Monthly Archives: June 2010
Huckabee and the Jews
By Mark Silk — June 23, 2010
Would Jewish conservatives embrace Mike Huckabee as the GOP presidential nominee in 2012? Zev Chafets–whose book, A Match Made in Heaven, deals with Jewish-Evangelical support for Israel–suggests as much in Ariel Levy’s profile of Huckabee in the current New Yorker: “There’s a lot of Jewish money on the right that’s got to go someplace, especially […]
Faith groups give G20 nations failing grade on poverty
By Tracy Gordon — June 23, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) An alliance of religious denominations has given the world’s richest nations a near-failing grade for their progress on eradicating world poverty. Jubilee USA Network, an alliance of more than 75 religious groups that advocates debt forgiveness for poor nations, gave the Group of 20 a “D” grade in a report released Tuesday (June […]
When Postville comes to Deal
By Mark Silk — June 22, 2010
Criminality, ultra-orthodox style: Rubashkin and Ben Haim, my take.
Muslims slam Supreme Court decision on `material support’
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2010
(RNS) Muslim and civil rights groups are criticizing a U.S. Supreme Court decision that upholds a federal law prohibiting “material support” for accused terrorist groups, which critics maintain could include humanitarian aid. The law, which the Supreme Court upheld Monday (June 21) in a 6-3 decision, prohibits providing cash and weapons to terrorist groups, but […]
Supporters decry `horrifying’ 27-year sentence for slaughterhouse chief
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2010
(RNS) Orthodox Jewish leaders say the 27-year prison sentence announced Monday (June 21) against former kosher slaughterhouse chief Sholom Rubashkin far outweighs his white-collar crime. Rubashkin, 51, was convicted last November on 86 counts of fraud stemming from a $26.8 million loss to lenders after an immigration raid found nearly 400 undocumented workers at his […]
Christian Reformed Church tackles sex abuse
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2010
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (RNS) The Christian Reformed Church has acknowledged its own failures in dealing with victims of clergy sexual abuse and has passed recommendations aimed at improving awareness, prevention and justice. At the CRC’s annual Synod, meeting in Palos Heights, Ill., delegates prayed for forgiveness in failing to respond justly and compassionately over the years […]
Homeowners weigh morality of walking out on mortgages
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (RNS) Lynn Thompson quit paying the mortgage on her investment property — not because she couldn’t afford the payments, but because she thinks walking away is better for her long-term financial health. Thompson bought the property here for $175,000 in January 2007, just as the housing market began its slow downward slide. At […]
Tuesday’s roundup
By Daniel Burke — June 22, 2010
The Times Square would-be bomber told a federal court in New York he’s a “Muslim soldier” and said he wanted to avenge the killing of Muslims by U.S. forces overseas. Faisal Shahzad said he wants to “plead guilty 100 times over” to the attempted bombing. Sentencing is set for Oct. 5. President Obama, who is […]
Critics say Caner isn’t only ex-Muslim with dubious past
By Tracy Gordon — June 22, 2010
(RNS) Liberty University is expected to release a report this month on whether Ergun Caner, president of the school’s Baptist Theological Seminary, fabricated or exaggerated his life story as a former Muslim extremist rescued by Jesus. Caner is no ordinary ex-Muslim. His story has made him a favorite in conservative Christian circles, and many credit […]
COMMENTARY: Daddy complex
By Tom Ehrich — June 22, 2010
(RNS) I have a father. He’s wonderful, and I love him. I don’t need my pastor to be my father. I don’t need any employer to be my father. And I certainly don’t need my president to be my father. It’s time to grow up, my fellow Americans, and stop playing parent games with our […]
Ted Haggard’s Second Act
By Mark Silk — June 22, 2010
Over at Religious Connections, Frink sticks in the shiv, so why do I have a hard time resisting the urge to let bygones be bygones? Maybe it’s that lapdog eagerness for approval, on display in Jesus Camp. Maybe it was seeing him drag has disgraced butt around Arizona in Alexandra Pelosi’s documentary. The world he […]
Vatican emissary wraps up talks with Castro
By Tracy Gordon — June 21, 2010
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican’s foreign secretary ended a five-day trip to Cuba with a “cordial, respectful and continuous” talk with President Raul Castro on Sunday (June 20). The meeting between Castro and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti underscored the increasingly significant role of the Catholic Church in the communist nation and prompted local hopes of a […]
Reformed bodies merged at Mich. assembly
By Tracy Gordon — June 21, 2010
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (RNS) The world’s largest association of Reformed churches can now break bread together as the World Communion of Reformed Churches following the merger of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and the Reformed Ecumenical Council. The new union, celebrated Friday (June 18) during a global assembly at Calvin College, represents 80 million […]
Health-sharing ministries report growth after health care reform
By Tracy Gordon — June 21, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) Membership in two of the largest Christian “health-sharing” ministries has grown since President Obama signed the massive health care reform bill into law earlier this spring. Christian Healthcare Ministries and Samaritan Ministries, with a combined membership of more than 70,000 people, have both grown in enrollment, officials said. “The health care reform bill […]
New Orleans clergy cool to idea of armed parishioners
By Tracy Gordon — June 21, 2010
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) The Louisiana Legislature may have cleared parishioners to carry guns to church, but the idea seems to sit pretty uncomfortably with clergy, whom legislators thought they were helping by providing homegrown security. “Unequivocally, no,” said Elder John Pierre, asked whether some members of his Living Witness Church of God in Christ should […]
