He’s baaaaack: Florida pastor Terry Jones oversaw the burning of a Quran at his Gainesville church after the Islamic holy book was put on trial, found guilty and condemned for execution (that’s him, behind the mustache, at left).
Remember the Amish man in Ohio accused of bilking his brethren out of $33 million in a Ponzi scheme? He and his Amish victims asked a federal court to dismiss his bankruptcy filing so that they could hash it all out using Amish (i.e., non-court) principles; the court said no, in part because the feds can’t defer to a religious body.
Opening arguments are scheduled today in Springfield, Mass., in the case of one of three men accused of torching a black church the night of Barack Obama‘s election. The AP says GOP candidates are going to have to kiss the ring of evangelical Christian activists in Iowa.
The Diocese of San Jose is ground zero for the demographic changes that are shifting the face of the U.S. Catholic Church. Paulist nuns are suing the Archdiocese of Boston over retirement funds for lay employees.
Six adults who helped teenage Christian convert Rifqa Bary flee her family’s Muslim home in Ohio for evangelical refuge in Florida won’t be charged.
The Episcopal Church, with an eye on next year’s decisive General Convention meeting in Indianapolis, is laying the groundwork to consider rites to bless same-sex unions. A majority of Americans now believes same-sex marriage should be legal.
New York Archbishop Tim Dolan compares gays’ desire to get married to his desire to play shortshop for the Yankees: “I don’t have a right to because I don’t have what it takes.” Hipster guru Rob Bell struck back at charges he’s pedaling a universalist gospel. In Ireland, Catholic officials pledged an additional $14m for victims of sexual abuse.
Egyptians turned out at the polls this weekend on a series of constitutional amendments to shape the post-Mubarak government, but Christians are nervous the reforms will open the door for the Muslim Brotherhood to assume control. B16 appealed for civilians’ safety as U.S. allies continue their bombardment of Libya.
As missionaries grapple with whether to flee Japan, evangelist Franklin Graham says the Japanese earthquake could signal Jesus’ immanent return.