Politics
NEWS FEATURE: Pope millennium speech opens new debate on indulgences
By Kristen Campbell — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ For many Roman Catholics, the ancient practice of granting indulgences _ credits of sorts, to speed the trip to heaven _ conjures up images of corrupt medieval clerics who abused their power. “It reminds me of the Dark Ages when people thought you could buy your way out […]
NEWS STORY: Study: religious grandparents more involved than non-religious
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Nonreligious grandparents may have close relationships with their grandchildren but religiously active grandparents have higher levels of involvement with the youngsters, according to a new study. Sociologists at Pennsylvania State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill say their recent study found religiously active grandparents […]
NEWS STORY: Pope says church in Cuba does not seek political power but needs freedom
By Carl Anderson — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service SANTIAGO, Cuba _ Pope John Paul II traveled to the symbolic heart of Cuban nationhood Saturday and told tens of thousands of Cubans gathered for the pontiff’s third open-air Mass that the church isn’t interested in political power but needs freedom to carry out his mission.”The church, immersed in civil […]
NEWS FEATURE: Academics turning to the study of how forgiveness works
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Forgiveness. It is both a central concept in many religions, especially Christianity, and one of the most difficult human acts to carry out sincerely. But even as the word seems to attach itself to every major news story _ from the possible impeachment of President Clinton to building […]
HOLIDAY FEATURE: `A Christmas Carol’ _ literature as sacred tradition
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ One hundred and fifty-five years ago, Christmas was in crisis. A holiday celebrated in the castles and great halls of medieval England was slowly being eroded by urbanization. That is, until the year Charles Dickens came along with a lively tale of ghosts and greed that changed it […]
NEWS STORY: Pope calls for international action to bring peace to Kosovo
By Chris Smith — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service SPLIT, Croatia _ Pope John Paul II called on the international community Sunday (Oct. 4) to provide”timely help”to resolve the”continuing tragedy”in Kosovo. The pontiff, speaking in a city swollen with refugees from the ethnic and religious bloodletting that followed the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in 1991 also urged the […]
NEWS STORY: Evangelical editor, scholar Lindsell dead at 84
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Harold Lindsell, a former editor of the evangelical magazine Christianity Today and author of the 1976 book “The Battle for the Bible,” died Jan. 15 in Lake Forest, Calif., after a long illness. He was 84. His book, which argued the so-called”inerrantist”approach to biblical interpretation _ that the […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service Survey: Religious teens more likely to avoid smoking, drinking, drugs (RNS) A new survey of teens’ attitudes shows that those who participate in religious activities are less likely than other teens to smoke, drink or use drugs. The survey released Tuesday (Sept. 1) by the National Center on Addiction and […]
NEWS SIDEBAR: The Kyoto Protocol and the Ohio campaign
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Here are the key elements of the international treaty signed in Kyoto, Japan aimed at easing global warning and the key elements of the Ohio Interfaith Global Warming Campaign: The Kyoto Protocol _ Reductions: Reductions below 1990 levels are to take effect in 2008 and are to be […]
NEWS FEATURE: At 50, Israel confronts the issue of religion and state
By Elaine Fletcher — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service TEL AVIV _ They were a chic Israeli-American couple set to wed here with a champagne dinner in the lush surroundings of this seaside city’s botanical gardens. Yet a last-minute glitch _ the Orthodox rabbis marrying them demanded written proof the American bride was Jewish _ nearly scuttled the ceremony […]
NEWS SIDEBAR: A time line of the Promise Keepers movement
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Here is a time line of the rise of Promise Keepers, the evangelical Christian men’s movement headed by Bill McCartney: 1990: Former University of Colorado football coach Bill McCartney founds Promise Keepers, meeting with 72 men in Boulder, Colo. 1991: 4,200 men at the University of Colorado 1992: […]
NEWS FEATURE: At 50, Israel confronts the issue of religion and state
By Elaine Fletcher — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service TEL AVIV _ They were a chic Israeli-American couple set to wed here with a champagne dinner in the lush surroundings of this seaside city’s botanical gardens. Yet a last-minute glitch _ the Orthodox rabbis marrying them demanded written proof the American bride was Jewish _ nearly scuttled the ceremony […]
NEWS SIDEBAR: Text of religious leaders’ statement on impeachment
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Here is the text and list of signers of the statement by an interfaith group of religious leaders saying President Clinton’s”personal transgressions”do not rise to the level of impeachable offenses: We share America’s distress arising out of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. However, we agree with those distinguished members of […]
NEWS FEATURE: Spiritual-minded capitalists have faith in their product
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ A new spiritual awakening is at hand. It’s not just happening at traditional weekly services, but in the workplace. Evidence can be found in the raft of books arguing that religious virtue won’t just get you into heaven, it will also make you a better person by providing […]
NEWS SIDEBAR: An Appeal for Healing: A pastoral letter to the nation
By RNS Blog Editor — January 1, 1998
c. 1998 Religion News Service UNDATED _ Here is the text of the interfaith appeal for healing, signed by prominent religious leaders: As pastors and rabbis we have found ourselves asking what is happening to our country. In this moment we speak out of diverse religious heritages that have historically called us to wholeness in […]
