Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
Justin Welby: An Archbishop Who Could Do the Business
posted on November 9, 2012For The Guardian, Andrew Brown and Lizzy Davies profile the rise of Justin Welby, who is expected to be appointed the new Archbishop of Canterbury. Despite his background in business, Welby, a former oil trader, has managed to cultivate neither enemies nor critics, a result of his “sincerity” and “honesty,” qualities that will help him deal with the church’s problems. Brown and Davies write, “Perhaps the real benefit of Welby’s business background will be that he is more easily able to concentrate on his own agenda amid the distractions of the world than his unworldly predecessor ever proved.”
Obama Win Puts Netanyahu between Barack and a Hard Place
posted on November 9, 2012Josef Federman at The Times of Israel examines the relationship between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Federman traces the major points of dispute between the two leaders, and how they may affect future relations. Aaron David Miller, a former Mideast negotiator, said, “In general, you have a relationship that doesn’t have a solid foundation. There’s great distrust. But regardless of a lack of trust, in a way, the relationship is too big to fail.”
What Pussy Riot’s ‘Punk Prayer’ Really Said
posted on November 9, 2012Providing the translated lyrics to the song, Jeffrey Tayler at The Atlantic examines the motivations behind the Pussy Riot’s “Punk Prayer” song, a cause of recent national controversy in Russia. Some view the song as an attack against Putin, while others believe it to be directed mainly towards the Russian Orthodox Church. Analyzing the lyrics, Tayler finds the latter to be more accurate, and goes on to look at the larger societal implications: “The punk prayer’s lyrics have done much to highlight, even exacerbate, deep-rooted divisions in Russian society over faith, the exercise of personal freedoms, and the concept of justice.”
How the Faithful Voted: 2012 Preliminary Analysis
posted on November 9, 2012The Pew Forum provides a breakdown of how various religious groups voted in the 2012 election, as well as the religious makeup of the electorate. These numbers are compared to those of previous elections. The analysis finds that the numbers are similar to previous elections: “[The] basic religious contours of the 2012 electorate resemble recent elections .”
In Defeat, Evangelicals’ Political Unity at All-time High
posted on November 9, 2012For Christianity Today, Tobin Grant and Ted Olsen consider the importance of the evangelical vote in Tuesday’s election. Despite more uniformly backing the same candidates and issues than previous elections, evangelicals supported the losing side in the majority of these races. “[I]n most results from last night’s elections: where evangelicals were largely unified, they also lost,” write Grant and Olsen.
Mormonism Cost Romney the Election (But It’s Not What You Think)
posted on November 8, 2012At Religion Dispatches, Kathryn Lofton critiques Mitt Romney’s portrayal of his Mormonism on the campaign trail. Lofton believes that Romney should have been more open about his religion, in order to connect with voters more personally. “Romney’s mistake has been to avoid explaining the most open secret of his leadership, namely just how Mormon he is,” Lofton writes, “He ought to have unveiled the relationship between his particular religious sensibility and his ideas for American success.”
Maine and Maryland Say ‘We Do’
posted on November 8, 2012For The New York Times, Frank Bruni writes about the significance of Tuesday’s election for gay rights. According to Bruni, the passing of proposals for same-sex marriage in Maryland, Maine, Wisconsin, and Washington, marks a clear shift in public stance and acceptance. Bruni writes, “In the wake of what happened in Maine, Maryland and Wisconsin, there really is no turning back, and that’s because with the exception of a band of religious extremists and theocrats who read their ancient texts selectively and apply them inconsistently, displaying nothing that I can recognize as the true Judeo-Christian spirit, most Americans are coming to realize that to claim acceptance of gays and lesbians as equals and then deny them state-recognized marriage is a contradictory, untenable position.”
Mormon Press Office: Church’s Image Survived the Campaign
posted on November 8, 2012Jason Horowitz of The Washington Post interviews Michael Otterson and Michael Purdy, two spokesmen for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on the importance of the campaign for the Mormon Church. Otterson and Purdy discuss how the campaign facilitated a more acceptance of the religion, as well as how the church managed to stay politically neutral. “Overall we’re relatively pleased,” Otterson stated, “Plenty of exceptions, but we are relatively pleased that we got through this campaign without the church being dragged into the middle of politics.”
Bad Night for the Jewish Echo Chamber
posted on November 8, 2012Jay Michaelson for The Jewish Daily Forward looks at the significance of Tuesday’s election through the perspective of the “Jewish establishment,” a conservative group that focuses solely on advocating Israeli and Jewish rights. Michaelson believes that President Obama’s victory, as well as the election of other liberals, indicates an American public that is more than simply pro-Israel. Michaelson writes, “This election should serve as a wake-up call for those in the Jewish community who similarly seek to deny the reality of Jewish public opinion or the reality of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Yes, at certain conferences and institutions, everyone agrees with you. But outside your bubble, those whom you purport to serve — and to represent — have a far broader range of vision.”
Read at The Jewish Daily Forward
Catholics Broke for Obama, Evangelicals for Romney
posted on November 8, 2012In the election, Catholic support slightly favored President Obama over Romney, while the evangelical vote was heavily in favor of Romney, writes Mark Silk at Religion News Service. Silk reviews the breakdown of support among other religious groups. Silk finds that, for the most part, this breakdown was in line with previous elections: “All told, it looks like the basic religious divides in the U.S. electorate remain where they were established in the 1990s.”