WASHINGTON (RNS) — The U.S. Catholic Church paid out $615 million in costs related to sexual abuse claims in 2007, even as the number of victims coming forward fell for the third straight year, according to an annual report issued…
New officers for CBFV
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia elected officers at its annual General Assembly this month. From left are Ka'thy Gore Chappell, secretary; Walt Cummings, current moderator; Jack Mercer, national Coordinating Council member; and Rob Fox, moderator-elect. Not pictured are treasurer…
Muslim leader decries American ‘bigotry’
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — American culture's view of American Muslims and Islam steadily is deteriorating under an onslaught of “bigotry” on cable news shows, newspaper op-ed pages and in the blogosphere, an Arab-American activist said. Commentators and politicians have devoted…
New officers for CBFV
The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia elected officers at its annual General Assembly this month. From left are Ka'thy Gore Chappell, secretary; Walt Cummings, current moderator; Jack Mercer, national Coordinating Council member; and Rob Fox, moderator-elect. Not pictured are treasurer…
Indiana Jones would be proud
LONDON (RNS) — Brushing back a thick layer of dust, Tudor Parfitt revealed a distinctive interwoven pattern carved around the outside of the “terribly, terribly damaged” wooden artifact tucked away on the bottom shelf of a Zimbabwe warehouse. “The moment…
Oxford researchers get $4 million to study origins of belief in God
LONDON (RNS) — Oxford University researchers have been given nearly $4 million to investigate the origins of belief in God. The three-year project titled “Empirical Expansion in Cognitive Science of Religion and Theology” is designed to determine if belief in…
FAITH DIGEST
Hinn submits records to Senate committee. After several weeks of delay, televangelist Benny Hinn has submitted a “significant amount” of financial material to a Senate committee that is investigating the finances of six prominent ministries to make sure they are…
Should Christians use violent video games to lure teens to church?
NEW YORK (ABP) — What do warthogs, pelicans, energy swords and Spartan lasers have in common? And how do they relate to John 1:17? They're all part of a video game called Halo 3, the top-selling video game of 2007…
FIRST HAND: Camp Alkulana offers year-round setting
Camp Alkulana — a ministry of the Richmond Baptist Association — has served as a summer haven for Richmond's inner-city children since 1915. But what many Virginians don't know is that Alkulana is available year-round to other groups looking for…
What has Hobbiton to do with Jerusalem?
Bible Belt Christians have struggled long with literature and film espousing a view of reality that confronts the values of our Christian life. In general, if a book or movie challenges what generally are perceived as Christian values or morals…
Circumcision: Are parents cutting out the sign of the Covenant?
NEW YORK (ABP) — The foundational symbol of God's ancient covenant with his people is getting a lot less common in the United States, but medical and theological debates still rage about the propriety of circumcision. Recent legal battles over…
March 9: A significant Sunday for three Virginia Baptist churches
RICHMOND — On the same day, First Baptist Church of Richmond called Jim Somerville as pastor, Second Baptist Church of Richmond installed Craig Sherouse as its pastor, and First Baptist of Newport News said good-bye to its pastor, Randel Everett,…