Since at least the middle of the 19th century, when Henry Thoreau described his solitary two years in a hut on the shores of Walden Pond, the allure of the simple life has animated the imagination of generations of Americans…
Is God the missing character in ‘Downton Abbey’? The question puzzles some fans
(RNS) — The third season of the megahit PBS series Downton Abbey wraps up on Feb. 17, capping another must-see run of ruin and redemption at Lord Grantham’s stately English manor. Yet some are still left puzzled over the absence…
Study says faith, science not at odds
(ABP) — An MIT study published Feb. 12 in honor of naturalist Charles Darwin’s 204th birthday suggests the gap between faith and scientific beliefs is not as large as most people think, and that part of the controversy might be…
Celebrities recall brushes with Graham in ‘Billy & Me’
(RNS) — Evangelist Billy Graham has rubbed elbows with celebrities ranging from presidents to journalists to musicians. In Billy Graham & Me, a new book in the “Chicken Soup for the Soul’’ franchise that was released Feb. 12, 101 people…
Baptism ages are dropping in churches which practice believer’s baptism, say observers
(ABP) — Something just clicked for Charity Roberson when she knew it was time for her to be baptized. Roberson, now pastor at Sharon Baptist Church in Smithfield, N.C., was 9 at the time. Some of the memories are vivid….
Baptist church sign draws attention of Manhattan pedestrians, media
(ABP) — “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.” Thus read the sign recently in front of Madison Avenue Baptist Church, a New York City congregation whose pastor is all about convincing folks not…
Faith leaders want Americans to pray for collegiality in D.C.
WASHINGTON (RNS) — At a time when the ideals of compromise and collegiality seem like a distant dream in the nation’s capital, an unusually diverse coalition of religious leaders is asking Americans to pray for civility. “Through daily prayer, we…
Children conceived through rape open new front in abortion culture wars
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Standing before the throngs at the March for Life on Jan. 25, Ryan Bomberger admitted that he was the poster child for one of the most difficult aspects of the abortion debate: his mother had been raped….
PBS program explores religious motivation of American abolitionists
(RNS) — As the nation marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, PBS is airing “The Abolitionists,” a three-part series that began Jan. 8. Documentarian Rob Rapley, the writer and director of the series, talked with Religion News Service…