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Previous Posts
Good Bye
Today is my last day at Beliefnet (which I co-founded in 1999). The swirling emotions: sadness, relief, love, humility, pride, anxiety.
But mostly deep, deep gratitude.
How many people get to come up with an idea and have rich people invest money to make it a reality? How many people get to create
posted 8:37:24am Nov. 20, 2009 |
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"Steven Waldman Named To Lead Commission Effort on Future of Media In a Changing Technological Landscape" (FCC Press Release)
STEVEN WALDMAN NAMED TO LEAD COMMISSION EFFORT ON FUTURE OF MEDIA IN A CHANGING TECHNOLOGICAL LANDSCAPE
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski announced today the appointment of Steven Waldman, a highly respected internet entrepreneur and journalist, to lead an agency-wide initiative to assess the state o
posted 11:46:42am Oct. 29, 2009 |
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My Big News
Dear Readers,
This is the most difficult (and surreal) post I've had to write. I'm leaving Beliefnet, the company I co-founded in 1999.
In mid November, I'll be stepping down as President and Editor in Chief to lead a project on the future of the media for the Federal Communications Commission, the
posted 1:10:11pm Oct. 28, 2009 |
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"Beliefnet Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief Steps Down to Lead FCC Future of the Media Initiative" (Beliefnet Press Release)
October 28, 2009
BELIEFNET CO-FOUNDER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STEPS DOWN TO LEAD FCC FUTURE OF THE MEDIA INITIATIVE
New York, NY - October 28, 2009 - Beliefnet, the leading online community for inspiration and faith, announced today that Steven Waldman, co-founder, president and editor-in-chief, will re
posted 1:05:43pm Oct. 28, 2009 |
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Secularizing the Cross (Christian Activists: Be Careful What You Wish For)
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week, in Buono v. Salazar, about whether a white 6 1/2 foot cross can be displayed in a national park as a tribute to World War I soldiers. Though it's depicted as a classic clash of the secular and the religious, it actually illustrates why Christian act
posted 1:15:51pm Oct. 08, 2009 |
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posted April 30, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Andrew Greeley wrote years ago, “In America, even the Catholics are Protestant.” If they won’t pay attention to the opinion of the Vatican on matters that are suppposed to be spiritual, they are certainly not going to even give it lip service on matters political.
posted May 1, 2008 at 8:28 am
Steve,
Have really enjoyed the recent interchange between you and Deal Hudson. Hudson has been a major player on the American Catholic scene and Crisis magazine always has interesting stuff.
Charles Cosimano: that was a great quote you provided by the priest-sociologist Fr. Andrew Greeley. Have always enjoyed Greeley’s wit even when I have disagreed with his opinions.
One small quibble, however. Of course, the Church opposed the US entry into Iraq in 2003 — and especially the pre-emptive nature of it. I think most Catholics (even the ones who supported the Administration along with most Americans back then) would have been disappointed if the Church hadn’t opposed the war. After all, no one can expect the Vicar of Christ to support war, right?
Not every Catholic American supported US entry into Iraq (Patrick Buchanan was a strong dissenter at the time, for example) and others soured on it soon after the Americans reached Baghdad and ousted Saddam’s regime.
It’s not clear, however, if the Church would support a precipitous withdrawal NOW or a timed withdrawal that announces to the terrorists troop pullouts, etc. My sense is that the Church feels that as wrong-headed as the American entry into the Iraq was, it is our clear obligation to “clean up this mess” that has been created. As you know, the ancient Chaldean Catholic community in Iraq has been more than halved since 2003 and is on the verge of elimination. The Church is anxious, too, about the protection of religious liberties for Christians in Iraq and throughout the Middle East.
This helps to explain why the Holy Father did not publicly admonish the administration during his recent apostolic journey to the US: the Church’s position on the war is more nuanced than the prevailing media narrative suggests.
Steven Waldman: keep up the great job not only with this blog but with your management of beliefnet.com. It’s an extraordinary resource.
posted May 1, 2008 at 1:57 pm
I’v got an answer even simpler than Andrew Greeley’s.
With Catholics and evangelicals alike, politics trumps faith every time.
posted May 1, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Politics is local.
The Catholic church is universal.
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