Dwight Longenecker's Blog, page 135

Religion–Is It All in Your Head?

Here is my recent article for ZENIT – it is a lengthened version of a blog post from earlier in the year which explains the difference between mere mystical experiences and real religion. Religious experiences of the mystical kind occur throughout human experience and in most every kind of religion. But what is happening when [Read More...]

Why Not Women Patriarchs?

  Here is my article today at National Catholic Register asking why women could not be patriarchs in the church. It goes on to explore the idea of patriarchy and the feminine. When I was a priest in the Church of England 20 years ago, the debate over women’s ordination that has now culminated in [Read More...]

Be of Good Cheer: Elephants Can Dance

Are you feeling weary and frightened reading about terror in Iraq, droughts and earthquakes in California, riots in St Louis and liturgical abuses by a priest somewhere in Iowa? Are you concerned to read that nun’s habit have been stolen by terrorists intent on blowing up a major city and themselves, fearful for the future [Read More...]

Killers Dressed As Nuns

OMG! What Have I Done? Who have I been mixing with? Holy Deacon Kandra reports here that terrorists may have been behind the recent raid of an ecclesiastical outfitters. The officials worry that the ample nun’s habit will provide cover for a suicide bomber. And to think that I met these invidious terrorists in the heart [Read More...]

The Hilarious Evangelist – On Laughter in Religion

I’m waiting for my ride at San Antonio airport. The car pulls up. A Latino fellow leans out the passenger window with a huge grin, “Hey Father Longenecker! I get to meet you at last! I read your stuff all the time man!” It was Catholic lay Evangelist Jesse  Romero. I have had the pleasure [Read More...]

Thoughts on the Thanatos Syndrome

  My article for Imaginative Conservative today is a report on Walker Percy’s novel The Thanatos Syndrome In the wonderful world of Walker Percy, old fashioned Southern gentility saunters in seersucker into sub human behavior and sips bourbon while planning a congenial genocide. Their shabby chic sophistication makes the nefarious activities of the characters in The Thanatos [Read More...]

Encounters with Angels

What is our proper understanding and relationship with angels? This article outlines the answer Praise and Proclamation and Protection may not seem quite as exciting as “listening to the light within”, channeling your angel or summoning up dark spirits, but our faith is incarnational. The child in the manger reminds us that Christianity is real [Read More...]

ISIS – an Incomprehensible Enemy

James Foley was kidnapped first. He was just grabbed off the street by Muslim fanatics. Then he was kept as a prisoner and tortured. Finally he was be-headed publicly. Why could that not be the fate of any American traveling abroad? You’re a tourist in a Middle Eastern country with an American passport? Maybe they’ll [Read More...]

Fullness of Truth Conference

I’ll be blogging from San Antonio in the great republic of Texas for the next few days. It was great to be met at the airport and to find Jesse Romero grinning from the car, “Hey! Father Longenecker! Thanks for your writing. We use your stuff all the time!” Stopped for a taco with Jesse [Read More...]

Pope Francis Called the Foley Family

This article in the Daily Telegraph suggests James Foley may have volunteered for execution to spare others. James Foley may have volunteered to be murdered to spare the lives of fellow hostages, his family said, as it emerged that his kidnappers had emailed them last week to say they were about to “execute” him. Mr [Read More...]