San Francisco Despite falling membership and expensive scandals in many countries, the Catholic Church still matters in many communities, making the selection of a new pope something of interest and importance. In a historically Catholic city, like New Orleans, where memories persist of fish Fridays, Lent denials, Mardi Gras, and ashen foreheads on …
Category: Religion
Church and State
New Orleans Evangelicals have been a force in American politics for decades now. I’ve paid attention, but have seen them as one of an array of special interest, pressure groups, so have taken a sort of live-and-let-live attitude that they were all part and parcel of the democratic process. That is starting to seem …
Theatrical Performances on the Right Wing
New Orleans Am I the only one who has noticed that a lot of the culture war markers that conservatives are laying down these days are largely performative and little more than political theater. That’s not to say the fact that this is what they believe gets traction with their base isn’t scary, but …