If Obama were Pope
by Professor Hans Kung
"President Barack Obama has succeeded in a short time in leading the United States out of a mood of despondency and a back-up of reforms, presenting a credible vision of hope and introducing a strategic shift in the domestic and foreign policy of this great country.
In the Catholic Church things are different. The mood is oppressive, the pile-up of reforms paralysing. After his almost four years in office many people see Pope Benedict XVI as another George W. Bush. It is no coincidence that the Pope celebrated his 81st birthday in the White House. Both Bush and Ratzinger are unteachable in matters of birth control and abortion, disinclined to implement any serious reforms, arrogant and without transparency in the way in which they exercise their office, restricting freedoms and human rights.
Like Bush in his time Pope Benedict, too, is suffering from an increasing lack of trust. Many Catholics no longer expect anything of him… "
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
In an increasingly secularised society few people have a good working knowledge of the Bible. Yet a great deal of our culture is built on stories or ideas that come from the Bible. Literature, art, music, language and even the fabric of our society - such as our justice system - are built on Christian concepts and biblical references. The Writing on the Wall provides a fascinating introduction to the Bible's best-known, and most influential, stories. Each chapter gives some background to the text of the Bible, and shows how the stories have become enmeshed in Western culture. Adam and Eve, the ten plagues of Egypt, The Prodigal Son and Mary Magdalene all feature - along with how the Bible has influenced everyone from Shakespeare to Monty Python, and Caravaggio to Banksy. 
Giving It Up explores the Lenten idea of 'giving up', taking it beyond the traditional idea of simply abstaining from something, and suggesting instead that what we need to give up is our existing ideas about God. With a daily readings for each day of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, it follows the heroes of the Bible who had to give up their own too-small ideas about God.
This is Maggi’s bestselling book of daily readings for each day of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Advent is the beginning of the Church year, and marks the anticipation of the coming Messiah. These readings explore how beginnings and endings in our own lives are illuminated by the different Gospel narratives of Christ's coming.
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What great timing Maggi! Just about to place an order with Amazon for books for all the family, so will treat myself to a copy of your book.
thanks for this Maggi
The German churches have tried to reduce the pre Christmas commercialisation from taking over the whole of the Autumn – unfortunately their campaign is called “Advent is in December2 – which considering that it starts most years on the last Sunday in November is a bit silly but the idea is good.
btw stir up Sunday is I think a very Anglican thing – I don’t know enough about the old pre Vatican II CAtholic lectionaries and liturgies but one day I’ll take some time out from life to do some comparitive work on things like this – probably discover I’m wrong.
Anyway thanks for the great links and hope you are healing well – what else are you reading???
Hi Maggi, I hope you are feeling better.
I have your book B&E and will be using it this Advent, and I’ve put a link on my blog. Hope the suppliers can cope with the demand!
Take care.
Well I’m still having trouble getting your Advent book here in the states. The local episcopal bookstore in Seattle does not have it and amazon.com didn’t have it available either. the local bookstore suggested i go directly to the publisher….i’ll get it – one way or another
in the meantime – thank you for the link to my teeny tiny blog – that was very kind of you! i’ve enjoyed all the visitors.
pax,
roberta