Monthly Archives: January 2011
Update: Fla. pastor formally banned from U.K.
By Tracy Gordon — January 21, 2011
LONDON (RNS) A Florida pastor who sparked fury when he threatened to burn a pile of Qurans on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has been officially banned from Britain for preaching religious extremism. The British government announced Thursday (Jan. 20) that it had issued the exclusion order against Pastor Terry Jones, who had been […]
Americans give poor marks to the state of our moral union
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
(RNS) As President Obama prepared to assess the state of the union, three out of four Americans grade the country’s moral climate at a “C” or below, according to a new poll released on Jan. 20. The PRRI/RNS Religion News Poll found that Americans cite partisan noise from cable, talk radio, blogs and the Tea […]
After Election Day fire, church sees glimmers of hope in rebuilding
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (RNS) There is a roof, four walls, windows and doors, and a concrete floor. Eventually all the ornamentation and decor will be in place, but for now the interior of the rebuilt Macedonia Church of God in Christ is a maze of 2-by-4 frames and exposed electrical wires. Workers are pounding nails, hanging […]
COMMENTARY: Is religion making a comeback?
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
(RNS) Is religion the new comeback kid? Since the 1960s my work has involved understanding faith and culture and interpreting each for the other. If there is one consistent theme over those years, it has been that most Americans are very comfortable describing themselves as “spiritual,” but definitely do not want to be described as […]
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — January 20, 2011
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley apologized “if I offended anyone in any way” after he said non-Christians are “not my brothers and sisters” just hours after taking the oath of office. President Obama rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Hu Jintao at an official State Dinner last night, but only after Hu admitted “a […]
My brothers, my sisters
By Mark Silk — January 20, 2011
“All men are brothers” is an assertion of our common humanity. So it seemed like a rejection of it for Alabama’s newly elected governor to restrict his own brotherhood to fellow Christians–or, more accurately, to fellow evangelicals. When you say, as Gov. Robert Bentley did, “Anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as […]
Ala. governor off to `rocky start’ with Jews, Muslims
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
(RNS) Jewish and Muslim groups want to know if they have a place in Alabama after Gov. Robert Bentley, just hours into office, said people who have not accepted Jesus as their savior are not his “brothers and sisters.” “Gov. Bentley certainly has a right to believe whatever he wants to believe religiously, and should […]
Vatican tries to tamp down abuse letter to Irish bishops
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The Vatican on Wednesday (Jan. 19) tried to tamp down allegations a controversial 1997 letter to Irish bishops was meant to discourage prelates from reporting sexual abuse cases to police or prosecutors. The Vatican’s top spokesman said the letter from the Vatican’s ambassador to Ireland was meant to ensure the application of […]
Catholic bishops won’t support repeal of health care law
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
WASHINGTON(RNS) The U.S. Catholic bishops will not join efforts to repeal the new health care law, even though they staunchly opposed the bill last year after concluding it permits federally funded abortions. Instead of pushing repeal, the bishops said Tuesday (Jan. 18) they will devote their energy “to correcting serious moral problems in the current […]
Update: Innkeepers found guilty for turning away gay couple
By Tracy Gordon — January 20, 2011
LONDON (RNS) Two Christian innkeepers have been convicted of sexual discrimination for refusing to allow a gay couple to share a double room at their hotel in Cornwall, England. Peter and Hazelmary Bull also were ordered by the Bristol County court to pay 3,600 pounds (about $5,700) for turning civil partners Martyn Hall and Steven […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — January 19, 2011
As the House prepares to vote today on repealing last year’s health care law, religious groups are signing petitions and rallying to support/oppose the mammoth legislation. The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, wrote Congress a long letter outlining the bishops’ priorities, but didn’t take a position on the repeal. […]
Muslim countries cited on religious freedom
By Tracy Gordon — January 19, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) The New Year’s Day massacre at a Coptic church in Egypt. Christian converts facing the death penalty in Afghanistan. Swastikas painted on a Jewish synagogue in Venezuela. As the headlines deliver fresh stories of the persecution of the faithful, two recent reports by watchdog groups and a new book take a fresh look […]
10 Minutes with … Jay Bakker
By Tracy Gordon — January 19, 2011
(RNS) When Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s PTL ministry and Heritage USA theme park crashed and burned in the 1980s, their son Jay was sent into a dizzying downward spiral of drugs, alcohol and running from God. Now the pastor of an alternative church in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jay Bakker’s new book, “Fall to Grace” probes […]
COMMENTARY: Faith, family and failure
By Cathleen Falsani — January 19, 2011
(RNS) As HBO’s “Big Love” heads into its fifth and final season, series creators Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer are turning their attention back to the bread-and-butter themes that have made their show so compelling: faith and family. Gone are the non sequitur plot turns of last year’s frenetic season (that included, improbably, black […]
Ala. governor says only Christians are his `brothers and sisters’
By Tracy Gordon — January 19, 2011
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (RNS) Newly sworn-in Gov. Robert Bentley said he plans to be the governor of all Alabamians and be color-blind, but also said that people who aren’t “saved” Christians aren’t his brothers and sisters. Bentley told a large crowd on Monday (Jan. 17) at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church that he believed it […]
