Friday’s religion round-up

Thousands of Muslims are gathering at the Capitol for a prayer vigil. A federal appeals court dismissed a $5 million verdict against the anti-gay protestors from Wesboro Baptist Church, anti-abortion black church leaders say they back Obamacare, and the Illinois Supreme Court said a Jewish dentist had the right to disinherit gentile grandchildren. Less than […]

Thousands of Muslims are gathering at the Capitol for a prayer vigil. A federal appeals court dismissed a $5 million verdict against the anti-gay protestors from Wesboro Baptist Church, anti-abortion black church leaders say they back Obamacare, and the Illinois Supreme Court said a Jewish dentist had the right to disinherit gentile grandchildren. Less than two weeks after a top official in the United Methodist Church resigned, his bishop announced she is investigating charges that he “violated the sacred trust of ordination.”

Cleveland Catholics upset about plans to close 50 churches in northeast Ohio went to the Vatican to plead their case, 11 lepers will go to Rome next month to watch the Vatican canonize the patron saint of leprosy, and Bob Dylan will donote proceeds from his forthcoming Christmas album to the World Food Program. The Motor City is looking for a patron saint. (“We have friends in high places,” said Detroit’s archbishop. “Why not make use of them!”) I might suggest St. Jude.

The United Church of Christ’s incoming president and general minister is embarking on a “listening tour,” and the outgoing president says his biggest disappointments were the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ELCA’s first presiding bishop says conservative Lutherans should “take a deep breath” before deciding to secede.


Newt Gringrich will host a documentary called “Rediscovering God in America II: Our Heritage” at the U.S. Capital Visitor Center today (presumably the Muslims will have left the area), and this Sunday is the second annual “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.” Minnesota houses of worship are placing hand sanitizers in pews to prevent the spread of swine flu. Charles Manson follower Susan Atkins died of brain cancer.

Pope Benedict XVI will find a lot of nonbelievers when he travels to the Czech Republic on Saturday, British treasure hunters have found a huge collection of gold and religious artifacts, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a passionate rebuttal at the UN to Iran’s Holocaust-questioner Ahmadinejad, who met with U.S. Muslims about freeing three American hikers imprisoned in Iran. The Archbishop of Canterbury pleaded for a nuclear-free world in Nagasaki.

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