Monthly Archives: February 2005
NEWS STORY: Bush Budget Would Fund Private, Religious Schools
By Bruce Alpert — February 24, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Early in his first term, President Bush proposed a plan to provide federally financed vouchers to give low-income parents across the nation the option of sending their children to private schools, including religious ones. Faced with strong opposition from Democrats and teachers unions, Bush settled for a $13 […]
COMMENTARY: Secret Tapes Suggest Young Bush Was No Saint
By RNS Blog Editor — February 24, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The evidence would seem to suggest that President Bush tried reefer as a young man. Well, there goes his chance for a third term. We refer of course to the secret tapes of Gov. Bush, made by an old pal, Doug Wead _ who, by some odd turn of […]
COMMENTARY: Best-selling `God’s Politics’ Creates Opportunity for Evangelical Center
By RNS Blog Editor — February 24, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Evangelical left leader Jim Wallis has hit The New York Times best-seller list and the national talk shows with his new book, “God’s Politics.” All this has triggered even more conversation about the role of religious values in American politics. I met Wallis in the early 1990s when I […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 24, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Ailing Pope Conducts General Audience by Video-Conference for First Time VATICAN CITY (RNS) For the first time ever, an ailing Pope John Paul II has conducted his weekly general audience by video-conference. The 84-year-old pontiff had been scheduled to greet pilgrims from his open study window overlooking St. Peter’s Square […]
NEWS STORY: World Council of Churches Endorses Divestment From Israel
By RNS Blog Editor — February 23, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The World Council of Churches has urged its 347 member denominations to give “serious consideration” to pulling investments out of Israel in protest of what it sees as mistreatment of Palestinians. In calling for church-sponsored “economic pressure,” the WCC on Monday (Feb. 21) gave strong support for last year’s […]
NEWS STORY: Reversing Historic Model, Missionary From Global South Evangelizes West
By RNS Blog Editor — February 23, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) For centuries, Western missionaries have tried to spread the gospel abroad. The Rev. George Kovoor could be called a reverse missionary, because he is an Indian citizen evangelizing Western countries. His style of mission also reverses traditional mission work. Instead of fiery preaching and mass conversions, Kovoor, 47, shares […]
Pope Releases New Book, Jewish Groups Protest Holocaust Reference
By RNS Blog Editor — February 23, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service ROME _ In a new book, Pope John Paul II reflects on the “ideologies of evil” in the forms of Nazism, Communism and abortion and reveals that he believed he was dying when he was rushed to a hospital after an attempt on his life in 1981. The pope also […]
NEWS FEATURE: College Class on U2 Explores Religious Influence of a Rock Band
By RNS Blog Editor — February 23, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. _ Dwarfed by a giant bank of TV monitors, the rock star Bono gyrates across the arena stage _ a dancing shaman channeling the ecstasy of thousands of U2 fans. “In waves of regret, in waves of joy, I reached for the one I tried to destroy,” […]
COMMENTARY: God’s Chorus Has Many Diverse Voices
By Tom Ehrich — February 23, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Standing discreetly in back, I watch the last 20 minutes of my 13-year-old son’s orchestra rehearsal. Here is what I see: I see boys and girls ranging in age from 8 to 16, several different ethnic backgrounds, different schools, different levels of talent and concentration _ all bending their […]
RNS Religion Research Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service Survey Indicates Support for Stem Cell Research (RNS) Three out of four Americans say they support or might be able to support embryonic stem cell research, according to a recent survey. “The issue of stem cell research isn’t going to go away,” said Pam Solo, president of the Civil Society […]
NEWS STORY: Catholic Bishops Report 1,092 New Abuse Allegations in 2004
By Kein Eckstrom — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ More than 1,000 people alleged abuse at the hands of 756 Catholic clergy in 2004, the nation’s Catholic bishops said Friday (Feb. 18), a sign that the three-year abuse scandal continues to rock the church. In addition, officials said various dioceses paid $157.8 million for abuse settlements, therapy […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service `Black Contract’ On Moral Values Aims At Wide Swath of Christians WASHINGTON (RNS) An African-American pastor who recently unveiled the “Black Contract With America on Moral Values” said Friday (Feb. 18) that he hopes to collect a million signatures of Christians from a variety of backgrounds by the end of […]
NEWS ANALYSIS: Churches Welcome Easing of Violence, Remain Cautious About Middle East Peace
By RNS Blog Editor — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) U.S. religious leaders are cautiously optimistic about chances for what a Catholic bishop called “a just peace” in the Middle East following the recent summit meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas. Bishop John H. Ricard said actions taken at the summit to “end […]
NEWS FEATURE: Professor Traces Gospel Singing Style of African-Americans to Scotland
By RNS Blog Editor — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) When 10 members of the all-black choir at Mount Zion Church in Killen, Ala., flew to Scotland in January on their first overseas trip, they were treated like long-lost family members. “They really, really loved us,” recalled the Rev. Docary Ingram, pastor of the Presbyterian congregation in northwest Alabama’s […]
COMMENTARY: No Child Left Unethical
By Richard Allen — February 19, 2005
c. 2005 Religion News Service (UNDATED) President Bush is pushing not one but two values agendas. The first, creating a morally self-confident electorate, was evident in his successful re-election campaign. The president presented himself as the candidate most committed to traditional families, faith and personal responsibility. He urged us to vote our values proudly. The […]
