WASHINGTON (RNS)—A federal religious freedom watchdog panel is urging President Obama to step up efforts to maintain the fragile peace between northern and southern Sudan. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom asked the White House to appoint a Special…
Canadian courts to test the boundaries between polygamous & same-sex unions
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (RNS) — A landmark court case will test whether Canada's decision to legalize same-sex marriage also justifies the practice of polygamy. The defense lawyer for a British Columbia man who openly admits to having multiple wives will…
Prayer mats and yarmulkes in workplace
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Com-plaints of religious discrimination in the workplace are on the rise, but civil rights advocates say that may not be such a bad thing. That's because a likely reason for a steady rise in reported incidents has…
Graham grandson tapped as successor to D. James Kennedy
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (RNS)—A grandson of Billy Graham has been nominated to succeed the late D. James Kennedy as pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. A pastoral search committee on Jan. 18 gave the congregation its…
At this church, there’s always room at the inn
PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS)—Eric Bahme no longer apologizes for being a preacher who keeps his eye on the bottom line. He is both a pastor and a businessman, he says, because that's how God made him. “Within every single person, God…
SECOND OPINION: Alright, kids. Time to grow up
President Obama's inaugural address might not have been one for the ages. But it certainly was the right one for the moment. Somber, sober and almost stern, our new president placed a mantle before the nation and gave us a…
Anti-abortion forces seek government funding cuts for Planned Parenthood
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Undeterred by solid Democratic gains in November's national elections, religious conservatives who oppose abortion are going on the offensive with a new weapon—a sick economy. In its largest-ever state-based initiative, the Family Research Council is contacting every state lawmaker…
Rick Warren offers shelter for breakaway Anglicans
Evangelical pastor Rick Warren has offered to open the campus of his California megachurch to conservative Anglicans who have broken with the Episcopal Church. Warren, a best-selling author and prominent preacher, wrote to 30 Anglican leaders on Jan. 9, days…
Firm helps missionaries with documentaries, web sites
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) —A group of five former Auburn University students has started a nonprofit organization that helps mission groups by making documentaries, offering graphic design, producing Web sites and creating other media to highlight the work of missionaries. “For…
Virginia judge gives conservatives legal victory
A Virginia judge ruled on Dec. 19 that three parcels of land belong to parishes that have broken away from the Episcopal Church, handing conservatives an important, if tentative, legal win. An 1867 state law, passed as Virginia congregations separated…
Move over, bumper-sticker religion. Make way for license-plate faith
WASHINGTON (RNS) — In South Carolina, a district court temporarily has halted production of state-sponsored license plates that declare “I Believe” and feature an illustration of a cross, superimposed on a stained-glass window. In Vermont, an appeals court is mulling…
No evidence recession pulls people into pews
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Economic recession has not led to increased attendance at U.S. houses of worship, according to Gallup pollsters. Despite anecdotal evidence cited in high-profile media outlets, Americans' worship patterns held steady in 2008, the Gallup Poll reported. Since…