WASHINGTON (RNS) — Researchers say they’ve found the most religious place on Earth — between the southern border of the Sahara Desert and the tip of South Africa. Religion is “very important” to more than three-quarters of the population in…
National Day of Prayer unconstitutional, judge rules
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A federal district judge in Wisconsin has ruled that the 1988 law creating the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. “It goes beyond mere ‘acknowledgement’ of religion because its sole purpose is to…
Spring marks opening of the ‘Church of Baseball’
ANAHEIM, Calif. (RNS) — Megachurch pastor Rick Warren stood on the mound at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., and delivered his Easter Sunday pitch. “Baseball is a game of numbers in which every player falls short of perfection,” said Warren,…
Survey: Africa is most religious part of world
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Researchers say they’ve found the most religious place on Earth — between the southern border of the Sahara Desert and the tip of South Africa. Religion is “very important” to more than three-quarters of the population in…
Spring marks the opening of the ‘Church of Baseball’
ANAHEIM, Calif. (RNS) — Megachurch pastor Rick Warren stood on the mound at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., and delivered his Easter Sunday pitch. “Baseball is a game of numbers in which every player falls short of perfection,” said Warren,…
China’s religious head says 4 million house churches must register
HONG KONG (RNS/ENI) — The Chinese government’s new head of religious affairs has downplayed the role of house churches during his first official visit to Hong Kong, saying they must be registered with the government for their own protection. Wang…
Abuse scandal imperils pope’s drive to reclaim Europe’s Christian heritage
PARIS (RNS) — Days after being elected pope in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI referred to one of Europe’s patron saints, Benedict of Norcia, as he explained his choice of papal name to thousands of pilgrims massed in St. Peter’s Square….
Some black church leaders feel jilted by President Obama
WASHINGTON (RNS) — When President Obama was elected, some black pastors — fresh from a campaign that featured extensive outreach to their churches — expected meetings with the president, or at least to be enlisted as informal advisers. For better…
Michigan Hutaree militia a cult, experts say
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (RNS) — When militia expert Jack Kay first ran across a MySpace page for the Michigan-based Hutaree militia six months ago, he thought it was just another group wrapping itself in God and country. But following raids…