The Discovery Channel will be debuting a reality series this spring that explores and recreates past cases of exorcism. Here’s the twist: They’ve gotten the cooperation of the Vatican to do so. The Exorcist Files will recreate stories of real-life hauntings and demonic possession, based on cases investigated by the Catholic Church. The project includes … Read more
Good news for drinkers: A longterm study of alcohol consumption and mortality rates was just published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, and the results were surprising: The tightly controlled study, which looked at individuals between ages 55 and 65, spanned a 20-year period and accounted for variables ranging from socioeconomic status to level of … Read more
Professional historians have long known that the “Dark Ages” — roughly, the period between 500 to 1000 — was not a time of ignorance or superstition, but involved a range of scientific, economic, and cultural advances. For that reason, it’s always nice to see a work of popular history set the record straight, as Nancy … Read more
A few years ago when Crisis was still in print, Eric Pavlat wrote a disturbing cover story on the burgeoning transhumanist movement. At the time, the subject was still new to most of our readers; some even wondered if Eric wasn’t exaggerating the dangers. Unfortunately for us, time has proven him right. Not only has … Read more
Parag Khanna, senior research fellow at the New America Foundation, looks hopefully at the world stage and says we’ve been here before: Imagine a world with a strong China reshaping Asia; India confidently extending its reach from Africa to Indonesia; Islam spreading its influence; a Europe replete with crises of legitimacy; sovereign city-states holding wealth … Read more
If you’re familiar with the popular social art project Post Secrets, you’ll get the concept behind Soul Secrets right away. Sponsored by Patheos, Soul Secrets asks visitors to share their most private thoughts on God and religion. Posters are anonymous, and the contributions can be intensely personal: I really want to come out as a … Read more
I put this on our Twitter feed yesterday, but it’s too disgusting to let pass without a post. Lanny Davis, high powered Democratic lobbyist and former special counsel to President Bill Clinton, has a new client: Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo. That would be the same Laurent Gbagbo who refuses to recognize his re-election loss … Read more
I’m a Ricky Gervais fan… a big Ricky Gervais fan. The original BBC version of The Office was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, and there were moments in his follow up series, Extras, that were equally hilarious. I’ve also enjoyed his stand-up comedy — rare for me — as well as his frenetic and … Read more
With the rapid advance of technology, education is in the midst of a transition between the traditional classroom model and newer, online-based methods. InsideCatholic editor Brian Saint-Paul spoke with Mark Giszczak of the Augustine Institute about Catholicism, distance learning, and the future of theological instruction. Is the age of the university nearing its end? ♦ … Read more
Over the past two weeks, we’ve discussed how teachers’ unions obstruct effective school reform. Now we have concrete examples of the ways they waste education funds as well. In the state of Illinois, for example, there are 138 Drivers Ed teachers who make over $100,000 for a 9-month work year. The highest among them pulls … Read more
Kentucky Senator-elect Rand Paul has secured lodgings when he moves to Washington, D.C. to begin his term: Senator-elect Rand Paul will be rooming with his father, Texas Rep. Ron Paul (recently named chairman of the House subcommittee on domestic monetary policy) in his Virginia condo while serving on Capitol Hill next…. [Ron] Paul told the … Read more
As the legend goes — and it is only a legend — after Christ’s crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea carried the Holy Grail from Jerusalem to ancient Britannia, specifically, to the area near modern day Glastonbury. There, he founded an abbey and planted a thorn tree, one offshoot of which survives to this day. While in … Read more
In a comment to my Tuesday morning post about Michelle Rhee and school reform, Deacon Ed made the point: [T]he only real solution to D.C.’s education woes (the same as it is everywhere else) is a voucher system where parents — who have the best interest of their children at heart — get to choose … Read more
Fr. Philip Bloom of Washington state has a special mission to the people of Peru: He’s teaching them Natural Family Planning. The Mary Bloom Center, in the highlands city of Puno, near Peru’s Lake Titicaca, is named after Fr. Bloom’s mother. He began the center’s work during his years as a Maryknoll priest associate in … Read more
If you’ve seen the recent hit documentary Waiting for Superman, or have been following the debates over school reform, you’ve heard of Michelle Rhee. The former firecracker chancellor of the D.C. school system is an absolute superstar in the field. In just three years, she — along with D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty — had begun … Read more
Samuel Gregg of the Acton Institute says that Pope Benedict XVI’s new book-length interview, Light of the World, reveals him as a full blown Christian radical. The word “radical” comes from the Latin radix, meaning “root.” It’s in this sense Benedict is radical. His pontificate is about going back to Christianity’s roots to make, as … Read more
At Our Sunday Visitor, our friend and longtime Vatican analyst Russell Shaw says Pope Benedict XVI’s new book-length interview reveals a pontiff who understands his role, and its limitations. When Seewald says the Catholic Church’s membership of 1.2 billion and its geographical extension throughout the world make him “the most powerful pope of all time,” … Read more
Pakistani Christian mother-of-four Asia Bibi was sentenced to death earlier this month for “insulting Islam.” This morning, her request for a presidential pardon was blocked by a state court, even after at least two government officials said she was innocent. The Lahore high court today barred [President Asif Ali] Zardari from pardoning Bibi in a … Read more
Things are going to be slow around InsideCatholic today, as the staff is celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. On behalf of the entire team, we wish you a blessed day, full of gratitude for the gifts God has bestowed on all of us. In case you’re in a reading mood, here are a few interesting links… … Read more
Things are going to be slow around InsideCatholic today, as the staff is celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. On behalf of the entire team, we wish you a blessed day, full of gratitude for the gifts God has bestowed on all of us. In case you’re in a reading mood, here are a few interesting links… … Read more