As I followed the unexpected news of Pope Benedict's resignation — an announcement cleverly scheduled, I was told by a veteran correspondent, on the anniversary of the creation of the Vatican City State so that no one in the Vatican would be expected to answer phone calls — my mind turned to another important religious appointment that day, this one in Cairo.
Since 1995 the Palestinian Authority (PA) has come to exercise effective control over all Muslim institutions, religious courts, and appointments to religious office in east Jerusalem.
For religious people, however, appointments are occasions when they can reconnect with the divine; something they feel the need to do about as often as others think of watching the news.
But he also felt compelled to reiterate that he was in sync with social conservatives as he ran through his positions on abortion, marriage, judicial appointments and religious values.
Hitler wanted the Concordat because he needed the Catholic Church in Germany on his side and politically neutered; Pacelli wanted it to assert the rights of the Church, especially over episcopal appointments and religious education, which had been in jeopardy since Bismarck's day.
Mr. Grenell, who is gay and supports same-sex marriage, left the campaign on Tuesday amid protests from the religious right over his appointment.
The Dominican government, gay rights groups and some leading media organisations have accepted the appointment but religious leaders have responded with abuse and criticism since it was announced in June.
Kings and archbishops clashed over rights of appointment and religious policy, and successive archbishops including Anselm, Theobald of Bec, Thomas Becket and Stephen Langton were variously forced into exile, arrested by royal knights or even killed.
(A nod to Bertrand Russell for the phraseology) Recognising damage done to the country by the Bush Administration, whose religious values were evident in appointments and policy, many Freethinkers have come out of the closet.
"The information in this report did not warrant a conclusion that there was a religious discrimination problem with DRD appointments".
