Rick Warren
Russell Moore, Rick Warren to join Vatican conference on marriage and family life
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — November 3, 2014
(RNS) Organizers say the new conference will show that while the Catholic hierarchy is split on how to address contemporary challenges to marriage and family life, the church can nonetheless seek common ground with religious leaders outside the Vatican.
Mental illness rarely addressed by churches
By Adelle M. Banks — September 22, 2014
(RNS) Most Protestant clergy rarely preach about mental illness to their congregations, and only about a quarter of congregations have a plan in place to assist families of the mentally ill, a new LifeWay Research survey found.
Rick Warren to pastors: ‘There is no testimony without a test’
By Adelle M. Banks — June 9, 2014
BALTIMORE (RNS) Speaking of mental illness, Warren said: “If your brain doesn’t work right and you take a pill, why are you supposed to be ashamed of that?”
US evangelicals on the defense over Uganda’s new Anti-Homosexuality Act
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — March 4, 2014
(RNS) American evangelicals who insist they never supported Uganda's anti-gay law now find themselves on the defense, saying their statements against homosexuality at home are being twisted as an endorsement of harsh penalties against gays and lesbians abroad.
Rick Warren, others, rent theaters for premiere of ‘Son of God’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — February 13, 2014
(RNS) Christian leaders, including megachurch pastors Rick Warren and Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, plan to rent every screen in numerous multiplex theaters in 10 cities for the upcoming Jesus film, "Son of God."
Top 12 pastor stunts: Living as an atheist is just the latest ministry gimmick
By David Gibson — January 14, 2014
(RNS) The rise of the entertainment industry, combined with a focus on marketing techniques to preach the faith or build up a church, have sparked a penchant for ministry gimmicks that go well beyond the old dunk tank.
Isaac Hunter, son of Obama spiritual adviser Joel Hunter, dead in apparent suicide
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — December 10, 2013
(RNS) Isaac Hunter, 36 and father of three, had resigned from his megachurch pulpit after he admitted that he had engaged in an affair with a staff member.
Rick Warren shares good news about Daniel’s weight loss plan
By Nanci Hellmich — December 3, 2013
(RNS) Warren was inspired to create a weight loss plan after he baptized more than 800 people one day in November 2010. After lowering more than 145,000 pounds of weight into the water, Warren said he thought, "Wow! Everybody's fat!"
Southern Baptists’ LifeWay apologizes for ‘offensive’ curriculum
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — November 6, 2013
(RNS) "What Rainer and LifeWay have done by acknowledging the error publicly, even nine years later, is to demonstrate that it is never too late to do the right thing and to pursue reconciliation," said author and speaker Helen Lee.
Hollywood looks to the Bible for screenplay potential
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 23, 2013
(RNS) Nearly 10 years after the blockbuster success of Mel Gibson's “The Passion of the Christ,” which earned $611.9 million worldwide, studios are looking to the Good Book for good material.
Asian-Americans troubled by stereotypes from white evangelicals
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — October 10, 2013
(RNS) It's the second dust-up in as many months involving Asian-Americans and megachurch pastor Rick Warren, who received backlash for posting a Facebook photo depicting the Red Guard during China’s Cultural Revolution.
Rick Warren gets backlash from Asian American Christians for posting photo
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — September 25, 2013
"People often miss irony on the Internet. It's a joke people! If you take this seriously, you really shouldn't be following me!" megachurch pastor Rick Warren initially posted in a Facebook comment.
Christians in Middle East: U.S. attack on Syria would be detrimental
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — September 4, 2013
NEW YORK (RNS) “I couldn’t find a Christian leader at the conference who supported military intervention,” said Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance.
Feds offer atheists a clergy tax break that they don’t want
By Bob Smietana — August 21, 2013
(RNS) "We are not a church," atheists say. Government lawyers disagree, saying atheist leaders can be considered ministers.
Pastor’s tornado tweets stir up a theological debate
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — May 23, 2013
(RNS) Popular evangelical author and speaker John Piper regularly tweets Bible verses, but two verses tweeted after the Oklahoma tornado struck some as at best insensitive and at worst bad theology.
