Monthly Archives: February 2011
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — February 23, 2011
Was the California couple killed by Somali pirates on Tuesday motivated by a love of sailing, or missionaries fired by faith? No reason Jean and Scott Adam couldn’t be both, I guess, but it’s interesting to see how differently the AP and LA Times treat the deceased couple’s beliefs in these two stories. The AP […]
Religious voices enter Wisconsin union debate
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
(RNS) The pro-union rallies in Wisconsin have a retro feel to them — particularly for people of faith. Clergy and faith-based groups were historically on the front lines of the American labor movement, but priorities shifted with the rise of the religious right and the weakening of unions. In the Wisconsin protests over the governor’s […]
Navy reverses self on C.O.
By Mark Silk — February 23, 2011
Back around Thanksgiving, we brought you the story of Michael Izbicki, the ensign and Annapolis grad who had sued the Navy in federal court for turning down his application to be discharged because his Christian faith had led him become a conscientious objector. The good news is that after two years the Navy has seen […]
Budget cuts target the poor, faith groups say
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
(RNS) Get ready for more undernourished infants, dangerously cold homes and disease-stricken communities in developing countries if proposed federal budget cuts become law. That’s the message coming from religious advocacy groups, who’ve been rallying supporters and blanketing Capitol Hill since budget debates kicked into high gear last week (Feb. 14-18). Declaring budgets to be “moral […]
Religious groups fight for tax deductions
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
(RNS) For the third time in three years President Obama’s proposed budget will attempt to reduce tax deductions for high-end charitable donors, and for the third time nonprofits and religious organizations are pushing back. Many religious nonprofits, which supplement their budgets heavily with donations from wealthy donors, are concerned that reducing the tax write-offs for […]
Christians concerned about conscience clause
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Catholic bishops and Christian medical groups are “disappointed” that the Obama administration has rescinded Bush-era conscience clauses for health care workers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Friday (Feb. 18) issued its new guidelines, which govern medical staffers who object to procedures for religious or moral reasons. The department said […]
Suit accuses televangelist of breaking moral clause
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
(RNS) Christian publisher Strang Communications has sued evangelist Benny Hinn, claiming he violated a moral clause in a book agreement and owes the company more than $250,000. “Strang discovered that Mr. Hinn was engaged in a public, romantic and otherwise inappropriate relationship with another high-profile minister, who was divorced,” according to the suit, filed Feb. […]
Number of Catholics worldwide edged up, Vatican says
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The number of Catholics in the world edged up 1 percent in 2009, the Vatican said, bringing to 1.18 billion the number of adherents of the world’s largest church. The statistics appear in the latest edition of the Vatican’s “Annuario Pontificio,” or pontifical yearbook, which was presented to Pope Benedict XVI on […]
Oregon bill would end protections for faith healers
By Tracy Gordon — February 23, 2011
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) Oregon prosecutors and lawmakers endorsed a bill Monday (Feb. 21) that would remove special legal protection for parents who treat seriously ill children with faith healing instead of providing medical treatment. Clackamas County District Attorney John Foote and others told the House Judiciary Committee that House Bill 2721 would help halt needless, […]
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — February 22, 2011
Oops! … They did it again. The Obama administration again made big religion news last Friday (before a holiday weekend, no less!) though, to be fair, it wasn’t as late in the day as the faith advisory council announcement. The Dept. of Health & Human Services on Friday said they’ve rescinded Bush-era conscience protections for […]
COMMENTARY: Budget battles disregard the vulnerable
By Tom Ehrich — February 22, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS (RNS) My sister and I stood in the assisted-living apartment set up for our 94-year-old father and realized the moment had passed. He needs to be in the health care unit at his retirement center. Assisted living would be too demanding. He will never again sleep in this bed, knit scarves for the homeless […]
The Great Commission Recession
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
BaptistPlanet explains why the latest numbers from the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches understate the decline of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Palin’s narrow escape, thanks to God
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
Politico’s definitely got the scoop of the day, in the form of disgruntled ex-Palin aide Frank Bailey’s unpublished e-mail-laced tell-all memoir. Best reported e-mail quote, by Palin after she was disinvited from a GOP congressional fundraiser in favor of Newt Gingrich: Yes, (Newt/GOP) are egotistical, narrow minded machine goons… but all the more reason God […]
What a mea culpa is worth
By Mark Silk — February 22, 2011
Earlier this month, the big dog in the Catholic hierarchy, Tim Dolan of New York, told NCR’s John Allen that church leaders needed to project a “sense of contrition” if they are to recover their pre-scandal credibility. “What we have to do, and the bishops have to lead it, is one big fat mea culpa,” […]
Happy Presidents’ Day
By Daniel Burke — February 21, 2011
The Religion News Roundup is off today for President’s Day. I admit, though, that I’m really not sure how I’m supposed to honor the holiday. (Or how it should be spelled. Whither the apostrophe?) We should all come up with a good President’s Day celebration idea before the car dealerships completely take it over. Until […]
