Monthly Archives: October 2009
Pennsylvania student allowed to wear anti-abortion T-shirt
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2009
HARRISBURG, Pa. (RNS) A federal judge approved an agreement Monday (Oct. 19) between the parent of a middle school student and a Pennsylvania school district that will allow the student to wear an anti-abortion T-shirt to school. Officials at Crossroads Middle School told the student to turn inside out his homemade T-shirt, which read “Abortion […]
New Jersey Gov. donated $90,000 to political pastor
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2009
TRENTON, N.J.(RNS) A politically connected New Jersey pastor received almost $90,000 in donations last year from incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine, who is running for re-election. The Rev. Reginald Jackson, who last week announced he was throwing his coveted support to Corzine, received $87,000 in donations from the multimillionaire governor last year, Jackson confirmed. Head of […]
Vatican opens a door for Anglican dissidents
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2009
VATICAN CITY (RNS) In a move with far-reaching ecumenical implications, the Vatican on Tuesday (Oct. 20) announced plans to open its doors to Anglicans upset with their church’s growing acceptance of homosexuality and women clergy. Citing “many requests” from Anglicans around the world, the Vatican said that Pope Benedict XVI would permit the establishment of […]
`Repent’ over health care lapses, pastors say
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2009
WASHINGTON (RNS) Politics and prayer intertwined as progressive faith leaders gathered here and across the country on Tuesday (Oct. 20) to remember people who died from lack of health care and press Congress to pass health care reform. Here at National City Christian Church, about 50 people gathered for an Interfaith Service of Remembrance and […]
Tuesday’s religion round up
By Daniel Burke — October 20, 2009
Opposing religious coalitions are gearing up for Maine’s gay marriage referendum, South Carolina Episcopalians are considering distancing their diocese from the Episcopal Church, and trustees at the University of Notre Dame re-elected the Rev. John Jenkins for a second five-year term as president. Jews in South Carolina are upset that Republican officials used Jewish stereotypes […]
COMMENTARY: Put down the scorecards and pick up the slack
By Tom Ehrich — October 20, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS (RNS) “So what do you think of Obama?” asked my sister, as we sat around after a lovely birthday dinner. I had an opinion, of course. I grew up in a family where having opinions mattered and we read newspapers and magazines to get ready for opinion sharing. Soon, my brother, sister and I […]
Learning from the rich Jews
By Mark Silk — October 20, 2009
Defending Sen. Jim DeMint’s principled opposition to congressional earmarks, two South Carolina Republican county chairmen figured they’d come up with a pretty good analogy: There is a saying that the Jews who are wealthy got that way not by watching dollars, but instead by taking care of the pennies and the dollars taking care of […]
Oh, those Brights!
By Mark Silk — October 20, 2009
Can’t they just go back to calling themselves Illuminati?
Eyes on the Prize
By Mark Silk — October 20, 2009
Americans approve the way Obama handled winning the Nobel, 54 percent to 39 percent. As against approving his overall job as president 57-40. Effectively, no difference. Sorry, pundits.
MJ and God: The ultimate dream team
By Adelle M. Banks — October 20, 2009
Entertainment Weekly highlights the upcoming “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” movie about the concert the pop star was planning before he died in June and it turns out he saw parts of it _ including his wish for a recreation of the Victoria Falls in southern Africa _ as divine inspiration. Here’s what EW reported: […]
Delaware Catholic diocese files for bankruptcy
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2009
(RNS) The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Del., has become the seventh U.S. diocese since the clergy sex abuse scandal broke in 2002 to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, its bishop announced Sunday (Oct. 18). The action, taken just before a trial was to begin Monday involving eight cases against the diocese, was for the […]
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I to visit U.S. this week
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2009
MOBILE, Ala. (RNS) Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, will visit New Orleans this week (Oct. 20-24) for a symposium on the environment with scientists, policymakers and religious leaders. Bartholomew, spiritual leader to 275 million Orthodox Christians around the globe, arrives in New Orleans on Tuesday and will deliver the […]
Jesse Jackson launching Rainbow PUSH in Alabama
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) The Rev. Jesse Jackson, president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, said Sunday (Oct. 18) that the group plans to open an office in Birmingham. Rainbow PUSH is a national group founded by Jackson that fights for social change. It has affiliate offices in several cities around the nation, including Atlanta. Jackson said […]
Monday’s religion round-up
By Daniel Burke — October 19, 2009
Attorney General Eric Holder said hate crimes against Muslims have “escalated dramatically” since 9/11. The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Del. filed for bankruptcy on the night before a series of clergy sex abuse cases was to go to court. Utah’s plans to protect assets in the Fundamentalist Church of Latter-Day Saints after its leader went […]
Soul-searching evangelicals look to nonpolitical future
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2009
SOUTH HAMILTON, Mass. (RNS) Repentant for having spent a generation bowing at the altars of church growth and political power, concerned evangelicals gathered last week (Oct. 13-15) to search the soul of their movement and find a new way forward. That evangelicals, who compose a quarter of the American population, must refocus on shaping authentic […]
