Word: catholicism
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Cardinal Egan, who served for nine years, was considered something of a flop on the New York stage, criticized for both heavy-handed management and a noticeably low quotient of charisma. Potentially the most influential religious figure in New York when 9/11 struck, Egan left no real mark during those...
Indulgences (no relation here to bubble baths or truffles) have been part of Catholic doctrine since the Crusades. When the Church offered them for sale in the 1500s - call it mercy for money - religious reformer Martin Luther protested. These days, they can't be bought. "How does that MasterCard ad...
Indulgences are a handy marketing tool for the church, a way of encouraging people to amp up their spiritual life. But figuring out exactly what they are and how they work can be confusing. "It brings people who aren't Catholic up short," says David Steinmetz, a professor of the...
The rules can confound even believers. William Damkoehler, an actor from Rhode Island, learned about indulgences as a kid in Catholic school. As an adult, he's bewildered by them. "It seems like the church is trying to get business back by offering rebates," he says.
A practicing Catholic, Renzi says he won't let the Vatican guide his policy. In the primary, he ran a classic grass-roots campaign using the Internet, Facebook and other tactics drawn from Obama's successful presidential run. "I'm a politician," he says. "I don't perform miracles. I...