Latest Articles
God willing: Lincoln on the divine mystery
In September 1862, Union troops were soundly defeated by Confederate forces led by Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee at Manassas Junction, Virginia....
House calls: A vanishing form of ministry
A church I pastored in Portland, Oregon, ran an after-school children’s program. One afternoon someone came to tell me that twin brothers, aged six, had pushed a little girl during a play period....
New Bible woos young adults, skirts critics: Inclusive language
When Zondervan published in 2002 an inclusive-language version of the New Testament by the translators of the older, best-selling New International Version (NIV) Bible, vociferous criticism poured ...
Bible verses compared: Improving clarity in contemporary English
The recently published TNIV, now with an Old Testament translation that continues the shift toward gender-inclusive language, also strives to improve clarity in contemporary English, judging by a c...
Former White House aide says Bush failed on "poor people stuff." "The White House gets what the White House really wants.": "The White House gets what the White House really wants."
A former deputy director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives says President Bush has failed to support the program as he had promised....
U.S. Jesuit forbidden by Vatican to teach as Catholic theologian: "Serious doctrinal error"
Following a five-year inquiry, the Vatican has forbidden an American Jesuit priest from teaching as a Catholic theologian because of what were called “serious doctrinal errors” in his work....
Abusive priest sentenced to prison: Case was part of cover-up scandal
Former Boston priest Paul Shanley has been sentenced to 12 to 15 years behind bars for raping a minor in a Catholic church....
Episcopal officials hopeful despite downturn in giving: Financial fallout from Robinson's election
The Episcopal Church is hoping the financial fallout from a gay bishop’s election will level off this year after a conservative-led financial boycott helped create a 12 percent drop in giving in 20...
Methodists plan another ad campaign: Increasing name recognition
Hoping to capitalize on an earlier $20 million ad campaign that raised name recognition of the United Methodist Church, the denomination will spend an additional $25 million on advertising to fill ...
Seminary president ousted over gay daughter's wedding: Kansfield officiated at ceremony
The New Brunswick Theological Seminary, one of the nation’s oldest schools for training mainline Protestant clergy, has retired its president and reprimanded him for officiating at his gay daughter...
Insiders steal big from unsuspecting churches: Churches urged to report embezzlement
When their priest, Brian Lisowski, was caught with an alleged prostitute last summer, parishioners at St....
Vatican official talks about papal retirement: The ailing pontiff
In a startling break with Vatican protocol, a high Vatican official has addressed the issue of whether the ailing Pope John Paul II should retire....
Presbyterians differ on divestment: Survey reveals disagreement
Some five months after its General Assembly decided to “begin a process of phased, selective divestment” of companies profiting from the Israeli occupation of Palestinian areas, a recently released...
El Salvador Lutherans report intimidation: Church is outspoken on politics
The Lutheran Church in El Salvador and officials at the Salvadoran Lutheran University contend that a robbery and brutal murder on their campus in late January was an act of intimidation aimed at t...
Swedish preacher who called gays 'cancerous' is acquitted on appeal: Sermon ruled personal interpretation of the Bible
A Swedish preacher sentenced to a month in prison for referring to homosexuals as a “cancerous tumor” in society has been acquitted by an appeals court....
U.S. jails some seekers of asylum, says report: Procedures to protect asylum seekers applied inconsistently
A commission set up by Congress has found some foreigners seeking a haven from persecution or torture are being unfairly held by the U.S. government in jails and jail-like facilities....
Briefly noted
The Fox television network has aired a public service announcement during its popular drama 24, urging Americans not to stereotype Muslims....
Good work: Learning about ministry from Wendell Berry
Recently I celebrated 15 years as pastor of a congregation in East Texas of under 200 members with about half of them present for Sunday worship....
Life together: A passion for reconciliation
Racial reconciliation has been the central theme of Chris Rice’s life and ministry....