science
Nurses say they were forced to assist in abortions
By Tracy Gordon — November 16, 2011
NEWARK, N.J. (RNS) Twelve nurses on Monday (Nov. 14) accused the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey of abruptly forcing them to assist in abortion cases, despite religious and moral objections to the procedures. “In October, we were suddenly confronted with a choice between our faith and our jobs,” said Fe Esperanza Racpan […]
COMMENTARY: What did Steve Jobs see at the end?
By Tracy Gordon — November 3, 2011
(RNS) In my daily readings of Leo Tolstoy and George MacDonald, one thought from each converged with the other. It reminded me of an old conversation with the late great Norman Mailer, and of the late great Steve Job’s final words. From Tolstoy: “We have measured the earth, the stars, and the depths of the […]
Congress considers conscience rights in health care
By Tracy Gordon — November 2, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Catholic and other Christian health care providers got their day in Congress Wednesday (Nov. 2) at a hearing Republicans called to denounce an Obama administration rule that requires insurers to cover contraception. The rule, part of the health care reform bill passed last year, is scheduled to take effect next August, and mandate […]
Penn Jillette’s 10 Commandments for atheists
By Tracy Gordon — October 27, 2011
(RNS) In his new book, “God, No!” atheist magician Penn Jillette tells how he was challenged by conservative radio host Glenn Beck to come up with an atheist’s version of The Ten Commandments. “I wanted to see how many of the ideas that many people think are handed down from (G)od really make sense to […]
Friday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — October 14, 2011
The NYT takes a stroll down Memory Lane into Michele Bachmann‘s formative years in constitutional law at Oral Roberts University. CNN takes a look at the Presidential Prayer Team which, curiously, costs $30,000 a month to operate. Let’s say you’re Rick Perry and one of your big backers called your opponent’s Mormon faith a “cult.” […]
Epitaph for Steve Jobs: Too great to be good?
By Tracy Gordon — October 13, 2011
NEW YORK (RNS) The death of Apple founder and creative genius Steve Jobs has prompted the kind of veneration usually reserved for saints, inspired by his almost religious idealism and the lofty goals he had for technology and himself. Not to mention the flat-out awesomeness of his products. Everything about Apple and Jobs seemed to […]
Rabbis stand in solidarity with burned mosque
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) More than a thousand rabbis from around the world have signed a statement denouncing the burning of an Israeli mosque as police arrested a suspect who is alleged to be a Jewish extremist. “We condemn those in Israel who exacerbate conflict and strife, and who insist that only one people or religion belongs […]
Humanists denied a spot in cancer fundraising relay
By Tracy Gordon — September 30, 2011
Friday Godbytes
By Jack Jenkins — September 23, 2011
Southerners have been debating it for years: is mustard based superior to catsup based? (of course not) Is vinegar based the grandest of them all? (clearly, no) That’s right – we’re talking about barbecue. And not your silly Northeast “barbecue” (if you’re just cooking burgers, ladies and gentlemen, that is properly referred to as a […]
Poll finds evangelicals stand apart on evolution, climate change
By Tracy Gordon — September 22, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) White evangelicals and Tea Party members are less likely to believe in evolution and climate change than most Americans, a finding that could pose a particular problem for Republican presidential hopefuls. A new poll released Thursday (Sept. 22) also showed that a majority of Americans (57 percent) believes in evolution, and an even […]
Atheists press to ban creationism from U.K. schools
By Tracy Gordon — September 20, 2011
LONDON (RNS) A group of 30 leading scientists, including a Nobel laureate and a prominent atheist professor, are pressing the British government to ban all teaching of creationism in the nation’s publicly funded schools. The scientists delivered a petition to the coalition government of Prime Minister David Cameron as part of a new campaign to […]
Wednesday Godbytes
By Jack Jenkins — September 14, 2011
Christian blogger Chad Estes wonders how Jesus would evangelize on college campuses. Apparently, megaphones are out: “I watched a ten minute video today titled ‘Caring for the Lost Students of Vanderbilt University.’ It was the day of a big football game and all the frat houses on campus there in Nashville were having game-day parties. […]
German court says Catholic hospital must rehire divorced doctor
By Tracy Gordon — September 9, 2011
BERLIN (RNS) A divorced doctor fired from his job at a Catholic hospital because he married another woman should be reinstated, a German court ruled Thursday (Sept. 8). The ruling by Germany’s highest labor court means that church organizations may fire someone if they are found not living up to church standards, but only if […]
Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Lauren Markoe — August 30, 2011
Security forces killed at least seven people in Syria as they emerged from a mosque after prayers marking the end of Ramadan, according to activists. The sculptor of the controversial statue of the late Pope John Paul II that now stands at Rome’s main train station says he’s open to making minor changes in the […]
`King Arthur’ fights the law, and the law wins
By Tracy Gordon — August 24, 2011
LONDON (RNS) A self-styled druid who likens himself to a king in ancient Britain has lost his bid to rebury a set of prehistoric human remains at a sacred pagan burial site. John Timothy Rothwell — who changed his name to King Arthur Pendragon in court documents — lost his court battle to win custody […]
