Latest news with #Lord'sPrayer
Korea Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Biden, Harris and Walz attend funeral for former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Democratic former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was honored for her legislative accomplishments and her humanity during a funeral Saturday where former President Joe Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris joined over 1,000 mourners. Hortman was fatally shot two weeks earlier by a man posing as a police officer in an attack that Minnesota's chief federal prosecutor has called an assassination. It and another shooting also left her husband, Mark, dead and a state senator and his wife seriously wounded. "Melissa Hortman will be remembered as the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history. I get to remember her as a close friend, a mentor, and the most talented legislator I have ever known," Gov. Tim Walz said in his eulogy. "For seven years, I have had the privilege of signing her agenda into law. I know millions of Minnesotans get to live their lives better because she and Mark chose public service and politics." Neither Biden nor Harris spoke, but they sat in the front row with the governor, who was Harris' running mate in 2024. Biden and Harris held hands during the Lord's Prayer, a common practice, before embracing during the passing of the peace. Biden and then Harris then reached over to shake Walz's hand. Biden was also one of more than 7,500 people who paid their respects Friday as Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their golden retriever, Gilbert, lay in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda in St. Paul. Gilbert was seriously wounded in the attack and had to be euthanized. Biden also visited the wounded senator in a hospital. Dozens of current and former state legislators from both parties and other elected officials who worked with Hortman also attended. Hortman, who was first elected in 2004, helped pass an expansive agenda of liberal initiatives like free lunches for public school students during the momentous 2023 session as the chamber's speaker, along with expanded protections for abortion and trans rights. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she yielded the gavel to a Republican under a power-sharing deal, took the title speaker emerita, and helped break a budget impasse that threatened to shut down state government. Walz said Hortman saw her mission as "to get as much good done for as many people as possible." And he said her focus on people was what made her so effective. "She certainly knew how to get her way. No doubt about that," Walz said. "But she never made anyone feel that they'd gotten rolled at a negotiating table. That wasn't part of it for her, or a part of who she was. She didn't need somebody else to lose to win for her." The governor said the best way to honor the Hortmans would be by following their example. "Maybe it is this moment where each of us can examine the way we work together, the way we talk about each other, the way we fight for things we care about," Walz said. "A moment when each of us can recommit to engaging in politics and life the way Mark and Melissa did — fiercely, enthusiastically, heartily, but without ever losing sight of our common humanity." The Rev. Daniel Griffith, pastor and rector of the Basilica, who led the service, said the country is in need of deep healing. He said it seems as if the US is living in the "dystopian reality" described at the beginning of William Butler Yeats' poem, "The Second Coming." "Here in Minnesota, we have been the ground zero place, sadly, for racial injustice," Griffith said. "The killing of George Floyd just miles from our church today. And now we are the ground zero place for political violence and extremism. Both of these must be decried in the strongest possible terms, as they are, respectively, a threat to human dignity and indeed, our democracy." But the priest also said Minnesota could also be "a ground zero place for restoration and justice and healing." He added that the presence of so many people was a sign that that work can succeed. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese offered his condolences to the Hortman family. A private burial will be held at a later date. The Hortmans were proud of their adult children, Sophie and Colin Hortman, and the lawmaker often spoke of them. In a voice choked with emotion, Colin said his parents embodied the Golden Rule, and he read the Prayer of St. Francis, which his mother always kept in her wallet. He said it captures her essence. It starts, "Lord make me an instrument of your peace." After the service, Walz presented the children with US and Minnesota flags that flew over the Capitol on the day their parents were killed. The man accused of killing the Hortmans at their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park on June 14, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home in nearby Champlin, made a brief court appearance Friday. He's due back in court Thursday. Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, surrendered near his home the night of June 15 after what authorities called the largest search in Minnesota history. Boelter remains jailed and has not entered a plea. Prosecutors need to secure a grand jury indictment first. His lawyers have declined to comment on the charges, which could carry the federal death penalty. Friends have described Boelter as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views. But prosecutors have declined so far to speculate on a motive.
