Monthly Archives: June 2008
Gregorian chant rides new wave of appeal
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
The disc from the Cistercian monks of the Stift Heiligenkreuz monastery shot straight to the top of the charts, becoming not only the No. 1-selling disc in classical music, but hitting No. 9 in pop, too – even besting such megastars as Amy Winehouse.
Now available in Malayalam
By Francis X. Rocca — June 25, 2008
In the latest sign of the ever-more global character of the world’s most global church, the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano will now appear in the Indian language of Malayalam. The weekly, which will be a translation of the paper’s exisiting English edition, brings to eight the number of languages in which L’Osservatore appears. It […]
Anglicans vow no schism over gays, dogma
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
The weeklong gathering of 300 bishops and 700 clergy and lay leaders at the Renaissance Hotel hoped to offer a way forward for Episcopal and Anglican churches divided over homosexuality and biblical authority but unwilling to secede from the 77-million-member Anglican Communion.
States abandon Bush funding for abstinence education
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
Skeptical states are shoving aside millions of federal dollars for abstinence education, walking away from the program the Bush administration touts for slowing teen sexual activity.
Sex offenders fight ban on church activities
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Rome, says the Georgia law effectively “criminalizes fundamental religious activities” for sex offenders and bars them from serving as a choir member, secretary, accountant or any other role with a religious organization.
The monkey in Obama’s, er, pocket …
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
So it seems that Barack Obama is a tad supersticious and carries around some sort of monkey good-luck talisman in his pocket. Granted, we should probably check that out, but we’re just going to take their word for it. They said they read it in Time magazine, which must mean it’s true. But I digress. […]
Polygamist-sect teen denies abuse
By Kevin Eckstrom — June 25, 2008
A 16-year-old girl is a key witness in the state’s effort to pursue criminal charges against members of her polygamist sect, even though she denies investigators’ claims that she was abused.
Religion according to Times/Bloomberg
By Mark Silk — June 25, 2008
Here’s the summary paragraph on religion from today’s L.A. Times/Bloomberg poll: McCain has had his troubles with the very conservative voters, as well as the very religious. They haven’t trusted him since he ran for president in 2000 against Bush and they are having a hard time this time around as well. Just over half […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — June 25, 2008
c. 2008 Religion News Service Dobson: Obama has `fruitcake’ take on Constitution WASHINGTON (RNS) Focus on the Family founder James Dobson harshly critiqued a two-year-old speech by Sen. Barack Obama on religion and politics, calling his views “a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.” In a Tuesday (June 24) program funded by the Colorado ministry’s political […]
Wounded New Orleans finds a savior in Midwestern church
By Tracy Gordon — June 25, 2008
TIPP CITY, Ohio-It is not that Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church sits in the middle of a Midwestern cornfield that makes it notable. Nor even that its pastor preaches in jeans and sandals to a working-class congregation sipping coffee in shorts and T-shirts. More to the point: Of the hundreds of American churches, ministries and local […]
Sierra Club highlights going green for God
By Tracy Gordon — June 25, 2008
From Christians in Hawaii to Buddhists in Connecticut, and from Jews in New York to Muslims in Wisconsin, people of all walks of faith are finding a myriad of ways to care for the environment, according to a first-of-it-kind report from the Sierra Club.
Presbyterians report biggest drop in nearly 30 years
By Tracy Gordon — June 25, 2008
The Presbyterian Church (USA) lost more than 57,000 members last year, the denomination’s largest decline since 1981, church leaders announced at a churchwide General Assembly in San Jose, Calif.
Dobson: Obama has `fruitcake’ take on Constitution
By Tracy Gordon — June 25, 2008
WASHINGTON-Focus on the Family founder James Dobson harshly critiqued a two-year-old speech by Sen. Barack Obama on religion and politics, calling his views “a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.”
The Gospel According to the Boss
By Tracy Gordon — June 25, 2008
To millions of fans, he’s “the Boss,” the blue-jeaned troubadour of the American heartland who finds nobility in the grind of daily life. Across 35 years in dozens of rock anthems, from “Born to Run” to “Glory Days” to “Born in the U.S.A.,” Bruce Springsteen has chronicled lost souls, haunted war veterans, gritty factory workers, […]
COMMENTARY: Where would Jesus be?
By Tom Ehrich — June 25, 2008
On Sunday afternoon, many thousands across the country will walk city streets in annual Gay Pride parades. Most will be gays and lesbians, but a growing number will be heterosexuals who support dignity, freedom and acceptance for all persons. Meanwhile, two coteries of Anglican bishops will prepare to gather: the official conference in London, a […]
