Monthly Archives: October 2008
Supreme Court to weigh limits of indecency
By RNS Blog Editor — October 30, 2008
WASHINGTON-While the rest of the country heads to the voting booth next Tuesday, the Supreme Court will be taking on television obscenity on Nov. 4, marking the first time in 30 years that the court will rule on standards for regulating public airwaves.
Zondervan acquires Bible Gateway, Gospel.com
By RNS Blog Editor — October 30, 2008
CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. -Christian book publisher Zondervan is acquiring BibleGateway.com, a popular nonprofit Bible search engine, from Gospel Communications Inc. of Muskegon.
Judge dismisses suit by New Orleans Catholics
By RNS Blog Editor — October 30, 2008
NEW ORLEANS -A state court judge on Tuesday (Oct. 28) threw out a civil lawsuit by parishioners of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church aimed at keeping their parish open.
Two Jesuits found murdered in Moscow
By RNS Blog Editor — October 30, 2008
VATICAN CITY -Two Jesuit priests have been found dead, apparently victims of murder, in their Moscow home.
COMMENTARY: Helping us help God
By Cathleen Falsani — October 30, 2008
CHICAGO-A few hours before the bodies of singer Jennifer Hudson’s murdered mother and brother were discovered on Chicago’s South Side, Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave an address titled “The Dawn of a New Moral Awakening.” Tutu came to Chicago to speak the truth to power-to prophesy about what could be, as opposed to what is. (Cathleen […]
Patrick McLaughlin
By RNS Blog Editor — October 30, 2008
WASHINGTON-As a Navy chaplain, Patrick McLaughlin is accustomed to preaching and ministering to sailors and Marines, whether in Iraq or onboard the soon-to-be-commissioned U.S.S. George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in Newport News, Va., where he’s currently stationed. But as chaplain at the Camp David presidential retreat from 2002 to 2005, McLaughlin also ministered to the […]
Muslim Praise for Obama-Taliban Parley
By cmcmorri — October 30, 2008
Obama told Time‘s Joe Klein of that he is in favor of negotiating with the Taliban. General Petraeus agrees. This statement has prompted an elated response from blogger Mujahideen Ryder:”This is extremely good news, and makes me want to shout at all the Muslims in Texas, Virginia, Ohio, Florida and any other strong Republican states […]
Do I hear 100?
By Daniel Burke — October 29, 2008
In this press release, Sue Cyr says 89 Roman Catholic bishops “are proclaiming that in this election, Catholic voters must make abortion their defining issue.” Cyr then lists a few of the sharpest statements from Catholic prelates, including Egan, Chaput, Burke, Farrell, and Martino. Interestingly, Serratelli, of Paterson, N.J., who’s been reported to the IRS, […]
Transcendental devastation
By Daniel Burke — October 29, 2008
A few years after Transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau decamped at Walden Pond, he began to record hundreds of the species of plants living around him. Now, the Boston Globe reports, scientists report that more than a quarter of the species Thoreau documented have disappeared, another 36 percent are on death’s door. Climate change is to […]
“Values” take back seat to economy in ‘08 race
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 29, 2008
While evangelical Christians are committed to their values, they are unlikely to drive McCain into the Oval Office in the same way that they propelled President Bush, based on issues like gay marriage, abortion and nominees to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Social conservatives fight for future of GOP
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 29, 2008
The social conservatives and moderates who together boosted the Republican Party to dominance have begun a tense battle over the future of the GOP, with social conservatives already moving to seize control of the party’s machinery and some vowing to limit John McCain’s influence, even if he wins the presidency.
Nuns with guns
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 29, 2008
There’s word this morning that Roman Catholic Bishop Martin Jumoad of the Philippines is telling priests and nuns in his diocese that, no, they may not carry guns to protect themselves. It sounds funny, sure, but apparently Jumoad (and the priests who made the request) is deadly serious after Father Felimon Libot was ambushed on […]
Bifurcated Evangelicals
By Mark Silk — October 29, 2008
According to Quinnipiac’s latest, white evangelicals break 72-21 for McCain in FL, but 61-33 and 62-31 in OH and PA respectively. Helps explain why Obama’s up by 9 and 12 points in the latter states, but only by 2 in the former, doesn’t it?
COMMENTARY: Preparing for the morning after
By Tom Ehrich — October 29, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) I am eager to vote on Nov. 4. In my mind, this is the most important national election since 1860. I hope you are eager to vote, too. It is our duty as citizens to participate in the free speech and free elections that define our democracy. If we […]
Many, but not all, Hispanic voters swing to Obama
By Charles Honey — October 29, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Naomi Gonzalez grew up poor in Chicago, bouncing among nine foster homes while her father served time in prison. The single mother of four believes Barack Obama understands her struggle. “He’s come from poverty, he comes from a single mother, he’s experienced racism,” said Gonzalez, 30, “A lot of […]
