Christians, Muslims blame each other as Nigeria relaxes curfew
(ENI) — A curfew in Jos, a city in the central part of Nigeria, has been relaxed a week after interreligious violence erupted and left about 500 people dead.
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Four beatitudes for congregational leadership
A few weeks ago I led a workshop with the pastoral staff and lay leadership of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, a grand and historic congregation in the Uptown, or University area, of New Orleans.
Butins to co-pastor Arkansas church
Philip W. Butin and his wife, Jan Butin, have accepted a call to serve as co-pastors of First United Presbyterian Church of Fayetteville, Ark., effective March 1.
Breaking news: Same gender marriage committee concludes inconclusively
The General Assembly Special Committee on Civil Union and Christian Marriage has approved its final report — ending its journey with civility..
So what about the Muslims?
Switzerland votes to disallow the construction of minarets (see p. 16).
Poll: Americans credit poverty passage to Obama, not Bible
(RNS) - More Americans believe a statement about giving “justice to the poor and homeless” came from President Barack Obama instead of its true source, the Bible.
Laird Stuart named SFTS interim president
Laird J. Stuart, pastor of Calvary Church in San Francisco, Calif. 1993-2010, has been elected interim president of San Francisco Theological Seminary effective March 1.
Harold Kurtz, PC(USA) missions advocate, dies
LOUISVILLE (PNS) Harold Kurtz, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s preeminent evangelist to peoples without the gospel around the world, died of brain cancer Dec. 18 in Portland, Ore., surrounded by his family. He was 85.
Many Protestant pastors say “Islam is a dangerous religion”
Two-thirds of Protestant pastors believe Islam is a dangerous religion, according to survey results recently released by the Southern Baptist-affiliated LifeWay Research.
NIH approves stem cell lines as Obama revamps bioethics panel
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) The National Institutes of Health has approved the first human embryonic stem cell lines for research after President Barack Obama lifted Bush-era bans on such research last March.
New Orleans clergy unite on a common message: Thou Shalt Be Civil
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) A standing group of about two dozen area clergy — Christian, Jewish, and Muslim — is circulating a “Faith Statement on Public Discourse.”
Vacation Bible School for adults?
Presbyterians are known for emphasizing life-long learning. Though Vacation Bible School can be an opportunity to provide adult learning, most churches do not take advantage of that opportunity.
Not only for six-year-olds: VBS for the ‘tween set
“Oh look,” the mom announces as she picks up the flyer off the kitchen counter.
Swiss Religious leaders “deplore” vote to ban minarets
GENEVA (ENI) Religious leaders in Switzerland and abroad have warned that a referendum in which Swiss citizens voted for a constitutional ban on the building of minarets in their country undermines social harmony.
VBS? Yes , but are they learning anything?
Sometimes Vacation Bible School can look and feel like barely controlled chaos. But the Spirit of God is hovering over those swirling children and dazzled teachers, creating a community of faith our Savior must thoroughly enjoy dancing around in. So it is undeniably fun, but what are they learning?
Swiss aren’t only ones to resist minarets
(RNS) When Switzerland recently voted to ban the construction of minaret towers at mosques, some observers interpreted it as an expression of European xenophobia that would never find a home in multicultural America.
A Book of Silence
Counterpoint Press. San Francisco, Calif. 2008. 304 pages. By: Sara Maitland
Sunday soteriology
Some weeks ago, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, preached at a Kansas City area church. So I went to the early service and, at the Communion rail, received the body and blood of Christ.
Off-site and online
By doing much of its work off-site and online, the Multichannel Church challenges a longheld assumption, namely, the necessity of being together on Sunday.
Memorial service January 30 for Joe R. Engle, 87
Joe R. Engle, a Presbyterian elder and ardent supporter of church music and theological education, has died in New York City at 87.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance rushing help to Haiti; Sends $209,000 and seeks to raise at least $500,000
LOUISVILLE — The death toll from the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti is mounting and chaos threatens in the capital city of Port-au-Prince because of fractured infrastructure that is making relief efforts difficult at best.
Harold Kurtz memorial service: Filling the room with the love of Christ
PORTLAND — The Oregon farm kid whose biggest dream as a child was traveling to Salem to see the Oregon state capitol building first-hand probably would have been surprised — but shouldn’t have been — to see hundreds of Presbyterians turn out for his memorial service.
Marj Carpenter breaks hip in fall
LOUISVILLE — Marj Carpenter, former General Assembly moderator and former director of the Presbyterian News Service, is recovering in a Big Spring, Texas, hospital from a Dec. 31 fall in her home that resulted in a broken hip.
PC(USA) Middle East caucus condemns Egypt attacks
LOUISVILLE — The National Middle Eastern Presbyterian Caucus has condemned an attack on Christmas Eve worshipers in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, that killed eight Coptic Christians.
Assembly of Middle East churches issues final communiqué; Decline in membership, ordaining women among topics
The 6th General Assembly of the Fellowship of the Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC) has concluded its historic gathering and issued a final communiqué. FMEEC includes Reformed, Anglican, and Lutheran churches in the region. The Assembly met from Jan. 11-13 in Harissa, Lebanon.