Monday’s Religion News Roundup: Evangelicals rally. Most religious president. Jesus’ wife waiting at the altar.

Social conservatives rally at Independece Hall. Our most religious president. Jesus' Wife tevee special delayed until further tests. 

An estimated 8,000-10,000 social conservatives rallied at Independence Hall in Philadelphia for an “America For Jesus” rally. Pat Robertson, Tony Perkins and other rally organizers insisted the event was not political. 

At one point, Robertson said, “I ran for president once, and it's a mistake I wouldn't want anybody to make.”

And all the people said … 


Evangelical leaders say Mitt Romney has finally found a way to connect with social conservatives: by stressing shared “Judeo-Christian” values. 

After the New Yorker said that Romney would arguably be the most religiously active president in U.S. history, Slate asks who's been the most religious president to date. I'm going with Bearded Gospel Man James Garfield.

Speaking of lists, which the Internets knows we all love, The Forward counts down Bob Dylan's “10 most Jewish songs.”

A group promoting a constitutional ban on gay marriage in Minnesota debuts its tevee ads on Monday. 

NPR interviews Archbishop Jon Myers of Newark, N.J. about why he urged Catholics who support same-sex marriage not to take Communion

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation met with UN leaders to condemn violence over an anti-Islamic film and call for a ban on insulting the Prophet Muhammad.

Protests against “Innocence of Muslims” continued in Pakistan and Indonesia

Jewish groups say Jews are still being blamed for the film, and the LA Times investigates the California-based tevee channel behind the film


Muslims in Bangladesh burned Buddhist temples and homes after complaining that a Buddhist man had insulted Islam. 

A Missouri federal district court rejected challenges to the Obama administration's contraception mandate brought by a Catholic small business owner.

The Vatican's newspaper declared the controversial “Jesus wife” papyrus fragment “a clumsy fake.”

A Smithsonian Channel spokesman says that a tevee special on the fragment has been delayed “until the text undergoes further tests.”  

Speaking of delays, a Mormon blogger accused of apostasy for writing critical essays about the faith has been given a temporary reprieve. 

Pope Benedict XVI discouraged the retired head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales from joining the House of Lords

And because it's Monday, here's an adorable video of a meerkat trying to stay awake.


We try our best to keep you from nodding off, so how's about trying our free Religion News Roundup via email? Sign up below. 

Yr slpy aggrgtr,

Daniel Burke

 

Donate to Support Independent Journalism!

Donate Now!