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Biden, Harris, and Walz attend funeral for former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman
Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The service Advertisement Neither Biden nor Harris spoke, but they sat in the front row with the governor, who was Harris' running mate in 2024. Biden and Harris held hands during the Lord's Prayer, a common practice, before embracing during the passing of the peace. Biden and then Harris then reached over to shake Walz's hand. Biden was also one of more than 7,500 people who paid their respects Friday as Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their golden retriever, Gilbert, lay in state in the Minnesota Capitol rotunda in St. Paul. Gilbert was seriously wounded in the attack and had to be euthanized. Biden also visited the wounded senator in a hospital. Advertisement Dozens of current and former state legislators from both parties and other elected officials who worked with Hortman also attended. Attendees took their seats before funeral services for Mark and Melissa Hortman began on Saturday, at the Basilica of St. Mary. Jeff Wheeler/Associated Press Hortman, who was first elected in 2004, helped pass an expansive agenda of liberal initiatives like free lunches for public school students during the momentous 2023 session as the chamber's speaker, along with expanded protections for abortion and trans rights. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she yielded the gavel to a Republican under a power-sharing deal, took the title speaker emerita, and helped break a budget impasse that threatened to shut down state government. The governor's eulogy Walz said Hortman saw her mission as 'to get as much good done for as many people as possible.' And he said her focus on people was what made her so effective. 'She certainly knew how to get her way. No doubt about that,' Walz said. 'But she never made anyone feel that they'd gotten rolled at a negotiating table. That wasn't part of it for her, or a part of who she was. She didn't need somebody else to lose to win for her.' The governor said the best way to honor the Hortmans would be by following their example. 'Maybe it is this moment where each of us can examine the way we work together, the way we talk about each other, the way we fight for things we care about,' Walz said. 'A moment when each of us can recommit to engaging in politics and life the way Mark and Melissa did — fiercely, enthusiastically, heartily, but without ever losing sight of our common humanity.' The homily The Rev. Daniel Griffith, pastor and rector of the Basilica, who led the service, said the country is in need of deep healing. He said it seems as if the U.S. is living in the 'dystopian reality' described at the beginning of William Butler Yeats' poem, Advertisement 'Here in Minnesota, we have been the ground zero place, sadly, for racial injustice,' Griffith said. 'The killing of George Floyd just miles from our church today. And now we are the ground zero place for political violence and extremism. Both of these must be decried in the strongest possible terms, as they are, respectively, a threat to human dignity and indeed, our democracy.' Sophie Hortman, Colin Hortman, and Gov. Tim Walz stood behind the caskets of Melissa and Mark Hortman during their funeral services, on Saturdaya. Alex Kormann/Associated Press But the priest also said Minnesota could also be 'a ground zero place for restoration and justice and healing.' He added that the presence of so many people was a sign that that work can succeed. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocese offered his condolences to the Hortman family. A private burial will be held at a later date. The Hortman family The Hortmans were proud of their adult children, Sophie and Colin Hortman, and the lawmaker often spoke of them. In a voice choked with emotion, Colin said his parents embodied the Golden Rule, and he read the After the service, Walz presented the children with U.S. and Minnesota flags that flew over the Capitol on the day their parents were killed. The suspect The man accused of killing the Hortmans at their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park on June 14, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home in nearby Champlin, made a brief court appearance Friday. He's due back in court Thursday. Advertisement Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Boelter remains jailed and has not entered a plea. Prosecutors need to secure a grand jury indictment first. His lawyers have declined to comment on the charges, which could carry the federal death penalty. Friends have described Boelter as an evangelical Christian with politically conservative views. But prosecutors have declined so far to speculate on a motive.
