Monthly Archives: June 2011
Friday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 24, 2011
POTUS said gay couples deserve “the same legal rights” as everyone else, but stopped noticeably short of using the “M” word. New York lawmakers will be back at it today in a last-ditch attempt to figure out what they’re going to do on same-sex marriage. The trial of the Methodist lesbian pastor ended with a […]
Pawlenty leads in informal poll of evangelical leaders
By Tracy Gordon — June 24, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the top Republican pick of evangelical leaders, according to an informal survey, with 45 percent saying he would be their choice for GOP nominee in the 2012 election. Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which conducted the survey, said the results weren’t surprising since […]
Lesbian minister suspended for 20 days
By Tracy Gordon — June 23, 2011
(RNS) A United Methodist minister was suspended for 20 days by a church court in Wisconsin on Thursday (June 23) for performing a same-sex union in 2009, a breach of denominational rules. A 13-member jury of local United Methodist clergy voted 9-4 to suspend the Rev. Amy DeLong, 44, of Osceola, Wis., according to gay […]
Raelians seek to reclaim swastika
By Tracy Gordon — June 23, 2011
(RNS) A UFO sect that believes human beings were created by extraterrestrials will host World Swastika Rehabilitation Day on Sunday (June 26) in an attempt to reclaim the swastika from the Nazis as an emblem of peace. Raelians, whose symbol consists of a swastika that intertwines with two overlapping triangles to form a star, say […]
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — June 23, 2011
With apologies to Fyodor, today’s roundup is officially titled “Sex Crimes & Punishment.” To wit, Americans would rather catch politicians with their pants down than with their hands in the cookie jar, according to a new RNS/PRRI poll. And when it comes to sex scandals, it’s the lies and cover ups that bother people more […]
Muslims to meet on response to Islamophobia
By Tracy Gordon — June 23, 2011
(RNS) With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 looming, attendees at North America’s largest Muslim gathering next month will be told that the best way to deal with Islamophobia is not to lay low, but get involved in politics, interfaith work and community affairs. That’s the message that leaders of the Islamic Society of North America […]
Study says Jews volunteer, but not because of `Jewish’ values
By Tracy Gordon — June 23, 2011
(RNS) Young Jewish Americans volunteer enthusiastically for a multitude of causes, but the vast majority do not connect their service to their Jewish identity, Jewish institutions or Israel. These findings, from a survey released Thursday (June 23), both hearten and concern Jewish leaders. “The good news is that this is an idealistic, motivated population,” said […]
Evangelicals see declining influence in U.S.
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2011
(RNS) Are U.S. evangelicals losing their influence on America? A new poll released Wednesday (June 22) from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life seems to say just that, with the vast majority — 82 percent — of U.S. evangelical leaders saying their influence on the country is declining. At the same time, their […]
Churches call for U.S. to pull out of Afghanistan
By Jack Jenkins — June 22, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) As President Obama prepared plans to bring a limited number of U.S. troops home from Afghanistan, a group of 40 religious leaders called for the president to “bring the war in Afghanistan to an end.” Signers of an open letter, including high-profile religious leaders like Sojourners founder Jim Wallis, expressed frustration over the […]
Leaving God out of Pledge tees off Ohio congressman
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) NBC’s decision to edit the word “God” from the Pledge of Allegiance during last weekend’s coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament has teed off an Ohio congressman, who wants the U.S. Golf Association to reconsider its relationship with the television network. “When we silence the name of God, we dim the light […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — June 22, 2011
As President Obama prepares to speak tonight about withdrawing some troops from Afghanistan, a group of mostly liberal faith leaders are calling on him to bring them all home and end the Afghan war. “The past ten years have shown that we cannot broker peace in Afghanistan by military force,” the leaders say. On the […]
Americans distinguish between politicians’ financial, sexual failings
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Americans are tougher on politicians for their financial misdeeds than their sexual ones, but men are more willing than women to tolerate sexual misbehavior in their elected officials. The findings, released Wednesday (June 22) in a detailed survey by the Public Religion Research Institute, show that Americans across religious groups consider it worse […]
Critics push Obama to change faith-based hiring rules
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) A group of clergy and lawmakers is trying to overturn a nearly decade-old policy that allows faith-based organizations that receive federal funds to hire and fire employees on the basis of religion. Critics say President Obama has reneged on a campaign promise to repeal the policy, which was put into place by President […]
SSM in NY
By Mark Silk — June 22, 2011
As the same-sex marriage bill goes down to the wire in the New York legislative session, the pro side is chanting “Two-four-six-eight, separate the church and state!” I, meanwhile, am separating myself from the American mainline for a couple of days on an island off Woods Hole. There will be time to enough to comment […]
Romney v. Susan B. Anthony Pledge
By Mark Silk — June 22, 2011
Mitt Romney’s refusal to sign the “Pro-Life Presidential Leadership Pledge” cooked up by the anti-abortion Susan B. Anthony List looks like smart politics to me. The pledge is nowhere near as straightforward as the the quadrennial Republican Party platform’s abortion plank, which for a generation has called for a constitutional ban. Rather, it’s a carefully […]
