REFLECTION: Liturgy in the public square
A North Carolina congregation takes Palm Sunday and Good Friday outdoors and discovers how it feels to publicly claim their identity as Christians.
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FDR Labor Secretary Frances Perkins wins ‘Lent Madness’ tournament
WASHINGTON (RNS) Sorry, St. Luke. A woman who wasn’t even a priest — Labor Secretary Frances Perkins — won the final round of the “Lent Madness” online tournament to win the coveted ”Golden Halo” prize.
Irish abortion debate reflects growing church-state tensions
DUBLIN, Ireland (RNS) Most European countries allow abortion on demand during the first trimester, but in Ireland, where there is still a palpable struggle between waning Catholic influence and an increasingly secular state, the friction between the two groups continues to escalate.
Photo slideshow: Holy Week pilgrimage against gun violence
“We as Christians are not going to go away until we have a culture of peace and reconciliation,” said Connecticut Bishop Ian Douglas, who presided at funerals for the victims of the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., last year.
Poll: Americans see gay marriage as inevitable
Nearly two-thirds of American adults believe same-sex marriage will become legal, but inevitability does not necessarily equal approval.
Methodist bishop Minerva Carcano on front lines of immigration battle
PASADENA, Calif. (RNS) When United Methodist Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño talks about tussling with political bigwigs on the topic of immigration reform, she is poised, yet forceful.
Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress takes veiled swipe at Tim Tebow
(RNS) After evangelical icon Tim Tebow canceled his scheduled appearance at First Baptist Church in Dallas because of controversial remarks made by senior pastor Robert Jeffress, the pastor appeared to fire back at the New York Jets quarterback in his Sunday sermon.
Robert P. Jones: Don’t write off mainline Protestants
The narrative of decline in the mainline church underestimates the continuing influence of its members, says a religion researcher.
COMMENTARY: Sorry to burst your bubble
(RNS) The bubble I see bursting is establishment Christianity in America. It is bursting ever-so-slowly, even as millions of people still find life, meaning, safety and structure inside their bubbles. But one failing congregation at a time, the surface of shimmering shape is being breached.
For aging religious leaders, is it still ’till death us do part’?
(RNS) When aging religious leaders reach the top echelons of temporal and spiritual power, their followers have a certain expectation: Till death us do part. But Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise resignation has shifted that calculus, prompting introspection about when, if and how to let go of religion’s senior management.
