At Georgetown/On Faith, Katherine Marshall argues the weak economy is crippling the world's poor, but no one seems to notice. That is, no one but the faith communities.

In the Washington Post, Jim Hoagland clarifies Obama's statement that the United States is not at war with Islam.

At RealClearPolitics, Matthew Franck writes about the recent ruling in Iowa to allow same-sex marriage.

At the Washington Post, Jonathan Turley writes about the effort of some in the UN to pass a ban on religious defamation.

In Tikkun Magazine, Thad Williamson reviews a handful of new books that "provide a well-timed critique of the fundamentals of our economic system, in each case connecting the critiques explicitly to ethical and in some cases theological conceptions of what makes for a good human life and what makes for a just society."

At the First Things blog, Ryan Sayre Patrico notices that Brown, his alma mater, has done away with Columbus Day.

At Politico, Douglas W. Kmiec wonders whether Obama will "seize the moment" at Notre Dame to discuss the diverse attitudes toward abortion politics that exist within the Catholic Church.

At the Seeker, Manya Brachear asks, "Should a dating service be allowed to exclude gays and lesbians based on religious principles?"

Nathan Schneider's article on multiverse theory and the culture wars is featured in "Idea of the Day," a New York Times blog highlighting the most interesting writing from around the Web.