Monthly Archives: February 2007
Icons Link Heaven and Earth
By Kellen Henry — February 23, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service HUDSON, Ohio _ Chris Rigby can take her simmering ardor and painstakingly arrange it on wood until a painting emerges. But she’s not an artist. Her teacher said so. “An artist creates work of self-expression,” teacher Dennis Bell said, “but an iconographer feels there’s nothing in his petty little life […]
Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Faith-based Program
By Adelle M. Banks — February 23, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case next week (Feb. 28) on a technical aspect of church-state law that is being closely watched for its potential impact on how government and religious groups relate to one another. The arguments mark the first time the high court will […]
Freedom From Religion; Snooping ministry; a new book from Robert M. Franklin; Icon artist prays and
By RNS Blog Editor — February 23, 2007
Thursday’s RNS report features a report by National Correspondent Adelle M. Banks on the challenge to faith-based programs going before the Supreme Court: The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case next week (Feb. 28) on a technical aspect of church-state law that is being closely watched for its potential implications on how government and […]
Vatican Majesty, in a Thousand Tiny Pieces, on Display in U.S.
By Doug MacCash — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service NEW ORLEANS _ “At long last, here they are,” said Monsignor Crosby W. Kern of the 37 meticulously made glass and marble mosaics that line the rooms of the Old Ursuline Convent in the French Quarter. “I’ve seen them in the Vatican, now here they are in our place.” The […]
Romney Evolves from Left to Right
By RNS Blog Editor — February 22, 2007
Romney Once Tilted Left, Now Right, of Official Mormon Teaching RNS’ Peggy Fletcher Stack examines the shift in presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s positions from liberal Mormonism to a more conservative, evangelical stance, in this week’s full-text article, linked above. Quote: These days, Romney talks like a Southern Baptist. Jesus is his “personal savior,” Romney told […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service AIDS Activist Says Black Church No Longer `Silent’ on Issue WASHINGTON (RNS) Standing at a National Press Club podium, activist Pernessa Seele was rejoicing in the change she has seen in black churches’ response to the AIDS crisis. “No longer can we say the black church is silent,” the founder […]
After 25 Years, a Catholic Warrior Steps Aside
By Daniel Burke — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ In her 25 years as head of Catholics For a Free Choice, some interesting epithets have been hurled at Frances Kissling. The kinds of names _ “confused lionness” and “progressive heretic” to offer a few _ that most people would like to avoid. But Kissling, 62, said she’s […]
Episcopal fasting on gay issues; 10 minutes with Edward Gilbreath; Kissling steps aside; Gay Jews an
By RNS Blog Editor — February 22, 2007
In Wednesday’s RNS report, Katherine Boyle writes that the leader of the Episcopal Church is urging “fasting” on gay issues: Responding to a mandate from the worldwide Anglican Communion, the top leader of the Episcopal Church has called for a moratorium on the blessing of same-sex civil unions and the consecration of gay and lesbian […]
Top Episcopal Bishop Urges `Fasting’ on Gay Issues
By John Boyle — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ Responding to demands from the worldwide Anglican Communion, the top bishop in the Episcopal Church on Tuesday (Feb. 21) called for a halt to blessing same-sex unions and consecrating openly gay and lesbian bishops. But it is unclear whether Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori intends for the […]
COMMENTARY: How Low Can We Go?
By Phyllis Zagano — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service (UNDATED) The recent nastiness zinging among Catholic League President Bill Donohue, Fox pundit Bill O’Reilly and presidential candidate John Edwards’ erstwhile “progressive” bloggers spotlights a new low in civil discourse. Low-blow commentary was caused _ and in some respects matched _ by Web site trash-talk about Catholicism posted by 20-something […]
After 25 Years, a Catholic Warrior Steps Aside
By Daniel Burke — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service WASHINGTON _ In her 25 years as head of Catholics For a Free Choice, some interesting epithets have been hurled at Frances Kissling. The kinds of names _ “confused lionness” and “progressive heretic” to offer a few _ that most people would like to avoid. But Kissling, 62, said she’s […]
10 Minutes With … Edward Gilbreath
By RNS Blog Editor — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service (UNDATED) Edward Gilbreath, an editor-at-large at Christianity Today magazine and editor of Today’s Christian magazine, calls his new book “Reconciliation Blues: A Black Evangelical’s Inside View of White Christianity.” Gilbreath, 37, spoke about being a distinct minority in many evangelicalsettings, the state of race relations within evangelicalism and how politics […]
Oy Gay! Gay Jews See a Coming-Out Story in Purim’s Heroine
By Nicole Neroulias — February 22, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service (UNDATED) As a child, Idit Klein celebrated Purim by wearing homemade gowns and tiaras to play the beautiful Queen Esther. She fantasized about how she, like the heroine who dangerously confessed her faith to save her fellow Jews in ancient Persia, could have somehow rescued her relatives from the Holocaust. […]
RNS Weekly Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 21, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service Church Leaders Visit Tehran in Hopes of Defusing Nuclear Tensions WASHINGTON (RNS) A delegation of 13 U.S. Christian leaders is in Iran this week (Feb. 17-25) to meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to foster dialogue between Iran and the U.S. and promote a diplomatic solution to tensions between the […]
RNS Daily Digest
By RNS Blog Editor — February 21, 2007
c. 2007 Religion News Service Commission Denies Press Reports of Moving Anglicans Under the Pope ROME (RNS) An Anglican-Catholic commission has warned that doctrinal disputes within the Anglican Communion are an obstacle to unity between the two churches. An upcoming report by the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission lays out areas of […]
