Monthly Archives: January 2011
Judge upholds law preventing guns in churches
By Tracy Gordon — January 27, 2011
(RNS) A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by gun rights advocates who claimed a Georgia law prohibiting weapons in a house of worship was unconstitutional. GeorgiaCarry.org, an organization that supports gun owners’ rights, and two of its members filed suit against state officials saying the law placed an undue burden on them. “The law […]
Minister offers comfort, calm in disasters’ ‘shadowy places’
By Tracy Gordon — January 27, 2011
KIRKWOOD, Mo. (RNS) Three years after a gunman opened fire and killed six people at a Kirkwood City Council meeting, the Rev. David Holyan found himself in Tucson, Ariz. Holyan, 46, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, has become an accidental expert in what the Presbyterian Church (USA) calls “human-caused disaster” response. More precisely, […]
Many genocides to be commemorated on Holocaust Memorial Day
By Tracy Gordon — January 27, 2011
CANTERBURY, England (RNS/ENInews) After the Nazi slaughter of 6 million Jews during World War II, the world cried out “never again.” But one of Britain’s best-known young rabbis, Jonathan Romain, said the phrase has proved tragically wrong. “Genocide has happened again and again and again,” he told ENInews ahead of Thursday’s (Jan. 27) Holocaust Memorial […]
10 minutes with … David Thompson
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
(RNS) Some 2 million Americans have served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. Now, thousands are coming home each month and trying, sometimes with difficulty, to settle back into civilian life. Churches are uniquely positioned to help returning veterans adjust and find meaning in their lives away from the battlefront, according to David A. […]
Windows from closed church find new life among the dead
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
NEWARK, N.J. (RNS) Crouched on a scaffold, Ray Clagnan gingerly tapped his hammer near Saint James’ feet, hoping to set them free. Clagnan, a stained-glass expert, worked slowly, pane by pane. Soon, he moved to Mary Magdalene, carrying away her resplendent image in four pieces. During a break, he marveled at the level of skill […]
COMMENTARY: Suffer the children
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
(RNS) The Parents Television Council has asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate whether “Skins,” an MTV remake of an award-winning British drama about high school kids, constitutes child pornography for its use of underage actors in highly sexualized scenarios. I’m no fan of censorship, and the PTC historically has veered into histrionic territory with […]
Obama stands up
By Mark Silk — January 26, 2011
You’ve got Rep. Peter King, who after 9/11 turned his back on his Muslim constituents, once his friends, and is now leading a GOP congressional charge against radical Islam in the American population, claiming, “We are under siege by Muslim terrorists.” You’ve got Richard Land, the Southern Baptist Convention’s grand pooh-bah of religious liberty, withdrawing […]
Southern Baptist leader resigns coalition supporting mosques
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
(RNS) A top leader of the Southern Baptist Convention has resigned from a new interfaith coalition, saying some fellow Southern Baptists felt it was inappropriate for him to support the building of mosques. Richard Land, who heads the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, told organizers at the Anti-Defamation League that “many Southern Baptists share […]
Russian patriarch denounces Moscow airport bombing
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
MOSCOW (RNS/ENInews) The head of the Russian Orthodox Church denounced a terrorist attack at Moscow’s busiest airport as “the horrifying scowl of sin,” and said actions once condemned even in war “are today becoming a form of protest.” Patriarch Kirill I spoke after a service to mark the feast of St. Tatyana, which this year […]
Archdiocese upset after St. Patrick finds a home in restaurant
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. (RNS) And now, let us raise a toast to St. Patrick. Once a cherished icon for generations of Catholics, a statue of Ireland’s patron saint from Sacred Heart Church in Newark has landed in a South Orange restaurant — much to the chagrin of local Catholic leaders. On a recent night, as […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — January 26, 2011
POTUS went to Capitol Hill last night to assess the state of our Union, and gave a shout-out to American Muslims — “the conviction that American Muslims are a part of our American family,” and a nod to members of the military, be they “Christian and Hindu, Jewish and Muslim. And, yes, we know that […]
King’s daughter won’t assume helm of father’s civil rights group
By Tracy Gordon — January 26, 2011
(RNS) Fifteen months after being tapped to head the civil rights group founded by her famous father, the Rev. Bernice King has declined the post, citing a leadership clash and an inability to “move forward.” King’s decision leaves the venerable Southern Christian Leadership Conference again facing an uncertain future, a half century after it was […]
Faiths’ ad campaigns chase after the great `I Am’
By Tracy Gordon — January 25, 2011
(RNS) To many viewers, the “I’m a Mormon” ad blitz from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seemed hip, refreshing and original. The campaign, launched last year in nine U.S. cities, generated a lot of national buzz. Its short videos featured regular folks talking about their lives as doctors, skateboarders, tax attorneys, environmentalists, […]
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — January 25, 2011
Thousands of abortion opponents rallied Monday on the National Mall, encouraged by recent federal and state GOP wins and hopeful about proposals to tighten bans on federal funding for abortions, according to WaPo. Deadly attacks against Shiite pilgrims in Iraq continued on Monday, including three car bombings around the city of Karbala, where as many […]
COMMENTARY: Tough medicine for tough problems in tough times
By Tracy Gordon — January 25, 2011
(RNS) Now begins the annual season of church leadership workshops, retreats and formation events. It’s an important time because when leaders have their act together, the faith community can move forward. Here are my six suggestions for church leadership. I know they represent course changes — and serious ones at that — but I am […]
