(Presbyterian) Church of Scotland OK’s gay ministers
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The move would allow openly gay clergy in the Church of Scotland, but conservative parishes that don’t agree would be allowed to opt out.
Institutions
(UPDATED) Religious groups that claim they were IRS targets
(RNS) The Internal Revenue Service, in the limelight this week after a watchdog panel said it used “inappropriate criteria” when considering applications for tax-exempt status by Tea Party groups, is also under fire from religious organizations.
Troubled Missouri diocese to pay $600,000 abuse settlement
(RNS) The Catholic diocese in Missouri led by Bishop Robert Finn, who was convicted last year of failing to report a priest who was taking pornographic pictures of children, will pay a $600,000 settlement to the family of one of the priest’s victims.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien leaves Scotland under Vatican pressure
(RNS) The Vatican on Wednesday said that Scottish Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who resigned in February amid reports that he had made sexual advances to a number of priests, will do penance in an undisclosed location outside of his country.
ANALYSIS: Will the Kermit Gosnell verdict change the abortion debate?
(RNS) When rogue abortionist Kermit Gosnell was found guilty of delivering and then killing late-term infants, abortion opponents were convinced they had a case that could finally reshape a static abortion debate. Yet for a variety of reasons, those prayers for a game-changing impact may go unanswered.
Vatican revives its ancient patronage of the arts
VATICAN CITY (RNS) For centuries, popes sponsored the work of artists such as Michelangelo, Raffaello or Bernini, but the marriage between art and faith became estranged in modern times. With a new exhibit at the prestigious Venice Biennial art festival, the Vatican hopes to revive church patronage of the arts.
Catholic population surges across the Global South
VATICAN CITY (RNS) While the number of Catholic priests in the Americas and in Europe is declining compared to the overall Catholic population, those losses were offset by increasing ranks of permanent deacons.
Canterbury Cathedral says it’s not closing its doors
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) “The Germans didn’t force us to close Canterbury Cathedral during the Second World War,” cathedral spokesman Christopher Robinson said. “So there’s no chance it will be closed to visitors because we need to carry out some urgent repairs.”
SIDEBAR: Evangelical alternatives to the Boy Scouts
(RNS) They have pledges. They have merit badges. And they may go camping. But they’re not the Boy Scouts.
Three popes at Vatican as Francis welcomes head of Egypt’s Copts
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis on Friday (May 10) met with Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church, an encounter that brought the number of popes residing within the Vatican walls to three this week. It also put a spotlight on the suffering of Christians in Egypt.
