“Family Shield,” a weekly Christian radio program produced by Family Shield Ministries, St. Louis, expanded in September to 49 stations in 25 states. The program was previously carried on four stations and Internet/satellite sites. The 15-year-old program — formerly an…
Marriage, weddings are focus of sem conference
Concordia Theological Seminary’s Good Shepherd Institute will take an in-depth look at marriage and weddings at its Nov. 6-8 conference, “What God Has Joined Together: The Theology and Practice of Christian Marriage in Rite and Song.” “This conference is the…
'Legacy, Leadership Symposium,' webcast set for Oct. 21
Concordia University Texas, Austin, Texas, and the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America (LECNA) are co-sponsoring a “Symposium on Legacy and Leadership” Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The “Wendish Heritage Week” event — which also will be…
CTCR hears presentations on immigration issues
The LCMS Commission on Theology and Church Relations (CTCR) met Sept. 15-19 in El Paso, Texas — first for its regular quarterly meeting and then for an expanded “Consultation on Immigration Issues.” At the consultation, the CTCR heard presentations from…
World Vision wins employee faith case
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The U.S. Supreme Court will not hear a case involving three employees who were fired by the Christian humanitarian agency World Vision, allowing the relief group to maintain its mandatory statement of faith for its workers. World Vision…
Fiery, fearless civil rights icon Fred Shuttlesworth dies at 89
BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (RNS) — The Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, the driving force behind the Birmingham integration efforts that energized the national civil rights movement, died Oct. 5 at age 89. Shuttlesworth said he never feared death, and repeatedly put himself on…
New California law prohibits circumcision bans
(RNS) — Jews, Muslims and their allies cheered Oct. 2 as California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill prohibiting all local bans on circumcision, making it illegal for local authorities to restrict the medical or religious practice. Anti-circumcision activists had…
Dead cleric's videos may find eternal life online
(RNS) — Radical American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki may be dead, but the power of the Internet means he won’t soon be forgotten. And that, experts say, could make him just as dangerous dead as he was alive. Counterterrorism experts say…
Christian identity in U.K. outpaces church attendance
LONDON (RNS) — A major new survey by Britain’s national statistics bureau shows that despite growing immigration and competition from other faiths, nearly seven in 10 Britons still describe themselves as Christian. That doesn’t mean, however, that U.K. Christians actually…
Exiled Libyan Jews look with hope toward homeland
ROME (RNS) — The Jews of old wandered the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. For the exiled Jews of Libya, it’s already been 44. The struggle to reopen a synagogue in Libya, 44 years after the forced…
Bishops warn that church teaching is nonpartisan
(RNS) — With the 2012 campaign gearing up before an angry and divided electorate, U.S. Catholic bishops on Oct. 4 reminded Catholic voters that they can’t cherry-pick from church teachings to justify their own political preferences, and cautioned both sides…
Sheen, Estevez make 'non-preachy' religious film
WASHINGTON (RNS) — How does a modern filmmaker with qualms about religion make a movie about the power of an ancient Christian pilgrimage? That’s the dilemma that actor/director Emilio Estevez faced when making “The Way,” a new film that opened…
Study: Teens leave churches seen as judgmental, unfriendly
(RNS) — Why do young Christians leave the church? New research by the Barna Group finds they view churches as judgmental, overprotective, exclusive and unfriendly toward doubters. They also consider congregations antagonistic to science and say their Christian experience has…
National Cathedral needs 'tens of millions' in quake repairs
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Washington National Cathedral will need “tens of millions of dollars” over “numerous years” to repair extensive damage to the nation’s second-largest church following an Aug. 23 earthquake, church officials said Oct. 4. The landmark church requires…
In sunset of life, Billy Graham reflects on growing old
(RNS) — For much of his 92 years, Billy Graham has had one main title: evangelist. But in a new memoir set in the twilight of his remarkable life, Graham reveals a lesser-known side of himself: a grieving and ailing…
Rabbis stand in solidarity with burned mosque
WASHINGTON (RNS) — More than a thousand rabbis from around the world have signed a statement denouncing the burning of an Israeli mosque as police arrested a suspect who is alleged to be a Jewish extremist. “We condemn those in…
