Pentecostal
Tony Palmer, who captured Pope Francis’ bid for Christian unity with a cellphone, dies after motorcycle crash
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — July 22, 2014
(RNS) In the video, Pope Francis referred to Palmer as "my brother, a bishop-brother," saying they had been friends for years. "Let us allow our longing to increase so that it propels us to find each other, embrace each other and to praise Jesus Christ as the only Lord of history," Francis said.
Pope Francis meets US televangelists, and the first-ever ‘papal high-five’ follows
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — July 9, 2014
(RNS) "The prosperity gospel seems to be fundamentally opposed to the message that Francis has been spreading. But he has shown that he’s willing to meet with just about anyone," said Michael Peppard, a professor of theology at Fordham University.
Questions persist after testing of ‘Jesus Wife’ papyrus
By David Gibson — April 10, 2014
(RNS) A year and a half after unveiling a slip of papyrus that she dubbed the “Gospel of Jesus's Wife,” Harvard Bible scholar Karen King has released the results of long-delayed testing on the controversial fragment that appear to show it is not a modern forgery. But a host of questions remain.
Is support for Israel waning among evangelicals?
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — April 8, 2014
(RNS) Evangelical support for Israel has shifted within the last decade; many are no longer considered automatic supporters.
Pastor of Florida megachurch resigns over ‘moral failure’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — April 6, 2014
(RNS) Florida megachurch pastor Bob Coy has resigned from his 20,000-member Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale over a "moral failing."
Update: Bob Jones University rehires firm hired to investigate sex abuse
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — February 25, 2014
(RNS) The Christian school had fired the group one month before it planned to release the findings of its 13-month review.
Pennsylvania parents sentenced in second faith-healing death
By Amanda Murphy — February 19, 2014
(RNS) Herbert and Catherine Schaible were already on a 10-year probation for the 2009 death of their 2-year-old son, Kent, when their second son Brandon died last year.
COMMENTARY: Jamie Coots’ snake theology was not that crazy
By Jeffrey Weiss — February 18, 2014
(RNS) To most people, a few biblical passages are a crazy justification to handle deadly serpents. But I evaluate these kinds of claims through Weiss’ Law of Religious Relativism: Any religion is, by definition, crazy to a nonbeliever.
Jamie Coots, co-star of ‘Snake Salvation,’ dies of a snakebite
By Bob Smietana — February 16, 2014
(RNS) Coots, whose father is also a serpent-handling preacher, was a legendary figure among a small group of Pentecostal believers who practiced the so-called “signs of the gospel” found in Mark 16; among them taking up serpents.
Rick Warren, others, rent theaters for premiere of ‘Son of God’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — February 13, 2014
(RNS) Christian leaders, including megachurch pastors Rick Warren and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, plan to rent every screen in numerous multiplex theaters in 10 cities for the upcoming Jesus film, "Son of God."
Pentecostal pastors in Africa push prayer, not drugs, for people with HIV
By Fredrick Nzwili — December 4, 2013
NAIROBI, Kenya (RNS) At prayer healing services in some Pentecostal churches, pastors invite people infected with HIV to come forward for a public healing, after which they burn the person’s anti-retroviral medications and declare the person cured.
Prosperity gospel televangelist Paul Crouch dead at 79
By Adelle M. Banks — December 1, 2013
(RNS) Paul Crouch, the religious broadcaster who co-founded Trinity Broadcasting Network and was known for his prosperity gospel messages and lavish lifestyle, died Saturday (Nov. 30). He was 79.
Australia’s Hillsong Church exports its influence through praise and preaching
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — November 4, 2013
SYDNEY (RNS) Perhaps most remarkable is that a globally influential church like Hillsong could flourish at all in Australia, where in 2011 nearly a third of Australians said their religious affiliation was either ‘no religion’ or not stated.
Evangelical visits to BYU signal a new evangelical-Mormon detente
By Adelle M. Banks — October 30, 2013
(RNS) After top Southern Baptist and Assemblies of God leaders visited Brigham Young University, is there a detente -- perhaps more practical than theological -- between evangelicals and Mormons?
John MacArthur vs. Mark Driscoll: Megachurch pastors clash over charismatic theology
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 18, 2013
Megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll claims that his books were confiscated at the Strange Fire conference put on by another megachurch John MacArthur.
