:Invitations are out for the fourth annual Stars for Students Scholarship Gala. This year, the need is even greater as scholarship requests have increased significantly over last year.

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April 14, 2009The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre will be hosting “The Catholic Men’s Conference” on Saturday, April 25.The Diocese announced the following:The Diocese of Rockville Centre announced today an exciting new initiative in its 51-year history, a day-long prayerful gathering of men: The Catholic Men’s Conference. The purpose of the Men’s Conference is to gather Catholic men

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-60474234958964672512009-04-10T06:44:00.000-07:002009-04-10T06:45:33.968-07:00

by Raymond J. KeatingApril 10, 2009Good Friday is about Jesus Christ crucified.It is the day on the church calendar that serves as the antidote to the self-indulgent, all-that-matters-are-my-feelings, don’t-bring-me-down, can-I-bring-my-latte-into-the-service strain of Christianity.Most of us, of course, try to embrace what makes us feel good, while trying to stay away from anything that causes

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by Raymond J. KeatingApril 9, 2009Holy Week – the week before Easter – is jam packed, to say the least. As a result, sometimes it seems like Holy, or Maundy, Thursday gets pushed into the back seat.Palm Sunday marks the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem – as churchgoers receive palms – while the full Passion of Christ also is read in church. Many churches have short services – Vespers

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by Brian NoackApril 7, 2009Theologus in cribro Satanae versatus. These are the words inscribed below a portrait of the Lutheran pastor, theologian, poet and hymn writer Paul Gerhardt. It means, “a theologian sifted in the sieve of Satan.” Gerhardt was a man who had a fairly rough go of it in life. Throughout his time in the parish, he and his wife suffered the loss of four of their five

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by Fr. Johannes L. JacobseApril 3, 2009This essay is drawn from a talk given to the leadership of Orthodox Christian Laity on March 9, 2009, in Pinellas Park, Fl.When Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave his Nobel Lecture in 1970, he quoted this Russian proverb: "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."Let me say it again: "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."We know

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April 2, 2009(LCMS Reporter Online) Leaders of the two largest U.S. Lutheran church bodies met March 24 in St. Louis for the 32nd regular meeting of the Committee on Lutheran Cooperation.During the half-day meeting, representatives from The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) reported on recent developments in each of their respective church

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by Raymond J. KeatingMarch 21-22, 2009The push to redefine marriage continues.In Vermont, a state senate committee unanimously approved legislation on Friday (March 20) allowing for so-called “gay marriage.” The Vermont senate is scheduled to take up the bill this coming week, with the state’s House of Representatives set for hearings as well.Vermont passed a measure in 2000 creating civil unions

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By Russell E. SaltzmanMarch 20, 2009"Jan in a Pan" is the street-smart title of a 1959 black & white B-grade sci-fi/horror film (released in 1962). I happened to watch it a few nights ago, utterly fascinated by the issues it raised. “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” (the actual but only marginally more serious title) stars Virginia Leith and Jason Evers. Evers plays Dr. Bill Cortner, a brash,

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-120992132860087882009-03-17T11:10:00.000-07:002009-03-17T11:11:48.221-07:00

March 17, 2009In response to the recently issued American Religious Identification Survey, Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), issued the following statement:According to a study released March 9 by the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), the number of Americans who call themselves Christians has dropped more than 11 percent since ARIS

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March 16, 2009On March 9, President Barack Obama announced that he would loosen some of the limits placed on using federal tax dollars for human embryonic stem cell research. Bishop William F. Murphy of the Diocese of Rockville Centre released the following statement in response to the President’s actions that is worth noting:This is another example of this administration's negative attitude to

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by Brian NoackMarch 4, 2009This week, The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS) is observing National Lutheran Schools Week under the theme “Securing Each Child’s Future – for Eternity”, based upon John 3:16. All around the country, schools are taking a little time out to give thanks for the gift that Lutheran schools are to the church and to the world. Special activities are planned

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(Every lover of books has tomes that were not published recently, and sit on the shelf crying out to be read or re-read. The Long Island Sentinel periodically serves up a review from “The Old Bookshelf” for books that were published anywhere from a year to hundreds of years ago.)by Raymond J. KeatingMarch 2, 2009Ironically, I decided to start re-reading The Screwtape Letters – a book focused on

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by Dr. Gerald B. KieschnickFebruary 27, 2009The following letter about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s document "Report and Recommendations on Ministry Policies" went out to The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod on February 22.Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

Grace and peace be with you, from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!It is with great disappointment

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by Brian NoackFebruary 24, 2009Many die hard Catholics and a few Protestants are probably looking forward to the next 40 days (not including Sundays) with a little bit of dread. Wednesday, February 25th, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a 40-day period known in the church as Lent. For some, that means the beginning of “sacrificing” some aspect of their life during this time.Giving something

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by Raymond J. KeatingFebruary 18, 2009What is the point of a parochial school education?That question should be asked given the recent decision to try to convert four Roman Catholic schools in the Diocese of Brooklyn into public charter schools.On Saturday February 7, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio announced a plan that would have the city leasing school

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by Russell E. SaltzmanFebruary 12, 2009These are the things that age pastors ahead of their years.The lady claims an allergy to wine and other grape products, and would like a substitute liquid for Holy Communion. Well, she more than claims an allergy; she is allergic, but I’ve never heard of anyone allergic to grapes. Maybe, I ask, it is more an allergy to the sulfates used in some wines than to

