Monthly Archives: March 2006
Like Other Teens, Church Arson Suspects Revealed Personal Details Online
By RNS Blog Editor — March 15, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ The three college students accused of setting fire to nine Alabama churches left a computer chat room trail that was a window into their personalities. Within hours after Ben Moseley, 19; Russell DeBusk, 19; and Matthew Cloyd, 20, were arrested March 8 on arson charges, reporters were […]
COMMENTARY: Musicians Embracing the Flip Side of Fear
By Tom Ehrich — March 15, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Standing nervously before a large audience, teenager Ryan McLaughlin wiped hands on trousers, put viola to chin, steadied himself and launched into a magnificent solo in a concerto by Carl Stamitz. Later soloists of the Duke University String School braved equally challenging works by composers like Wieniawski and Lalo. […]
Blogging abortion; arsonists posting to chat rooms
By RNS Blog Editor — March 15, 2006
A blogger’s abortion instructions concern activists on both sides of the debate, reports Dru Sefton: A feminist blogger has posted explicit directions online for a surgical abortion, in reaction to the new South Dakota law all but banning the procedure. In an interview, the blogger, a former journalist with no medical background, says she has […]
NOT a prank …
By Tracy Gordon — March 14, 2006
Quote of the Day: Vision America President Rick Scarborough “Let’s get something straight here: rolling a house with toilet paper is a prank. Torching nine churches is NOT a prank.” -Rick Scarborough, president of Vision America, a Texas-based conservative Christian organization, commenting on federal investigators’ description of the motive behind a series of recent church […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 14, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service Christian Peace Activists to Stay in Iraq Despite Kidnappings, Murder (RNS) The North American peace activist group Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) says it will continue its work in Iraq despite the murder of one of four team members abducted in January. The body of American Quaker peace activist and CPT […]
In Battered New Orleans, Graham Preaches `Last Evangelistic Sermon’
By RNS Blog Editor — March 14, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service NEW ORLEANS _ Evangelist Billy Graham seems to have closed out his 60-year career as the country’s most famous evangelist after calling thousands to Christian faith in wounded New Orleans with the acknowledgment that “this is probably the last evangelistic sermon I’ll ever preach.” Frail and tentative, the 87-year-old Graham […]
Theologian’s Ideas, Not Heroics, Noted: `A Year With Dietrich Bonhoeffer’ edited by Carl
By John E. Finn — March 14, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one of the authentic heroes of World War II. A German Protestant theologian who spoke out fearlessly against Hitler and participated in an assassination plot against him, Bonhoeffer was hanged on Hitler’s orders three weeks before the Nazi dictator committed suicide on the eve of Germany’s […]
Evaluating Myths, Religious and Otherwise, of St. Patrick
By RNS Blog Editor — March 14, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service (UNDATED) St. Patrick’s Day in the United States means clover-colored clothing, paper shamrocks, bagpipes, Irish folk music and dancing, corned beef and cabbage, green beer. Often, the man of honor gets lost. At its core, the holiday is a holy recognition of St. Patrick’s commitment to spreading Christianity throughout Ireland. […]
Billy Graham; St. Patrick; and Dietrich Bonhoeffer
By RNS Blog Editor — March 14, 2006
Billy Graham appears to have preached his “last sermon,” reports Bruce Nolan from New Orleans: Evangelist Billy Graham seemed to close out his 60-year career as the country’s most famous evangelist Sunday, calling thousands to Christian faith in wounded New Orleans with the acknowledgment that “this is probably the last evangelistic sermon I’ll ever preach.” […]
COMMENTARY: Funny Guy Isn’t So Funny Now
By RNS Blog Editor — March 11, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ Ben Moseley is a funny guy. Ask just about anyone. Students at Clay-Chalkville High School voted him “funniest” in his class in 2004, and picked him as the kid who contributed most to the class. I heard it so many times this week it wasn’t funny. Those […]
Bishops Say All Catholic Lawmakers Must Work to End Abortion
By Kein Eckstrom — March 11, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Top U.S. Catholic leaders on Friday (March 10) told Democratic lawmakers there is no wiggle room in church teaching on abortion, and that they are duty-bound to work against “the destruction of unborn human life.” The statement by three top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 11, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service Lay Reform Group Calls for Top Bishops to Step Aside BOSTON (RNS) The top two officers at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops faced new pressure Friday (March 10) to relinquish their national posts in light of allegations related to sexual misconduct. Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), a Boston-based lay […]
Jews Outraged Over Destruction of Last Synagogue in Tajikistan
By Michele Chabin — March 11, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service JERUSALEM _ A group of American Jews wants to know why governments have offered to help rebuild an Iraqi mosque destroyed Feb. 22 but have been mostly silent after the last synagogue in Tajikistan was partially destroyed the same day. The century-old synagogue in the capital city of Dushanbe _ […]
Pro-Israel Lobby Seeks Christian, Campus Allies to Broaden its Base
By RNS Blog Editor — March 11, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service SHIRAZ, Iran _ Smoothing her almond-brown hair and smiling so his eyes tightened at the corners, Amir Ghaffarian lifted his 6-year-old niece, Melika, and called her ziba, the Farsi word for beautiful. The little girl smiled back as the man adjusted her blue plastic headband and asked a question. “Did […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 10, 2006
c. 2006 Religion News Service Arrests Relieve, Sadden Pastors of Burned Alabama Churches BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) Leaders of churches destroyed by arson responded with relief at the arrest of three people Wednesday (March 8), but they also expressed sympathy for the suspects and their families. “I feel sorry for the young guys,” said the Rev. […]
