PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) — Two parents charged with criminally negligent homicide in the faith-healing death of their teenage son will ask a judge to dismiss the charges because they followed the advice of state child welfare workers. Attorneys for the…
Dobson plans new radio ministry, to focus on same themes
COLORADO SPRINGS (RNS) — Religious broadcaster James Dobson will leave the “Focus on the Family” radio program in late February but will continue on the airwaves through a new ministry. Officials at the Colorado-based ministry that Dobson founded three decades…
In Alabama, football coach has more Facebook fans than God does
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban may not be bigger than God in Alabama, but he has more fans on Facebook. Saban edged out the Almighty to claim the top spot in a ranking of…
Author worries online communities are hurting genuine relationships
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) — When it comes to Facebook, Jesse Rice sees an immensely popular social networking site that’s great for sharing photos and keeping in touch with friends. He also sees something that encourages attitudes and behaviors that don’t…
President Obama’s ‘spiritual cabinet’ shapes faith policy, tends his soul
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Near the end of a bumpy first year in office, President Obama readied for a Christmas vacation in Hawaii, but before he left, he called on a group of five ministers for a spiritual recharge. Like previous…
Faith-based panel submits proposals; some issues remain unsolved
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A White House advisory council March 9 submitted 164 pages of recommendations on ways the federal government can partner better with faith-based groups in tackling a host of social problems, from poverty to improving interfaith relations. Still,…
Artist paints Jesus at center of American history and public life
WASHINGTON (RNS) — For centuries, Jesus has been a subject of choice for countless artists. But it’s fair to say that seldom has he been depicted quite like this. In artist Jon McNaughton’s “One Nation Under God,” Jesus stands front…
At Carter’s church, former president still a draw
PLAINS, Ga. (RNS) — With its aging storefronts and small train depot, its graceful pecan trees and clipped fields of peanuts, cottons and hay, peace still seems possible in this tiny town. And nowhere is that peace protected more fiercely…
Historical revisionism or accurate rendering?
WASHINGTON (RNS) — For centuries, Jesus has been a subject of choice for countless artists. But it’s fair to say that seldom has he been depicted quite like this. In artist Jon McNaughton’s “One Nation Under God,” Jesus stands front…
At Carter’s church, former president’s Sunday school class still a draw
PLAINS, Ga. (RNS) — With its aging storefronts and small train depot, its graceful pecan trees and clipped fields of peanuts, cottons and hay, peace still seems possible in this tiny town. And nowhere is that peace protected more fiercely…
At church cafe, eat what you want, pay what you can
HIGHLAND PARK, N.J. (RNS)—At A Better World Cafe, it’s not exactly “all you can eat.” It’s more like whatever you can pay. The church-affiliated restaurant offers customers an innovative new dining option—choose the size of your portion, then pay what…
Relief groups walk delicate line on spreading gospel, providing aid
WASHINGTON (RNS) — When night falls in Port-au-Prince, thousands of homeless Haitians find shelter beneath weatherproof plastic sheets emblazoned with the logo of Samaritan’s Purse, a group that’s zealous to spread Christianity worldwide. The 20-by-20-foot sheets offer a tangible way…