(RNS) — With the 10th anniversary of 9/11 looming, attendees at North America’s largest Muslim gathering this past weekend are told that the best way to deal with Islamophobia is not to lay low, but to get involved in politics,…
Mormon leaders told to stay out of politics
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) — Mormon (LDS) officials are telling their top full-time leaders that they and their spouses should not participate in political campaigns, including making donations or endorsing candidates. However, part-time leaders — including local and regional congregational…
A church with any other name …
(RNS) — For Living Faith Lutheran Church, the name change was as much about the future as the past. On Sunday, June 26, the Rockville, Md., congregation formally bid goodbye to its old name, Crusader Lutheran Church. “We’re not saying…
Evangelicals, World Council of Churches, Vatican reach accord on proselytizing
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Christian missionaries should renounce all “deception and coercive means” of winning converts, according to an agreement released June 28 by a broad coalition of evangelicals, the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Vatican. The document, “Christian…
Lesbian minister suspended for 20 days
(RNS) — A United Methodist (UMC) minister was suspended for 20 days by a church court in Wisconsin on June 23 for performing a same-sex union in 2009, a breach of denominational rules. A 13-member jury of local United Methodist…
Beatification of Nazi martyrs divides Lutherans, Catholics
LUEBECK, Germany (RNS) — Residents of this north German city have long taken pride in four native sons — three Catholic priests and a Lutheran pastor — who were beheaded in quick succession on Nov. 10, 1943, by the Nazi…
Churches call for U.S. to pull out of Afghanistan
WASHINGTON (RNS) — As President Obama prepared plans to bring a limited number of U.S. troops home from Afghanistan, a group of 40 religious leaders called for the president to “bring the war in Afghanistan to an end.” Signers of…
Americans distinguish between politicians' financial, sexual failings
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Americans are tougher on politicians for their financial misdeeds than their sexual ones, but men are more willing than women to tolerate sexual misbehavior in their elected officials. The findings, released June 22 in a detailed survey…
Evangelicals see declining influence in U.S.
(RNS) — Are U.S. evangelicals losing their influence on America? A new poll released June 22 from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life seems to say just that, with the vast majority — 82 percent — of U.S.…
Houston VA cemetery draws discrimination claims
(RNS) — Members of Congress and Christian leaders say they are outraged over claims that a Veterans Affairs (VA) official in Houston discriminates against clergy and veterans’ families who want to use religious references in memorial ceremonies. The Liberty Institute,…
Jewish concerns remain as Delta, Saudis deny discrimination
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Saudi Arabian embassy on June 24 denied as “completely false” reports that U.S. Jews would not be able to travel to Saudi Arabia under Delta Air Line’s planned partnership with Saudi Arabian Airlines. U.S. Jewish groups…
Parochial schools not immune to bullies
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (RNS) — Middle school is no picnic for a lot of students, but for Alec McGuire, it was intolerable. He transferred from one Catholic school to another in eighth grade to get away from another student whom…
Plans receives award for CRSP campaign
Concordia Plan Services (CPS) received a first-place “Award of Excellence” from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) for work on a 2010 growth campaign for the Concordia Retirement Savings Plan (CRSP). Founded in 1970, the IABC is a network…
ELCA, LCMS continue talks on 'cooperation in externals'
By James Heine ST. LOUIS — Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod continued their talks regarding “cooperation in externals” during a meeting here May 25-26. The top leaders of North America’s two…
LCMS, LWR, UN Foundation announce $45 million campaign to combat malaria
DETROIT — The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, and the United Nations Foundation announced June 27 an unprecedented partnership to mobilize Lutherans in the United States in the fight against malaria in Africa. The Lutheran Malaria Initiative…
LWML adopts $1.825 million mission goal, elects new president
By Paula Schlueter Ross PEORIA, Ill. — Delegates to the 34th Biennial Convention of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, meeting here June 23-26, adopted a new mission goal of $1.825 million for the 2011-2013 biennium. The goal is the same…
