Monthly Archives: January 2006
The Vatican on ID; Germany’s growing Jewish population; Brooks explores Islamic humor
By RNS Blog Editor — January 20, 2006
The Vatican’s newspaper has rejected the science of intelligent design, according to an article by Stacy Meichtry in Thursday’s RNS report: The Vatican’s official newspaper has published an article that dismisses the scientific validity of intelligent design and endorses a recent court ruling in Pennsylvania to keep the theory out of classrooms. Writing in the […]
Hoping for anonymity
By Tracy Gordon — January 19, 2006
Quote of the Day: Former Praise the Lord (PTL) Leader Jim Bakker “Most of you are so young you don’t know who I am, and that’s good.” -Former Praise the Lord (PTL) Leader Jim Bakker speaking at MorningStar Fellowship Church in Fort Mill, S.C., a congregation that is located on the site where his ministry […]
Now They Call Him `Father’ for Another Reason …
By Kevin Eckstrom — January 19, 2006
Catholics in Ireland say the church is losing good, qualified priests who are leaving their jobs because of mandatory celibacy. The Irish Examiner has the story of a 73-year-old priest, Father Maurice Dillane, who left the church after he fathered a baby with a 31-year-old woman. Critics of the celibacy policy say many men would […]
Crowd Control
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
Crowd Control Can Save Lives at Large Islamic Gatherings The RNS article of the week (linked above) looks at crowd control strategies for major religious pilrimages. Quote: As desirable as it may seem to make all pilgrimages safe and comfortable, a certain degree of hardship has always been part of the pilgrimage experience, according to […]
COMMENTARY: Benedict XVI Already Has a Legacy: Ending the Imperial Papacy
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The best way to understand Pope Benedict XVI is to compare his succeeding the larger-than-life John Paul II to Harry Truman’s following the equally giant-sized Franklin D. Roosevelt. The year-end news roundups stressed the void left in the media universe by the death of John Paul. Pundits alternated between […]
On Immigration Issue, Big Evangelical Groups Conspicuously Mum
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Advocates at World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Association of Evangelicals, can usually expect a warm greeting from large evangelical groups wielding clout in the halls of Congress. But this year, they’re getting a downright chilly reception to one of their priority agenda items: immigration reform. As […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service Bush Aide Tells Vatican Officials of Foes’ `Ruthless Secularization’ ROME (RNS) Enforcing a strict separation between church and state curtails religious freedom and deprives state-funded social programs of a “spiritual dimension,” a top aide to President Bush told an audience of Vatican officials. Jim Towey, who heads Bush’s program to […]
Senator’s Shift Hurts Congressional Effort to Block Assisted Suicide Law
By Ron Barnett — January 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Republicans control both chambers of Congress and likely could muster enough votes to block an Oregon law allowing physician-assisted suicide. But an apparent about-face by an Oregon senator could alter the political landscape dramatically in the Senate. After winning a 6-3 Supreme Court decision Tuesday, supporters of the […]
COMMENTARY: Steven Spielberg’s `Munich,’ Through a Muslim’s Eyes
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) As a Muslim, I wasn’t sure I wanted to see “Munich” _ after all, it’s a Hollywood movie about tracking down and killing Palestinian terrorists. I anticipated Hollywood’s stereotypical Arabs _ violent, barbaric, subhuman _ coupled with heroes who are no less violent than the bad guys, but whose […]
Victories for assisted suicide law; Evangelicals grapple with immigration policy
By RNS Blog Editor — January 19, 2006
In Wednesday’s RNS transmission Jim Barnett reports that efforts to block the assisted suicide law will likely wither: Republicans control both chambers of Congress and likely could muster enough votes to block an Oregon law allowing physician-assisted suicide. But an apparent about-face by an Oregon senator could alter the political landscape dramatically in the Senate. […]
Pastor John Piper
By Tracy Gordon — January 18, 2006
Quote of the Day: Author and Pastor John Piper of Minneapolis “The most dangerous thing in the world is the sin of self-reliance and the stupor of worldliness. The news of cancer has a wonderfully blasting effect on both. I thank God for that.” -Author John Piper, pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, writing […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — January 18, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service Pope John Paul II’s Gunman Released From Turkish Prison VATICAN CITY (RNS) Mehmet Ali Agca, the gunman who shot John Paul II in St. Peter’s square in 1981, was freed from a Turkish prison Thursday (Jan. 12), completing decades of jail time for the assassination attempt and the 1979 murder […]
Assisted suicide ruling; Traffic evangelist
By RNS Blog Editor — January 18, 2006
In Tuesday’s RNS report Adelle M. Banks reports on reaction to the Supreme Court’s assisted suicide ruling today: Advocates reacted with triumph and disappointment to Tuesday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Oregon’s physician-assisted suicide law, which touches on a variety of religious and ethical issues. In a 6-3 decision, the nation’s highest court determined that […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — January 18, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service `Love’ Will Be Topic of Pope’s First Encyclical VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI is expected to delve into the nature of unconditional and erotic love with his first encyclical, the most authoritative form of papal writing. It is expected to be released in the coming days. The 50-page document […]
Supreme Court Sides With State’s Right to Legalize Assisted Suicide
By Adelle M. Banks — January 18, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Advocates reacted with disappointment and triumph to a U.S. Supreme Court decision that continues the ethical debate on assisted suicide but keeps intact Oregon’s law permitting the procedure. In a 6-3 decision announced Tuesday (Jan. 17), the nation’s highest court sided with the state and against the authority […]