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Review: 5 stars out of 5by Raymond J. KeatingFebruary 6, 2009Are entrepreneurs vicious or virtuous?That is a question for our time, and the question that lies at the center of a fascinating documentary from the Acton Institute titled “The Call of the Entrepreneur.”While enjoying the tremendous benefits – including greater economic output, more jobs, higher incomes, and new and improved goods and

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-7663723371690019452009-02-05T05:34:00.000-08:002009-02-15T12:22:13.713-08:00

by Russell E. SaltzmanFebruary 5, 2009Nebraska's original safe-haven law had a huge loophole. There was no maximum age for parents to legally abandon their children to the government. Any minor was eligible. Safe-haven laws have put in appearances around the nation. In fact, all 50 states have some variety of law allowing parents of an infant to leave an infant newborn at an emergency room

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-24820519540241791172009-02-02T06:06:00.000-08:002009-02-02T06:11:40.784-08:00

by Brian NoackFebruary 2, 2009According to a recent Associated Press story, a federal judge has ruled that the recently passed Illinois Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act, a law requiring Illinois schools to observe a moment of silence at the beginning of the day for reflection, is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Robert Gettleman stated that it encourages children at a very

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-20064418358601119102009-01-31T05:02:00.000-08:002009-01-31T05:07:23.311-08:00

by Kim Plummer KrullFor Kathy Jones, taking two and a half days off work and spending nine hours riding a red-eye bus to Washington, D.C., proved well worth the "incredible experience" of joining what is believed to be a record number of fellow LCMS [i.e., Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod] members at her first "March for Life.""It was uplifting to see so many people standing up for life," said

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-66687319470173848882009-01-29T03:29:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:45:22.102-08:00

by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 29, 2009My church just kicked off a monthly book discussion club last Friday (January 23) night. Our first tome was The Shack by William P. Young.According to the January 25 New York Times, The Shack has been on the trade fiction bestseller list for 34 weeks, and still sitting at number one. As the Times noted, these sales include bulk orders. But, hey, sales are

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by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 27, 2009On January 24, Pope Benedict XVI named a Long Islander – Rev. Msgr. Robert Guglielmone – as the Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina.Guglielmone currently is the rector of the Cathedral of St. Agnes. His Long Island roots run deep, including being brought up in Mastic Beach. He earned a degree in education, with a minor in business, from St. John’s University,

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by Brian NoackJanuary 27, 2009In its annual gathering of clergy and laity, scholars and theologians, Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana, opened its doors for their Symposia on Exegetical Theology and the Lutheran Confessions from January 20-23. The Confessions portion of the Symposia is usually the bigger draw, and it was again this year as it examined anew the tumultuous time

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by Russell E. SaltzmanJanuary 23, 2009Only in America, I guess. Larry Flynt is suing his two nephews for selling their own line of adult movies under the same family name. Flynt describes their efforts as “inferior products” and “knock-off goods.” He said he filed the lawsuit to protect his family name in the industry.So if I understand this correctly, Flynt is afraid that shoddy pornographic

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by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 21, 2009The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre will celebrate Catholic Schools Week from Sunday, January 25, to Friday, January 30.Catholic schools, of course, have been a major part of educating children on Long Island for decades. According to the diocese, Catholic primary and secondary education in Nassau and Suffolk counties cover 53 parish and regional

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January 21, 2009The “March for Life” on January 22 in Washington, D.C., will mark the 36th anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Among the marchers will be the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s president, The Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick. He issued the following statement:Our recent national, state, and local elections have heightened concern among many

Raymond J. Keatinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08803360812725657487noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5204642911305694888.post-46721873623205010372009-01-19T06:49:00.000-08:002009-02-05T11:46:25.730-08:00

(Every lover of books has tomes that were not published recently, and sit on the shelf crying out to be read or re-read. The Long Island Sentinel periodically serves up a review from “The Old Bookshelf” for books that were published anywhere from a year to hundreds of years ago.)by Raymond J. KeatingJanuary 19, 2009Kathleen Norris hit the bestseller list with The Cloister Walk in 1996. The book

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January 17, 2009The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod’s president, The Rev. Gerald B. Kieschnick, issued the following statement on January 16 sharing his thoughts on the inauguration of Barack Obama:Barack Obama will be inaugurated January 20, 2009, as the 44th president of the United States of America. As he said on election night, ‘Change has come to America.' He is the first person of African

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by Brian NoackJanuary 16, 2009After a couple of weeks of whining and moaning on the part of many liberal Americans, it was announced that Episcopalian Bishop Eugene Robinson was asked to speak the invocation at the Inauguration festivities on this coming Sunday (January 18) on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Liberals in general, and those pushing the gay and lesbian agenda specifically, were

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by Russell E. SaltzmanJanuary 15, 2009The Lutheran parish I serve in Kansas City, Missouri, holds Wednesday night prayer services during Advent, the run-up weeks before Christmas. In past years, I've done the usual kind of preaching, saying something about the characters in the Christmas story: Mary, shepherd, Joseph, Gabriel, the others. And, of course, always from the Christian scriptures.This

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