NEW YORK (ENI) — The 19-story granite building on Manhattan’s upper west side, often referred to as the “God Box,” is 50 years old. New York’s Interchurch Center, one of the most visible symbols of Christian ecumenism in the United States, is marking its 50th anniversary as the modern ecumenical movement for Christian unity is celebrating its 100th.
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Benedict XVI denounced the “vile and murderous” New Year's Day killing of 21 Coptic Christians in Alexandria, Egypt, but was rebuked by Egypt’s top Muslim cleric for an “unacceptable interference in Egypt's affairs.”
WASHINGTON (rNS) — When President Barack Obama lit the National Christmas Tree behind the White House in 2009, he spoke of a “child born far from home” and said “while this story may be a Christian one, its lesson is universal.”
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has called the limits on religious freedom a “threat to security and peace,” and said Christians are persecuted more than any other faith group.
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Southern Poverty Law Center is adding the Family Research Council and four other conservative religious organizations to its list of hate groups because of “falsehoods” in their anti-gay statements.
LOUISVILLE — Cynthia Bolbach, moderator of the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has appointed the members of the last two special committees called for by last summer’s assembly.
BANGALORE (ENInews) — Churches in Pakistan have expressed frustration over the government's refusal to amend a controversial blasphemy law, as urged by Pope Benedict XVI and protesting civil rights activists.
Washington, D.C. (ENInews/RNS) — Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas was thousands of miles away from the shooting rampage that rocked his Arizona diocese on January 8 but the emotional shock hit him hard.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) — About half of Muslims surveyed worldwide believe the West does not respect them, according to a new Gallup report, and many say not desecrating the Quran and portraying more “accurate” Muslim movie characters could improve a strained relationship.
SALT LAKE CITY (RNS) — For Mormons – or anyone else – who might be wondering, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints takes no stand on drinking Coca-Cola.
ROME (ENInews) — The head of the World Council of Churches in his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI has said he wants to strengthen cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) — First Lady Michelle Obama has expanded her “Let’s Move” initiative to reduce childhood obesity to include working with religious and community organizations.
(RNS) — Slightly more than half of Americans (53 percent) rate the moral values of priests, ministers, and other clerics as “very high” or “high.” That percentage is a slight bump from 2009, when only 50 percent of Americans said men and women of the cloth are ethical paragons, the lowest number in Gallup’s 32 years of measuring professional reputations.
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Pope Benedict XVI, while still a cardinal, sought in vain to expedite the process for defrocking priests guilty of grave crimes, according to a 1988 letter published in the official Vatican newspaper.
MANILA (ENI) — Asian Christian leaders have challenged what they describe as a distorted interpretation of the Bible's Genesis story about God telling Adam and Eve to "subdue" the earth and to "have dominion" over other living species and non-living resources on the planet.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (RNS) — The Southern Poverty Law Center is adding the Family Research Council and four other conservative religious organizations to its list of hate groups because of “falsehoods” in their anti-gay statements.
BANGALORE (ENInews) — A Presbyterian theologian, the Rev. Roger Gaikwad, has been installed as the new general secretary of the National Council of Churches in India, which groups 30 Orthodox and Protestant churches.
NAIROBI (ENInews) — The head of the Sudan Council of Churches has been calling for close scrutiny of out-of-country referendum registration processes in Kenya, Uganda, and Egypt, while also reporting that police recently stormed the council offices breaking down doors, and conducted a search.
GENEVA/ROME (ENInews) — The head of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibé, says a statement by Pope Benedict XVI that the use of condoms is justified when intended to reduce "the risk of HIV infection" will make it easier for international organizations to cooperate with faith-based organizations in the fight against HIV and Aids.
HONG KONG (ENI) — Hong Kong Christian leaders have urged the government in Beijing to release 2010 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Liu Xiaobo, who was honored for his "long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in China."