Spectator
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
The Church of England needs to lead
There was a unique focus on life and death in parliament last week, with critical votes on the decriminalisation of abortion and legalisation of assisted dying. Both propositions affect the interests of the most vulnerable. So what, I wondered, was the Established Church's take on them? In recalling the now-retired Archbishop of Canterbury's strident interventions on matters for elected politicians – from benefit cuts and border control to a 'no deal' Brexit – not to mention the Church's costly self-flagellation over reparations, one might expect its leadership to be equally robust in defending the unborn, the sick, and the welfare of mothers. But truth be told, as I began my search, I was actually seeking confirmation. Confirmation of a suspicion I have had since the pandemic (when church doors stayed closed rather too enthusiastically) that on the crunchiest spiritual and moral issues of the day, the Church of England's leadership finds it all a bit uncomfortable. On decriminalisation, I looked for public proclamations emanating from the offices of both Canterbury and York – since we are currently in an archbishop interregnum. There were prayers for Ahmedabad, the Middle East and Father's Day. There was a daily exploration of the Lord's Prayer, and a post heralding Refugee Week 2025. In advance of last week's votes, however, there was not even a gentle, opinion-free prayer for parliamentarians ahead of some challenging decisions. Perhaps those abortion votes were so briskly whisked through that the Church's leadership missed that they were coming. Backbench MPs were granted 45 minutes to state their views on three amendments that had been hooked onto the Crime & Policing Bill. The first of them was voted through with a stonking majority and amounts to the biggest change to abortion law in 50 years. A woman will now be able to end her pregnancy herself – beyond existing limits and at any stage up to birth – without legal consequence. It is a profound change that leaves the unborn child and women themselves extraordinarily vulnerable. The combination of the rushed decriminalisation amendment with the 'pills by post' regime is highly dangerous. This temporary regime was imposed during the pandemic but made permanent after another last-minute parliamentary ambush. It means that women can access tablets to abort a baby in the womb at ten weeks' gestation through just a phone or video call with a medic. Evidence now suggests that these pills have on several occasions got into the hands of abusive partners or been taken by women well beyond ten weeks, with grim results. The tiny number of criminal investigations of women that have ensued have been used as justification for last week's sweeping amendments. Decriminalisation campaigners counter that existing abortion limits remain enforceable because medics and others are still bound by them and can therefore be prosecuted for carrying out or coercing someone to have an abortion. But the decriminalisation of the woman herself changes the game, just as previous incremental abortion reforms have brought us to this point. There was a near total absence of any discussion of morality in relation to the unborn child It will be incredibly difficult to prosecute a partner who has coerced a woman to abort her child if the act of that abortion itself is no longer a crime. What's more, I suspect these laws will result in some tragic cases of women aborting babies at home alone, with the babies surviving for some hours after birth or being terribly injured. The woman herself will risk life-threatening complications like postpartum haemorrhage. At which point the cry will understandably go out for such procedures to take place under supervision without medics being criminalised either – making legal time limits redundant. It is not often that I cannot sleep for fear of the consequences of what parliament has done. However, this week I have lain awake imagining the horror of those situations, yearning for the protection of those tiny bodies and traumatised women. I noticed in the debate that there was a near total absence of any discussion of morality in relation to the unborn child. In my speech, I pointed out the inconvenient truth for proponents of decriminalisation, that abortion does not just involve one body – it involves two. I hold the seemingly controversial view that those unborn children deserve recognition in this debate. I was outnumbered, so it is now over to the House of Lords, where I hope the decriminalisation amendment receives the scrutiny it failed to get in the Commons. It will be interesting to see now whether the Lords Spiritual, including the Church of England's senior leadership, choose to engage in its consequences. I find it curious that, at least publicly, there is no evidence that ahead of these votes there was any vigorous debate or soul searching in the upper echelons of the Church. After the vote, a Church House spokesman came out to say that women ought not to be criminalised but that this very significant change was 'worrying'. In the vacuum, a call went out from Revd Richard Bastable, Vicar of St Luke's, Hammersmith, for clergy to message him if they wished to sign up to a more robust position. Published a couple of days on, his letter attracted the signatures of several bishops and made clear that clergy were troubled by the amendment and want to see it modified. But it appears to be the view of a faction rather than officially sanctioned. Which returns me to my original search – the spark, I suppose, to a deeper question I have been subconsciously asking about the Church of England's role in public life in recent years. My hunt led me to the Church's public statement that the Archbishop of Canterbury is there to 'give a voice to