Monthly Archives: April 2012
Analysis: Is Pope Ratzinger suffering from the 7-year itch?
WASHINGTON (RNS) As Pope Benedict XVI marks the seventh anniversary of his papacy with a crackdown on American nuns, many Catholics are wondering if the pontiff is finally becoming the papal enforcer that some feared – and others hoped – he was elected in 2005. By David Gibson.
Little-known Swedenborg gets fresh look in new book
WASHINGTON (RNS) What do famous thinkers such as William Blake, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Helen Keller have in common? They were all influenced by a little-known Swedish scientist, philosopher and theologian named Emanuel Swedenborg. By Annalisa Musarra.
COMMENTARY: The pointless fight over divestment
(RNS) Why are some mainline Protestant activists so intent on singling out Israel for divestment and public condemnation while Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other countries have dismal records on human rights? I wish I knew. By A. James Rudin.
Young ‘Millennials’ losing faith in record numbers
(RNS) A growing tide of young people are drifting away from the religions of their childhoods -- most of them into no other religion, according to a new study that shows one in four young adults are religiously unaffiliated. By Lauren Markoe.
Study says no evidence that death penalty deters crime
WASHINGTON (RNS) In the more than three decades since the national moratorium on the death penalty was lifted, there is no reliable research to determine whether capital punishment has served as a deterrent, according to a review by the National Research Council. By Kevin Johnson / USA Today.
Thursday’s Religion News Roundup: Vatican crackdown; Colson update; Kirk Cameron
Evangelicals say it’s time for frank talk about sex
WASHINGTON (RNS) Eighty percent of single evangelical 20-somethings have had sex, and almost a third of evangelicals’ unplanned pregnancies end in abortion. Now, evangelical leaders are starting to say talking about abstinence and opposing abortion aren't enough. By Adelle M. Banks.
Vatican orders crackdown on American nuns
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Vatican on Wednesday announced a crackdown on the organization representing most nuns and sisters in the U.S. following an investigation that said religious sisters weren't toeing the line on women's ordination, same-sex marriage and other issues. By David Gibson.
Mitt Romney holds huge lead among white Catholics and evangelicals
(RNS) While President Obama holds a slim lead overall against Mitt Romney, the presumptive GOP nominee has a 53-point lead over Obama among white evangelicals and a 20-point lead among white Catholics, according to a new poll. By Daniel Burke.
Richard Land apologizes for comments on Trayvon Martin case
(RNS) The Southern Baptist Convention's top public policy official has apologized for controversial comments he made about the Trayvon Martin case, and the black New Orleans pastor who's widely expected to be named the Southern Baptists' first black president has accepted his apology. By Adelle M. Banks.
Religious belief highest in developing and Catholic countries
(RNS) Belief in God is slowly declining in most countries, but those who most believe can be found in developing countries and Catholic societies, according to a new survey. By Annalisa Musarra.
Kirk Cameron: From prime-time heartthrob to ‘Hollywood freak’
(RNS) Former TV child star Kirk Cameron knows he is now the darling of only a certain segment of America. "I'm kind of a Hollywood freak," he says. "I didn't really turn out the way most people turn out growing up in this industry." By Lauren Markoe.
Christians mark 500 years of ‘Holy Robe’ pilgrimage
Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup: Time’s 3 New Yorkers; Richard Land’s 2nd Apology; Douthat’s many heretics
Vatican official calls for stronger protection for conscientious objection
VATICAN CITY (RNS) A senior Vatican official on Tuesday (April 17) called for stronger protection for conscientious objection for both the Catholic Church and individual Catholics when they are faced with laws that conflict with their “moral norms.” By Alessandro Speciale.