Religious references OK on flag certificates. Americans who ask for a flag to be flown over the U.S. Capitol now will be able to include religious references on the accompanying certificate under new guidelines. Some House members were angry after…
SECOND OPINION: Authentic evangelism, virtual or otherwise
The X-Box game Halo 3 was released recently and it is huge, with more than $300 million in sales in the first two weeks; it is expected to generate more than $1 billion in revenue. Within the Christian world, however,…
New about Virginia Baptists and their ministries for Oct. 25
STAFF CHANGES • Scott Covington, to Berea Church, Fredericksburg, as pastor. • Gwynn Davis Jr., to Chester Church, Chester, as interim pastor. • Whitney Jo Clarke, to Mount Hermon Church, Danville, as minister to preschool and children. • James L….
RIGHT OR WRONG?
Christians call themselves New Testament people. I hear so many moral arguments based on the Old Testament, though. Is there any way a layperson can find some kind of consistency here? I want to be biblical in my thinking and…
OUTLOUD
“As a Christian I am completely opposed to the doctrines of Mormonism. But I'm not voting for a preacher. I'm voting for a president. It boils down to who can best represent conservative American beliefs, not religious beliefs. … This…
Stumbling blocks
Some time back, I read about stumbling blocks and little ones and being thrown into Hell with a millstone around my neck, and got very frightened. So I cried out to God, to explain to me what a stumbling block…
Young people see Christians as judgmental, study shows
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Young people have graded Christianity, and so far, the report card doesn't look good. Majorities of American young people describe modern-day Christianity as judgmental, hypocritical and anti-homosexual. What's more, many Christians don't even want to call themselves “Christian” because…
Scholars say evangelicals and their votes are shifting
WASHINGTON (RNS)—The face of evangelicalism is changing, two authors at the Pew Research Center said, and with that change comes uncertainty about who evangelicals will vote for in next year's presidential election. Using the AIDS crisis as an example, Michael…
Same story, new language
Many scholars believe the church must bridge a divide before it can minister effectively in today's world. In a rapidly changing environment, they insist the church still speaks the language of pen and paper while the culture around it communicates…
Theology keeps Mormons from entering Christian mainstream
WASHINGTON (ABP)—While a Mormon presidential candidate continues to occupy a prominent place in the race for the White House, a recent study has found most Americans say they know little about the practices of the Church of Jesus Christ of…
Churches use podcasts as portable outreach tool
MONTGOMERY, Ala.—Little white headphones that began, about five years ago, revolutionizing the way Americans listen to music may also revolutionize the way they learn about God. Hundreds of churches and other Christian institutions are using podcasts or other easily downloadable…
Presidential hopefuls look to theologian Reinhold Niebuhr
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Thirty-six years after his death, Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr seems more alive than ever. Perhaps not since President Jimmy Carter acknowledged Niebuhr's influence during his 1976 campaign has his name been on the lips of so many politicians and…