Monthly Archives: October 2010
Christians, pagans compete (gently) for Salem’s souls
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2010
SALEM, Mass. (RNS) Paying customers were lined up outside witch houses and psychic parlors when 20-year-old Casey Sholes of Willimantic, Conn., finally stumbled across a place offering dream interpretations for free. Inside, two interpreters at “The Vault” assured the aspiring nurse that despite her weird dream, the Creator has blessed her with special talents and […]
10 minutes with … John Dominic Crossan
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2010
(RNS) John Dominic Crossan is arguably the world’s foremost scholar of the historical Jesus. Twenty-five years ago, Crossan co-founded the Jesus Seminar with Robert Funk, a group of mostly liberal scholars who decide on the historicity of the deeds and sayings of Jesus. A former Roman Catholic priest and professor emeritus of religious studies at […]
COMMENTARY: Homer’s religious odyssey
By Cathleen Falsani — October 20, 2010
(RNS) “Few people know it,” an article in the official Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano proclaimed this week, “and he does everything he can to hide it … but it is true: Homer J. Simpson is a Catholic.” Or so says the Rev. Francesco Occhetta, the Jesuit priest who arrived at that conclusion after analyzing a […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 20, 2010
B16 named 24 new cardinals this morning, including two Americans (Wuerl and Burke). Vatican watcher Rocco Palmo parses the names here. One of the archbishops who will have to wait until the next round, New York’s Timothy Dolan, is on a tear against The New York Times again, this time for stories about a play […]
Separation of O’Donnell and State
By Mark Silk — October 20, 2010
Over at Religion Dispatches, Candace Chellew-Hodge contends that Christine O’Donnell knew exactly what she was about during her close encounter with the First Amendment at Widener University Law School the other day: Sure, the smarty-pants in the audience might have been shocked at O’Donnell’s denial that the Constitution provides for separation of church and state, […]
Crystal Cathedral files for Chapter 11
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2010
(RNS) The Crystal Cathedral, the gleaming Southern California megachurch known for its “Hour of Power” television broadcast, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from creditors. Senior Pastor Sheila Schuller Coleman on Monday (Oct. 18) said in a statement that the decision came after some creditors chose to file lawsuits against the ministry. “As is […]
Feds tell Tenn. officials to protect Muslims’ building rights
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2010
WASHINGTON (RNS) Islam is a valid religion that is entitled to constitutional protection, said a U.S. attorney who stepped into a debate about a proposed mosque and Islamic center in Tennessee. “To suggest that Islam is not a religion is quite simply ridiculous,” said U.S. Attorney Jerry Martin of Nashville in a statement Monday (Oct. […]
Evangelicals regret Chinese delegates banned from travel
By Tracy Gordon — October 20, 2010
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (RNS/ENInews) The World Evangelical Alliance expressed disappointment after China prohibited a delegation of some 200 Christians from traveling to a major evangelical conference in South Africa. “The presence and contribution of Chinese delegates would have enriched all the Congress participants and contributed to a more complete understanding of our common humanity […]
Religious illiteracy puts us at risk
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 19, 2010
Sun Herald (RNS): Americans, as the most religious society among developed nations, knew more about the history and core beliefs of their faiths than our competitors. Or so we thought. Read more.
‘Colbert Report’ hides a quiet faith
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 19, 2010
Star Tribune (RNS): When comedian Stephen Colbert brought his act to Capitol Hill last month and stole the spotlight with his satirical shtick, no one was more surprised than lawmakers. Read more.
Most think sex offenders should be in pews, survey finds
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 19, 2010
Houston Chronicle (RNS): Nearly eight in 10 respondents who participated in a Christianity Today International survey said convicted sex offenders should be welcomed in church pews. Read more.
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — October 19, 2010
The Obama administration has filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the rights of Muslims to build a disputed mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn., in what one church-state expert called a “rather unusual move.” Four Muslim men were convicted on Monday on charges of attempting to plant bombs outside synagogues in the Bronx and fire missiles at military […]
How many versions of the Bible do we really need?
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2010
(RNS) If you stacked all the Bibles sitting in American homes, the tower would rise 29 million feet, nearly 1,000 times the height of Mount Everest. More than 90 percent of American households own a Bible, and the average family owns three, according to pollsters at the Barna Group. The American Bible Society hands out […]
Catholics, Orthodox agree: Pope remains a sticking point
By Tracy Gordon — October 19, 2010
(RNS) Visit a Roman Catholic and an Eastern Orthodox liturgy, and the differences are stark: Catholic statues vs. Orthodox icons, celibate vs. married priests, communion wafers vs. hunks of bread. Pay closer attention, and other distinctions become apparent, including how each side makes the sign of the cross, when they celebrate Easter and how they […]
COMMENTARY: The view from the cheap seats
By Tom Ehrich — October 19, 2010
COLUMBUS, Ohio (RNS) Mourning came to Ohio’s capital last Saturday (Oct. 16) when the Ohio State Buckeyes lost 31-18 to Wisconsin and immediately plummeted from No. 1 to No. 11 in the college football rankings. Sorrow in Columbus means joy in Madison, of course. That’s how it goes in sports, as teams square off in […]