people who are easily ignored by the powerful' and set out what Christianity has to say about the big questions we all face. When challenged by MPs on his political interventions, Archbishop Welby previously said in this magazine: 'It goes so far in history, basically back to Thomas Becket. Don't be political means be political, but not in a way I don't like.' I think Welby was missing the point. If the Church is going to move into the arena of elected politicians, it surely ought not to vacate the spiritual and moral space that gave cause for its privileged voice in the first place. I confess that, as a politician, I have watched with much irritation as the Church leadership has made its pronouncements on difficult government decisions with enthusiastic piety and moral surety. I am tempted to observe in return that there seems not to be equivalent enthusiasm to get stuck in on the tricky life and death stuff that it once regarded as central to its mission. I am sure much of that reticence derives from a genuine desire to empathise and refrain from casting judgement, but it is a choice nonetheless – one which calls into question the Church leadership's stated purpose to give voice to the voiceless. If whomever is appointed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury makes that same choice – intervening and emoting over tough political choices while ducking tougher moral ones – the Church may find even its supporters begin to question its privilege.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Runes found in Canadian wilderness baffle archaeologists
Archaeologists remain baffled by a surprising, seemingly ahistorical find located deep in the Canadian wilderness. But after years of research, analysis, and historical corroboration, an interdisciplinary team has finally made their findings available to the public. Tucked away in a forest approximately 465 miles northwest of Ottawa, a massive slab of bedrock features a hand-etched rendition of the full Lord's Prayer. But the religious text isn't inscribed in French or English—it's composed of over 250 symbols from the oldest known runic alphabet. The perplexing discovery happened completely by chance, according to the CBC. Hidden for centuries, the stone became exposed only after a tree fell near the town of Wawa, not far from Lake Superior. Closer inspection showed that someone had etched 255 runes into a roughly 4 by 5 foot section of the slab. Additionally, they took time to add a detailed illustration of a boat, an additional 16 runic signs, and 14 X markings. Photos of the site soon wound up in front of Ryan Primrose, president of the Ontario Center for Archaeological Education, who was immediately stunned by the images. 'It's certainly among the least expected discoveries of my career. It's absolutely fascinating,' he told CBC. However, Primrose didn't want anyone jumping to conclusions about the inscription. While it's true that Vikings explored portions of present-day Canada thousands of years ago, he doubted they were responsible for the mystery message. 'We didn't want to release anything publicly until we had done as much analysis as possible,' said Primrose. He soon contacted Uppsala University emeritus professor of runology Henrik Williams, and helped the renowned expert arrange a visit to the site the following October. 'I was under a tarpaulin for three hours with a flashlight, looking at the runes and the others were sitting outside freezing,' recalled Williams. The group's patience and endurance paid off. Williams eventually determined that the message was written with Futhark alphabetic runes. First developed and used by Germanic peoples between the 2nd and 8th centuries CE, Futhark eventually evolved into a simplified version adopted by Scandinavians. Both the Anglo-Saxons and Frisiacs also expanded it into their own variants, but the knowledge of how to read its original iteration died out by the High Middle Ages (around 1000-1300 CE). It wouldn't be until 1865 that Norwegian scholar Sophus Bugge finally succeeded in deciphering the long-lost language. People across Europe remained fascinated with runes in the interim, however. During the early 1600s, Swedish polymath (and occultist) Johannes Bureus adopted the symbols into a system that roughly corresponded to his home country's language. This culminated in the publication of a Swedish language Lord's Prayer written with the Futhark runes in 1611. But don't think the Canadian oddity's story ended there. 'This must have been a Swede,' Primrose said of the etcher. 'Were there any Swedes at all here?' Not during the 17th century, according to his research. That said, historical documents confirm that Hudson's Bay Company stationed Swedish workers at trading posts across Canada beginning in the 1800s. And it just so happens that Bureus' runic Lord's Prayer was republished during the 19th century. Taken altogether, Primrose and colleagues now theorize that a Hudson's Bay Company employee—or employees—are responsible for the labor-intensive project that likely took days, if not weeks to complete. The conservationists are now working with the local landowners on a leasehold to turn their archaeological discovery into a public heritage site that includes a protective structure to guard it against the elements. Primrose confessed to being 'a little disappointed' that the artifact is likely only a couple centuries old, but plenty of questions still surround the find. Was the site a place for religious gatherings, or the devotional effort of one person? Prior to its exposure, the bedrock also lay under multiple inches of soil. With no other artifacts found nearby, was the prayer intentionally buried? 'The mystery doesn't fade just because it's younger than we hoped. Why was it carved here? Why this text? There are no answers,' he said. 'And mysteries always draw people in.'
