Monthly Archives: May 2011
Muslims wait for signs of change from Obama
By Tracy Gordon — May 19, 2011
(RNS) Officially, President Obama was talking to the Muslim world in his State Department speech on Thursday (May 19), but U.S. Muslims were equally interested in how their faith will be treated in a post-Osama bin Laden era. U.S. Muslims tuned in hoping for clear direction from Obama on America’s plans for the unrest in […]
First lady seeks help for military families
By Tracy Gordon — May 19, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) First lady Michelle Obama has asked religious leaders to join her initiative to assist military families by increasing programs to support veterans and the families of military members deployed far from home. “The faith community has been a strong bedrock for me as first lady,” she told religious and community organization leaders on […]
It’s the end of the world as they know it, and atheists feel fine
By Tracy Gordon — May 19, 2011
(RNS) Harold Camping’s campaign to warn Christians that the rapture is coming on Saturday (May 21) may have won him a band of followers, especially among those who have reportedly quit jobs or used up their life savings. But Camping’s acolytes may pale in comparison to the number of atheists and agnostics who are outraged […]
Exhibit highlights Hindu `Blue-Skinned Savior’
By Tracy Gordon — May 19, 2011
NASHVILLE (RNS) In Hindu tradition, Lord Vishnu shows up in many forms. There’s Prince Rama, who killed the demon Ravana; Vamana the dwarf; Parashurama the vengeful; and Matsya the great fish. Then there’s Varasha, the boar who saved the world. “He’s like a superhero,” said Joan Cummins of the Brooklyn Museum in New York City […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: A solution in search of a problem
By Tracy Gordon — May 19, 2011
NEW YORK (RNS) A discriminatory and wholly unfounded idea is taking root in state legislatures across the country: attempts to pass laws that would explicitly and unnecessarily ban state courts from applying or even considering Islamic, or Shariah, law. One of the first, and worst, of these was a state constitutional amendment approved last year […]
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — May 19, 2011
U.S. Catholic bishops, as we told you yesterday, released a 350-page study on the “causes and context” of the abuse scandal by researchers at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the verdict seems to be: blame the ’60s. Victims’ groups dismiss the conclusions, saying the blame lies with the church hierarchy. Researchers say their […]
Celibacy and sexual abuse
By Mark Silk — May 19, 2011
Those on the Catholic left are not very happy that the Jay Report declines in no uncertain terms to blame clerical celibacy for the sexual abuse crisis. As the report puts it: Factors that remained consistent over this time period, such as celibacy, do not explain the sexual abuse “crisis.” Celibacy has been constant in […]
Bishops at center of abuse scandal, and potential reform
By Tracy Gordon — May 18, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) A sweeping new report on the clergy sex abuse scandal compares the Roman Catholic Church to police departments, with similar hierarchies, moral authority and isolated working environments. And because the church, like the police, has “historically `policed itself,”‘ as the report says, some lay Catholics and victims’ advocates say even a stack of […]
Amnesty International chides Vatican for abuse
By Tracy Gordon — May 18, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Amnesty International has criticized the Vatican for falling short of its commitments to protect children from sex abuse. “The Holy See did not sufficiently comply with its international obligations relating to the protection of children,” the human rights group said in its latest annual report, released on Friday (May 13). “Increasing evidence […]
Israel removes land mines from site of Jesus’ baptism
By Tracy Gordon — May 18, 2011
QASR EL YAHUD, West Bank (RNS/ENInews) Pilgrims are flowing back to the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism on the Jordan River as Israel removes 40-year-old land mines and makes improvements to the area. “It is a very sensitive place politically and religiously and is of importance to both Christians and Jews,” said Lt. Col. Ofer […]
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup
By Kevin Eckstrom — May 18, 2011
U.S. Catholic bishops today will unveil the long-awaited “causes and contexts” study on the Catholic sex abuse scandal. Our sneak peak is here (bottom line: can’t blame the gays, or celibacy for the scandal), and NYT has their take here, and the Boston Globe, where it all began, is here. Chewing over what it all […]
GUEST COMMENTARY: True reform would start with `I’m sorry’
By Tracy Gordon — May 18, 2011
(RNS) The Vatican has given the world’s Catholic bishops one year to set policies for handling allegations of child abuse, including reporting to police where required by local law. And on Wednesday (May 18), the U.S. bishops released a 300-page report on the “causes and context” of the abuse scandal here at home. Critics cite […]
Religion News LLC acquires Religion News Service
By Religion News LLC — May 18, 2011
New nonprofit news venture to expand and enhance coverage of religion nationwide with support from Lilly Endowment.
Gay priests the solution, not the problem
By Mark Silk — May 18, 2011
That’s the big news out of the John Jay College Final Report on the sexual abuse of minors by Catholic priests, due out at 2 p.m. today, according to David Gibson’s scoop for RNS last night (followed swiftly by NYT’s Laurie Goodstein, who also scored a copy). To wit: [T]he researchers found no statistical evidence […]
RNS Exclusive: Report spreads blame for Catholic sex abuse
By Tracy Gordon — May 18, 2011
NEW YORK (RNS) Nearly a decade after revelations of widespread sexual abuse of minors rocked the Catholic Church in the U.S., a comprehensive report on the scandal is set for release on Wednesday (May 18), hoping to provide answers about a crisis that has raised myriad questions despite years of attention. Was celibacy to blame […]
