Monthly Archives: March 2008
Joel Osteen tops best-seller list: RNS Religion Best-Sellers List
By RNS Blog Editor — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) On social issues like abortion, gay marriage and stem cell research, the conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the conservative President Bush find much common ground. But next month, when Benedict makes his first visit to the U.S., his meeting with Bush is likely to underscore an issue where there […]
Joel Osteen tops best-seller list: RNS Religion Best-Sellers List
By Dick Staub — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) For a man trying to downplay messianic expectations, a speech on race, politics and religion aimed at “a more perfect union” might seem ambitious, yet this was the organizing theme of Barack Obama’s speech this week. After revelations of controversial statements uttered by Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah […]
SIDEBAR: Schedule for Pope Benedict XVI’s U.S. trip
By RNS Blog Editor — March 21, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service Eds: following is the official schedule for Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Washington and New York April 15-20: TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 4 P.M. Arrival at Andrews Air Force Base. Greeting by President Bush and Mrs. Bush. Also present will be local dignitaries of the church and the apostolic nuncio, the […]
Pope U.S. Visit Special Package from RNS
By RNS Blog Editor — March 20, 2008
Religion News Service has already started covering Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States next month, with a package of nine advance stories ready today, with 5-8 more to be published before his visit, and daily coverage throughout the trip April 15-20. In addition we offer new and file photos to accompany stories. RNS […]
Easter Sunday: Your Chance to See Stryper, Twisted Sister
By Adelle M. Banks — March 20, 2008
We blogged a while back about an unusual benefit concert featuring both Christian music’s Stryper and Kevin Max, formerly of dc Talk, and performers Twisted Sister and Tesla. They came together Feb. 25 in Providence, R.I., for a fifth-anniversary fundraiser for survivors of The Station nightclub tragedy in nearby West Warwick. On Easter at 10 […]
How to crucify yourself
By Daniel Burke — March 20, 2008
Health officials in the Philippines, where self-flagellation and crucifixion are popular practices among Catholics during Holy Week, have issued some guidelines for those going up on the cross this week. Health Secretary Francisco Duque says: 1) get shots of gamma globulin or anti-tetanus 2) the six-inch nails used for crucifixion must be thoroughly sterilised 3) […]
The Secret Behind the Mormons’ Famous `Funeral Potatoes’
By Kevin Eckstrom — March 20, 2008
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has apparently been replaced by, um, potatoes.
Conservatives question Episcopal ouster
By Daniel Burke — March 20, 2008
Conservatives here and across the pond are questioning the ouster of former Episcopal bishop of San Joaquin John-David Schofield. They’ve scoured the Episcopal Church’s canons and found that a “majority of the whole number bishops entitled to vote” must give consent to depose a bishop. Conservatives say only 68 were present at the vote to […]
Map of Tibetan protest sites
By Daniel Burke — March 20, 2008
Photographer Mikel Dunham has created a map of all the protests taking place in Tibet since the Chinese crackdown. There are at least twenty sites, and it’s a helpful indication of how disperse the protests are. See the map here.
Happy Crossmas
By Kevin Eckstrom — March 20, 2008
The ever-resourceful Jim Martin over at America magazine has a great piece on Slate on why Easter has been able to survive the onslaught of commercialism that Christmas has not: “The Christmas story, with its friendly resonances of marriage, family, babies, animals, angels, and-thanks to the wise men-gifts, is eminently marketable to popular culture. It’s […]
40 Years of Humanae Vitae
By RNS Blog Editor — March 20, 2008
Forty years later, contraception ban colors U.S.-Vatican ties RNS’ Daniel Burke examines the impact of the Catholic church’s ban on contraception on American Catholics, in this week’s full text article, linked above. Quote: Sixty-one percent of Catholics insist that individuals should have the final say on contraception; 75 percent say it’s possible to be a […]
Muslim #2
By Mark Silk — March 20, 2008
Andre Carson has assumed his seat in the House of Representatives representing Indiana’s seventh district as the second Muslim elected to Congress. My information is that, at least on the Democratic side, there was a decision to let him assume the seat as a courtesy to his late grandmother Rep. Julia Carson, who died last […]
Ontario wrestles with place of the Lord’s Prayer
By Ron Csillag — March 20, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service TORONTO _ The premier of Ontario has dropped a political hot potato with his recent announcement that the daily recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in the provincial legislature should be dropped. “It’s time for us to ensure that we have a prayer that better reflects our diversity,” Dalton McGuinty, a […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — March 20, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service Pope expresses `sadness’ for Tibetans VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI expressed his “sadness and pain” over recent violence in Tibet, and called for a peaceful resolution of conflict between anti-government protesters and Chinese authorities. The pope made his remarks at the conclusion of his weekly general audience on Wednesday […]
RNS Daily Digest
By Andrea Useem — March 20, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) With Islam so much in the news today, experts and pundits are frequently called upon to explain the views of Muslims worldwide. But according to Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, Muslims should be able to speak for themselves. In the new book, “Who […]
