Monthly Archives: March 2011
Excommunicated priest now faces explusion
By Tracy Gordon — March 31, 2011
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) The Rev. Roy Bourgeois, the Louisiana native and peace activist who was excommunicated three years ago for publicly supporting women’s ordination, now faces expulsion from his religious order and from the priesthood. Bourgeois and Mike Virgintino, a spokesman for the Maryknolls, a missionary order of priests, confirmed that “with much sadness” the […]
Catholic bishops censure feminist theologian’s book
By Tracy Gordon — March 31, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops condemned a book by Sister Elizabeth Johnson, a prominent feminist theologian, charging that her attempts to forge new understandings of God depart from traditional Catholic theology. The bishops’ Committee on Doctrine on Wednesday (March 30) said Johnson’s 2007 book, “Quest for the Living God: Mapping Frontiers in […]
Showtime soap opera features history’s bad-boy Borgia pope
By Tracy Gordon — March 31, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Modern popes have had their fans and detractors, but few would dispute their reputations for personal virtue. That’s partly why the five most recent pontiffs — including John Paul II, who will be beatified on May 1 — are under formal consideration for sainthood. But as the new television show “The Borgias” […]
COMMENTARY: As we forgive those who trespass against us …
By Tracy Gordon — March 31, 2011
(RNS) How do I forgive those who have wronged me? Can I restore a relationship with someone who has deeply hurt me? Can ethnic groups set aside centuries of grievances and warring ways? Can the proverbial lion lay down with the lamb? My friend Marty composed the music for the most successful game franchise in […]
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — March 31, 2011
The worst of the Great Recession may be over for some churches, according to a new survey. Forty-three percent of churches reported a rise in contributions last year; 39 percent saw a decline. Both are improvements over 2009. Someone dropped a $30,000 lottery ticket in the collection plate of a Maryland church. The House voted […]
The Right to Build Mosques
By Mark Silk — March 31, 2011
Relying on Associate (not Chief) Justice Joseph Story‘s recasting of the First Amendment’s approach to religious establishment and free exercise, the American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer is continuing to press his case that the Framers merely intended the clauses to keep Christian sects from fighting amongst each other, and that therefore Muslims have no First […]
Best. Sermon. Ever.
By Daniel Burke — March 31, 2011
Jews pressure Facebook over Palestinian page
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
(RNS) Facebook shut down a “Third Palestinian Intifada” page and similar groups this week, prompted by complaints from Jewish groups that the content had crossed the line from free speech to violent incitement. The campaign has raised questions about whether Facebook should be used to facilitate some popular uprisings but not others, and even whether […]
Report: Small churches feeling financial squeeze
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
(RNS) Almost all U.S. churches witnessed a change in the financial giving they received in 2010 compared to 2009, with smaller churches feeling the squeeze but larger churches faring relatively better, according to a new report. Only 12 percent of churches reported unchanged giving from 2009, according to the State of the Plate survey released […]
Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to read KJV Bible over Holy Week
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
LONDON (RNS/ENInews) William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre will mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible with a cover-to-cover reading between Palm Sunday and Easter Monday. Twenty actors will take part in the reading, which is scheduled to take 69 hours over eight days. They will recite all 1,189 chapters of the historic Bible in […]
The Religious Newt
By Mark Silk — March 30, 2011
Amy Sullivan, may her blog posts increase, has a fine one up on Swampland explaining why the Gingrichian outreach to evangelicals is likely to go nowhere. Among other things, the guy seems incapable of showing remorse (read: repentance) for his well-known sins (ah, those adulteries), and unaware that evangelicals really like to be told your […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Daniel Burke — March 30, 2011
Senate Democrats held what they billed as the first-ever congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims. The hearing was notably different in tone and substance from the one held by House Republicans earlier this month, which explored homegrown Islamic radicalism. In an interesting exchange, Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who convened the hearing, […]
For Mormons, what does `follow the Prophet’ really mean?
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) Mormon President Thomas S. Monson, his two right-hand men and 12 apostles will take to the podium at this weekend's (April 2-3) General Conference and offer sermons that many Mormons will treat like faxes from God. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints consider these 15 men “prophets, […]
Religious freedom envoy tries for a second time
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Obama administration’s nominee to oversee international religious freedom returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday (March 29) in her second bid to charm senators who have doubts about her lack of experience. “The life and professional background I offer to this position are unique,” the Rev. Suzan Johnson Cook told members of the […]
In Senate Muslim hearings, a decided change in tone
By Tracy Gordon — March 30, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) It was billed as the first-ever congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims. But it played more like an Act II than a premiere. In many ways, the hearing led by Senate Democrats on Tuesday (March 29) was the dramatic antithesis of one House Republicans held earlier this month on homegrown […]
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