President Obama’s faith advisory council will present its recommendations for transforming the White House faith-based office to the administration today. Church-state separators say they are “extremely disappointed” at how Obama has handled the office thus far.
Prospects are good for a compromise on abortion that would pass muster in the House on the health care reform bill, says Rep. Bart Stupak, the leading anti-abortion Dem in the House. The AP has a helpful Q&A about how the bill would change federal abortion policy.
A second former Catholic Charities officer is criticizing the Archdiocese of Washington’s decision to cut off spousal benefits for new employees rather than risk covering gays and lesbians after DC legalized same-gender marriage. An Oregon judge sentenced two parents to 16 months in prison in the faith-healing death of their 16-year-old son. A Reform Jewish task force urged the movement to embrace mixed-faith couples by creating special rituals for them (the couples).
A ninth American missionary in the Haiti child-smuggling case was released and flew to Miami, but the ringleader remains in custody. A new report by the PCUSA supports Israel’s “right to exist,” but a footnote hints at the “pain” the phrase causes in some of the reports drafters. Glen Beck encouraged listeners to leave their church at the first mention of “social justice.” The United Methodist Church is experiencing its largest decline in membership since 1974.
Archbishop Chaput of Denver booted a preschooler from Catholic school because his parents are lesbians. Conservatives have made a deck of liberal cards. It’s not a full deck.
Sleep, Pray, or Love? More than 70 percent of African Americans, 45 percent of Hispanics and 32 percent of whites pray before going to bed; 10, 10, and 4 percent, respectively, have sex. A large majority of all three watch TV. Asians were the least likely to do all three: Just 18 percent pray, 52 percent watch TV, and 1 percent have sex.
Germany’s justice minister accused the Vatican of building a “wall of silence” around the sexual abuse of children. The Vatican says, yes, the abuse is cause for anguish, but the church has responded promptly and transparently. Pope Benedict XVI will meet with German bishops on Friday.
U.S. and human rights officials want Nigeria to investigate the riots between Muslims and Christians have left more than 200 dead.
