WASHINGTON (RNS)—More than half of atheists and agnostics think “radical Christianity” is just as threatening in the United States as “radical Islam,” a new study reveals. The Barna Group, a Ventura, Calif.-based research firm, found 56 percent of atheists and…
Immigration issues reveal disparity between views in pulpits and pews
WASHINGTON (RNS)—As Congress debates immigration policy, many prominent religious leaders—from all shades of the theological spectrum—have called for a “comprehensive and compassionate” reform of existing laws. It's part of what they see as their biblical mandate to care for the…
Are atheists now becoming the new fundamentalists?
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Despite its minority status, atheism has enjoyed the spotlight recently, with several books that feature vehement arguments against religion topping bestseller lists. But now even some secular humanists are saying they should embrace more than the strident rhetoric poured…
As the war goes on, so does the work of military
CHICAGO (RNS)–Once you've seen the brutal face of evil, you start looking for the tender face of God, Chaplain Robert Barry said. Barry is an Air National Guard chaplain who spends his summers working with injured soldiers at Landstuhl military…
Cadets learn Islam as part of “winning the peace”
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (RNS)—The lights in a Jersey City mosque flickered at dawn, and more than a dozen West Point cadets stirred in sleeping bags scattered across the prayer room. As Imam Hussein Wahdan began the melodious call to prayer…
When it comes to counting church members, the devil’s in the details
WASHINGTON (RNS)—The Southern Baptist Convention, with about 16.2 million members on the books, claims to be the nation's largest Protestant denomination. But Tom Ascol believes the active membership really is a fraction of that. Ascol, pastor of Grace Baptist Church…
Southern Baptists may consider another public school resolution
HOUSTON (RNS)—A resolution calling on Southern Baptist churches to “create more Christian alternatives to the public schools” has been drafted and submitted for the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting June 12-13 in San Antonio. Bruce Shortt, a Houston attorney, and…
No easy answers
Sometimes, answers to the tough questions just don't come, campus ministers at Virginia Tech insist. When they do, they don't come easily. And they often come up short. As ministers and counselors descended on Virginia Tech to offer comfort and…
Giuliani leads among evangelicals, Clinton leads among Catholics
WASHINGTON (RNS)—Presidential hopefuls Rudolph Giuliani and Sen. Hillary Clinton hold early leads among key religious voting blocs in the race to win their party nominations, a national survey revealed. The survey by the Pew Research Center shows religious voters leaning…