Last week, TJP did something for the first time — we published an editorial, DOMA and the Cost of Denunciation, reflecting on the recent Supreme Court decisions and calling for a dialogue that avoids reducing the Church to the role of being merely a political opponent, on one side fighting with those on the other. As we debated whether or not we should do so, one of our concerns was that this is exactly the sort of issue that tends to produce more heat than light, and we did not want to be the cause of more people shouting at rather than listening to each other. However, after two days of monitoring the comments, both on the editorial itself and on social media, we are both consoled and grateful that the quality of the discussion has been extraordinarily high, and in general marked by real respect even when people disagree. For us, that is a real testament to the quality of the community that you — the readers — have forged here at TJP by your reading, liking, sharing, and commenting. Thank you.
TJP and America editorial staffs meet
Other than the editorial, the pace of posting slowed down just a bit these past two weeks, in part because a large fraction of the editors have been travelling to various meetings, including one with the staff of America magazine in New York, to talk about possibilities for collaboration in the future. If you have not checked out America before (or recently), it’s well worth a look. Particularly, spend some time with editor-in-chief Matt Malone, SJ’s understanding of the mission of America in the 21st-century church: “Pursuing the Truth in Love.“
But we have posted some great stuff the past two weeks too, so without further delay (too late!) …
Stop here, click now
Three posts not to miss
- You may have caught the media frenzy over Pope Francis discussing a “gay lobby” in the Vatican … but if that’s the only quote you caught from that story, then you fell victim to reporters quoting the pope, but missing the point.
- “In truth, I did not call up my friends because I was more or less paralyzed by the fear-inspiring question I so often have when I contemplate reaching out to others: how long is too long to have any hope of reconnecting?” Keith Maczkiewicz on the grace that follows when that fear is confronted.
- “Advertising traffics in values.” Our new media editor, Jay Hooks, gave a presentation to a group of student leaders from Jesuit universities, asking them to think about what messages we’re exposed to, and what messages we want to share. We asked them, and we want to know from you too: #whatsyoursign?
What we’ve seen on the web
- Paddy Gilger points out Stephen Colbert’s beautiful and moving eulogy for his mother
- Even for those who aren’t sports fans, “When the Beautiful Game Turns Ugly” is worth reading, says Matt Spotts
- Quang Tran on an 11 year-old singing the national anthem in a mariachi suit, and what we can learn about the changing face of America
- Throwback Thursday goes way back — 65 million years back, to 1994, when Jurassic Park hit theaters (and even now, there’s a lot of it on YouTube)
- You Can’t Take It With You bids goodbye, among others, to James Gandolfini, and the “you’re going to love the way you look” guarantee at Men’s Wearhouse
Worth thinking about
- Tim O’Brien interviews the organizer of a conference with a title that sounds like a Christian rock band: “In the Logos of Love”
- In part three of his Superheroes, Saints, and Sinners series, Paul Lickteig reminds us that “Superman is not Jesus Christ. No. Not even a little.” (Also check out part one and part two.)
- John Shea on the intersection between respect for creation and justice for the poor, and what all this has to do with President Obama’s recent speech on climate change.
By the time you read the next edition of Weeks in Review, a large chunk of the TJP team will be in Brazil to cover Magis & WYD. Till then, we leave you with a reminder about this link from last week, TJP’s confession that we Jesuits have been prayer-doping for years. If you like that sort of thing, let us know … and you may get more.