(RNS) — North American Muslims are more than satisfied with the secular legal system and do not want a set of parallel courts for Islamic law, according to a new study of U.S. and Canadian Muslims by a Washington-based think…
Catholics rally against Obama contraception mandate
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — From Maine to Arizona to southern Louisiana, Catholic churches across the country echoed with scorn for a new federal rule requiring faith-based employers to include birth control and other reproductive services in their health care coverage.…
Harrison opposes HHS ruling in Feb. 3 statement
By Kim Plummer Krull In a statement issued Feb. 3, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod President Rev. Dr. Matthew C. Harrison staunchly opposed the recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) ruling requiring religious employers to cover contraceptives, including controversial…
A Statement on Recent HHS Decision and Religious Freedom
We are deeply distressed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) recent decision to require nearly all private health plans, including those offered by religious employers, to cover contraceptives.
Conservative Presbyterians launch new denomination
(RNS) — Conservative Presbyterians launched a new denomination on Jan. 19, saying that the Presbyterian Church (USA) – PC(USA) — is too consumed by internal conflicts and bureaucracy to nurture healthy congregations. “This ‘new Reformed body’ is intended to foster a…
Big-city mayors come out for same-sex marriage
(RNS) — A bipartisan coalition of 80 U.S. mayors on Jan. 20 launched a “Freedom to Marry” campaign to build public support for giving same-sex couples the right to marry under U.S. and state laws. “It is not about what you…
Pope gives final approval to controversial lay group
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — After a 15-year process, the Holy See on Jan. 20 gave its final approval to the Neocatechumenal Way, a lay movement that has been criticized for its unorthodox liturgical practices but that has been successful in…
As missionary movement turns 200, questions for future
SALEM, Mass. (RNS) — When America’s first ordained missionaries sailed from here to India 200 years ago, they kicked off a movement to spread the faith and created America’s most potent export: Christianity. That’s the message that will reverberate across nine…
Americans intrigued but wary still of Mormon beliefs
(RNS) When Mormons call themselves “a peculiar people,” they mean it in the biblical sense — set aside by God, chosen. But many Americans call them peculiar in Webster’s way — strange, odd. Now Mormons, followers of the Church of Jesus Christ…
Obama holds firm on contraception coverage
(RNS) — The Obama administration said Jan. 20 that it will not broaden the religious exemption in new rules that require employers to provide contraception coverage to employees, a move that angered religious groups and opened a high stakes election-year…
Praying for New Orleans, one block at a time
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) — Millie Campbell slipped the transmission into reverse and backed her blue Chevrolet away from her spotless brick home. “Oh God,” she said, “we thank you for the blood of Jesus.” Then the 76-year-old cranked the wheel straight,…
Think tank engages campus ministry reps, Synod leaders
By Joe Isenhower Jr. ST. LOUIS — When 21 “stakeholders” met here for a Jan. 3-4 LCMS campus-ministry think tank, they shared information about what is happening in campus ministry in the Synod and about what they’d like to see for…
Wheat Ridge Ministries announces $263,000 in grants
Wheat Ridge Ministries of Itasca, Ill., is awarding $263,000 in grants to fund efforts of six “health and hope” ministries, including four related to The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod. “Wheat Ridge Ministries is excited to offer needed assistance to these Lutheran…
Four career missionaries deployed
Four career missionaries were deployed overseas in January to begin their ministries: Anthony DiLiberto, of Diamond Bar, Calif., who is serving in Peru; the Rev. Dr. Carl and Deaconess Deborah Rockrohr, of Ann Arbor, Mich., in South Africa; and the…
Mission opportunities span variety of vocations, countries
By Paula Schlueter Ross The Rev. Ken and Mildred Young of Chester, Ill., served as short-term missionaries in Chiayi, Taiwan, for two weeks last October, leading Bible classes for children and adults. The Youngs, who are “young at heart” at ages 82…
Muslim men convicted of advocating death for gays
LONDON (RNS) — In the first case of its kind, a British court has convicted three Muslim men — who claimed they were acting under teachings of their religion — of openly advocating the execution of gays. Jurors in Derby, England,…
