Monday’s Religion News Roundup

As authorities (and many Americans) search for answers following Saturday’s deadly rampage in Arizona, CNN reports on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Jewish faith; prayers were offered at her synagogue. Fred “God Hates Fags” Phelps plans to protest the funerals in Arizona and claims that Giffords was shot for supporting a law to limit his protests. “That’s […]

As authorities (and many Americans) search for answers following Saturday’s deadly rampage in Arizona, CNN reports on Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ Jewish faith; prayers were offered at her synagogue. Fred “God Hates Fags” Phelps plans to protest the funerals in Arizona and claims that Giffords was shot for supporting a law to limit his protests. “That’s how God the Avenger rolls!” he says (h/t: Cathy Grossman).

A long-running standoff between an independent-minded Polish Catholic church in St. Louis and a hierarchy wrestling to control it goes to trial today. An Ohio arbitrator says the public school science teacher who burned crosses into his students’ arms should be fired.

Facing a backlash from conservatives, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has ordered changes to a proposal to remove the terms “mother” and “father” from passport applications. In another case closely tracked by conservatives, an appeals court said the Texas attorney general can’t intervene in the divorce of two women married in Massachusetts, but didn’t settle the question of whether they’re still married or not.


The Vatican is knocking down reports by Entertainment Weekly that it is cooperating with the Discovery Channel on a series about exorcists. Also from NCR: reports on the pope’s annual address to diplomats, where he returned to theme of religious persecution, especially persecution aimed at Christians.

Hoping to avoid the hero’s welcome an alleged assassin received at last week’s court hearing, authorities in Pakistan sneaked into court the man suspected of killing Punjab’s governor for his opposition to anti-blasphemy laws. The suspect, Mumtaz Qadri, provided the names of the radical Islamic clerics who inspired his assassination.

A year after Haiti’s devastating earthquake, the head of the country’s Catholic bishops says his nation feels “abandoned” and forgotten by the world. Sudanese in the predominantly Christian south began voting on a proposed independence referendum.

“Left Behind” star and outspoken Christian Kirk Cameron says birds falling out of the sky isn’t a sign of the apocalypse. A Super Bowl ad that showed a priest dispensing Doritos and Pepsi instead of bread and wine has been axed.

For you culture vultures, Seattle writer Nicole Hardy traces the trials and travails of being a Mormon virgin, and Brooklyn’s Noah Rosenberg remembers his career as a wedding officiant ordained online by the Universal Life Church.

A racy calendar put together by a group of young Catholics — most of them nearly nude in recreated scenes from Passion weekis raising eyebrows in Spain. Three Scottish football (soccer) officials have been reinstated after sending an offensive (and not terribly creative) email about the pope.


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