Daily Mirror
17-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Mystery of 200-year-old runes found in Canada finally cracked
The runes, numbering 255 in total, were discovered in 2018 when a tree fell and exposed a carefully carved inscription in Ontario, Canada, just 155 miles from the US border Archaeologists have finally cracked a 200 year old code etched into a remote Canadian rock, leaving researchers gobsmacked. The 255 enigmatic symbols were unearthed in 2018 when a tree toppled over and revealed a meticulously carved inscription near the small town of Wawa in Ontario, just 155 miles from the US border in Michigan, according to MailOnline. Now, after years of scrutiny, archaeologist Ryan Primrose from the Ontario Centre for Archaeological Education has disclosed that the markings are actually the Lord's Prayer - penned entirely in Swedish using ancient Nordic runes. The religious message was an unexpected discovery in the Canadian wilderness. However, further probing unveiled that Swedish workers had once been enlisted by the Hudson's Bay Company to staff isolated trading posts in the 1800s - suggesting one of them as the probable author of the carving. With no other artefacts discovered at the site, experts reckon it may have served as a modest outdoor place of worship for the Scandinavian settlers, reports the Express. During the 19th century, the Hudson's Bay Company - a massive British fur trading network - was expanding swiftly across North America. To staff remote locations in Canada's interior and the Pacific Northwest, they frequently turned to recruits from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. What is the mysterious slab Mystery surrounds a stone slab found in Manitoba, Canada, featuring ancient carvings within a precise square border three feet by four. Accompanying the inscriptions is an image of a boat circled by 16 figures - thought to represent Swedes travelling to Canada long ago. Primrose shared with CBC that the slab seemed purposefully buried. "There were ruins covered by about six inches of soil," he recounted. Although the wear on the stone hints it might hail from several centuries past, evidence points to Swedish speakers in the area just two centuries ago. Henrik Williams, emeritus professor at Uppsala University, Sweden, highlighted the rarity of runic inscriptions: "Any runic inscription is rare. Someone put all this effort into this particular text and you wonder why. The mystery does not decrease just because of its age." Emphasising his caution, Primrose revealed his delay in announcing the find until the translation was certain. "This is certainly among the least expected finds I have encountered in my career," he conceded. What is The Lord's Prayer? The Lord's Prayer is familiar to Christians worldwide, found in the New Testament in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4, summarising vital Christian teachings from begging for daily bread to the significance of pardon and eschewing sin. In the early Christian tradition, it was imparted to new converts and recited during worship. Over time, it became a central part of liturgy across all major branches of Christianity - Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant - earning itself the nickname of the perfect prayer. Translated into numerous languages, the version of the prayer found in Canada is in Swedish, reflecting both religious devotion and cultural identity. Although the Bible was translated into Swedish in 1541, scholars suggest that the use of runes in this inscription might have been a way to honour Scandinavia's linguistic heritage - a remarkable fusion of faith and history etched into stone, waiting to be discovered.
