science
Pastor perseveres despite autism diagnosis
By Kathleen Poliquin — July 10, 2012
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (RNS) In 2009, when he was an associate pastor at Abundant Life Christian Center, Henry Clarke finally faced the puzzle that was his life. He took a test he found online. While the results were a revelation, it was still a devastating diagnosis. By Kathleen Polinquin.
COMMENTARY: Finding faith in America’s most secular city
By Tom Ehrich — July 3, 2012
(RNS) In Seattle, which is is arguably the nation's most secular city, people found the core meaning of an incarnate faith: people loving each other. As religion struggles with who is allowed in, these church avoiders have opened their lives to each other. By Tom Ehrich.
Richard Dawkins says he’s not entirely sure God doesn’t exist
By Tracy Gordon — February 24, 2012
LONDON (RNS) A controversial Oxford University professor billed by many as the world's ``most famous atheist'' now says he is not 100 percent sure that God doesn't exist _ but just barely. By Al Webb.
In Galileo’s hometown, Vatican promotes science
By Tracy Gordon — February 2, 2012
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Four centuries after the Roman Catholic Church branded Galileo a heretic for positing that the sun was the center of the universe, the Vatican is co-hosting a major science exhibition in Galileo's hometown. By Alessandro Speciale.
New saint’s work started small, left big legacy
By Tiffany McCallen — January 10, 2012
(RNS) Barbara Koob moved from Utica, N.Y., to nearby Syracuse in the summer of 1862, when she was 24, to enter the convent of the Sisters of St. Francis. Twenty-one years later, the woman the world now knows as Saint Marianne Cope left Syracuse to work as a missionary among the lepers in Hawaii. Even […]
Thursday Godbytes: Church of File Sharing; Santorum’s Jewish Fraternity?; Fun With Spellcheck
By Jack Jenkins — January 6, 2012
Digital file sharing is now a sacred activity…In Sweden. The Missionary Church of Kopimism (yes, that’s “Copy Me-ism”) is now officially recognized as a religion in Sweden. The group asserts “communication is sacred,” and uses “Ctrl+C” and “Ctrl+V” as holy symbols. It was also reportedly created to provide legal protection for file sharers, although that […]
Friday’s Religion News Roundup: Gay KKK, Vatican porn and no Midnight Mass in Iraq
By Kevin Eckstrom — December 23, 2011
Chicago’s Cardinal Francis George – never a man afraid to say exactly what he’s thinking – says “gay liberation” forces are now as big a threat to the Catholic Church as the KKK once was. And the other guy who isn’t afraid to say what’s on his mind – Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow – […]
Church says N.Y. woman is source of sainthood miracle
By Tracy Gordon — December 21, 2011
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (RNS) A 65-year-old woman from Chittenango, N.Y., was inexplicably healed of pancreatitis in 2005, Catholic leaders say, and is the source of the second miracle that will make Blessed Mother Marianne Cope a new U.S. saint. “I’m very happy to be here and I thank the Lord,” Sharon Smith said Tuesday (Dec. 20) […]
Tuesday Godbytes: (Mis)spelling Hanukkah; Merry Christmas in Klingon; Rob Bell’s Grammar
By Jack Jenkins — December 21, 2011
Today marks the first day of the eight-day Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. It also marks the beginning of a struggle journalists and bloggers know well – how do you actually spell Hanukkah? God only knows, right? Actually no. Apparently God doesn’t. Someone even wrote a song about it. (It’s ×Â?× ×Â?×Â?×Â?, by the way) Speaking of […]
Pope certifies miracles for two U.S. saints
By Tracy Gordon — December 20, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A 17th-century Native American woman who cared for the sick and elderly, and a Catholic nun who worked with lepers in Hawaii, are on the verge of becoming the newest American saints, after Pope Benedict XVI certified miracles due to their intercession, the Vatican announced Monday (Dec 19). The decrees concerned Kateri […]
On Dec. 25, Atheists celebrate a different birthday
By Tracy Gordon — December 16, 2011
(RNS) Deck those halls with boughs of apples and top that tree with a finger puppet of Sir Isaac Newton. At least that’s what Robin Zebrowski does at her home in Beloit, Wis., where she and her husband, Joshua, observe the birthday of the great 17th-century English scientist and mathematician, Dec. 25, 1642. They send […]
Poll suggests believers can be swayed on nukes, environment
By Tracy Gordon — December 8, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Most Americans believers do not see preventing climate change or the spread of nuclear weapons as “spiritual obligations,” although they see both as important goals, according to a new poll. Among respondents who said they believe in God or in “spiritual obligations for behavior,” the importance of these issues ranked far behind reducing […]
UPDATE: N.J. hospital agrees not to force nurses to assist in abortions
By Tracy Gordon — December 6, 2011
NEWARK, N.J. (RNS) A teaching hospital will hire additional staff to help perform abortions after a group of nurses claimed they were forced to participate in the procedures despite religious objections. “No nurse is compelled to have direct involvement in a procedure to which she or he objects based on his/her cultural values, ethics and/or […]
Friday Godbytes
By Jack Jenkins — December 3, 2011
If you’re anything like me, you’ve been wracking your brain to figure out whether modern-day American Christmas traditions are anything like 18th-century Christmas services. What, you’re not like me? WeirdâÂ?¦Well, anyway, history.org has a whole webpage on just this topic in case you need your 18th century Christmas fix! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is […]
Sexual abusers hard to profile or predict
By Tracy Gordon — November 17, 2011
(RNS) The grand jury report reads like a textbook profile of child sexual abuse. Jerry Sandusky, former assistant football coach at Penn State, allegedly bought one boy golf clubs and a computer, took him swimming at a hotel pool, wrestled with him and invited him to sleepovers at his home before sexually assaulting him, the […]
