Evangelical icon David Wilkerson, founder of New York’s Times Square Church and Teen Challenge anti-drug programs and author of “The Cross and the Switchblade” was killed in a car accident in eastern Texas (photo at left).

Over at Christian Broadcasting Network, David Brody is continuing the lovefest for The Donald because “he FORCED this White House into releasing the birth certificate.” The Southern Baptists’ Richard Land, meanwhile, calls birthers “irrational and a little imbalanced.”

The always charismatic Father Michael Pfleger has been suspended in Chicago for declining a transfer to a Catholic high school; Pfleger, you’ll remember, caused headaches for his pal Barack Obama for mocking rival Hillary Clinton in the primaries.

And here’s another reason why POTUS will likely never find a permanent church in DC: the pastor of the church he visited on Easter Sunday has received 100+ threats after Sean Hannity broadcast clips of a speech in which the pastor said Jim Crow “doesn’t have to wear white robes anymore because now he can wear the protective cover of talk radio or can get a regular news program on Fox.”

CNN says Christian groups forming a “circle of protection” around the poor are getting blowback from the right. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich sketched his journey to Rome at yesterday’s National Catholic Prayer Breakfast.

That guy in Iowa who gave up all food except beer for Lent made it through, and broke his fast with a … wait for it! … bacon smoothie. CT explores why evangelicals are so in love with Amish romance novels.

A group of New Jersey Muslims is suing over thwarted plans to convert a vacant hotel complex into a mosque. In Tennessee, the ACLU is complaining about aggressive Christian proselytism in three public schools in Sumner County.

A new study in the journal Cancer says religious Americans — particularly black religious Americans — are more likely to deplete their bank accounts in search of treatments to prolong life.

United Methodists are giving $50,000 to make up for the sins of a Methodist minister who slaughtered Native Americans in Colorado in 1864. In New Orleans, where they just can’t catch a break, relief groups are tearing up post-Katrina houses that were built using toxic Chinese drywall.

JP2’s longtime photographer says he always knew the pontiff had the makings of a saint. One of only four surviving cardinals from the 1978 conclave that elected JP2 says he always knew the Polish pope was a “genius.” NPR has a gallery of “blesseds” who haven’t yet been declared saints: anyone remember Mother Teresa?

A Mexican boy claims he was healed of leukemia after a kiss from JP2; the healing, however, won’t count towards JP2’s sainthood cause because it occurred before his death. WaPo’s E.J. Dionne thinks the Vatican should hurry up and make John XXIII* a saint already.

Norway is offering to spend about $2.5 million for infant circumcisions to make sure they’re done correctly; don’t tell the folks in San Francisco.

* An earlier version of this post incorrectly said Dionne was advocating for JP2’s sainthood. Mea culpa.