pewforum.org Religion News on the Web

Religion News on the Web

Selected religion-related news from around the Web
Wash. Times: Born this way? Five court cases will put focus on gay identity
Lady Gaga may belt out that gays are “born this way,” but questions about the origin and unchangeability of homosexuality are central to at least five lawsuits, including two before the Supreme Court next month.
Korea Herald: Could the next pope be from Asia?
Vatican watchers are abuzz about who will succeed Pope Benedict XVI when he officially steps down at 8:00 p.m. on Feb. 28, including the very real possibility that a cardinal from outside Europe could lead the Roman Catholic Church for the first time ever.
Wash. Post: For China’s Catholics, new pope brings hope
Of the long list of problems the next pope will inherit once the white smoke rises in Rome, few on the diplomatic front can rival the bitter, in­trac­table relationship between the Vatican and the Chinese government.
LA Times: As a new pope is chosen, Latin America hopes for more sway
They represent the region with more Roman Catholics than any other. And their to-do list for the next pope is a long one.
Boston Globe: What American nuns built
When Benedict XVI became the first pope in almost 600 years to resign earlier this month, most of the initial speculation had to do with obscure succession rules, and whether the next pope would be European, African, or even American.
NYT: Church helps fill a void in Africa
The young woman slept soundly on the cool marble floor before the altar, a break from the chaos at home. In the courtyard, neighborhood teenagers filled giant jerrycans with purified water from a stone fountain.
Chicago Tribune: Cardinal George doesn't rule out an American pope
Fifteen years to the day that he became a prince of the Roman Catholic Church, Chicago's Cardinal Francis George said he wouldn't rule out the possibility of a fellow American becoming pope.
Australian: Religion to lose protected status
RELIGIOUS organisations running schools, health and aged-care services face losing key exemptions to Labor's new anti-discrimination laws under recommendations that could see them sued by people who disagree with church ethos.
NPR: Who gets religious exemptions and why
Under revised rules of the Affordable Care Act, religious groups can be exempt from paying their employees' insurance coverage for birth control.
Guardian: Going undercover, the evangelists taking Jesus to Tibet
Chris and Sarah recently moved into a newly renovated two-bedroom apartment in Xining, a bustling Chinese city on the edge of the Tibetan Plateau, where they manage a small business and spread the teachings of Jesus Christ.
AP: California school district sued over yoga program
An attorney representing a family bent out of shape over a public school yoga program in the beach city of Encinitas filed a lawsuit Wednesday to stop the district-wide classes.
AP: Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court narrowly upholds law that bars gay couples from adopting children
Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court narrowly voted Wednesday to uphold a law banning gay couples from adopting children.
RNS: Is Purim the Jewish Halloween? Some Jews say no
Debby Levitt's four children are dressing up big time for Purim, one of the more raucous of Jewish holidays, which begins on Saturday (Feb. 23) this year.
National Post: Canada’s new religious freedom ambassador says he’ll give a louder voice to homegrown values in a ‘noisy world’
Andrew P. W. Bennett, Canada’s first ambassador of religious freedom, is a Christian academic studying toward a theology degree in Ottawa, an expert on Scottish devolution, and a government policy analyst with experience in the Privy Council, Export Development Canada and Natural Resources Canada.
NYT: House approves storm aid for religious institutions
The House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved legislation that would allow the use of federal money to rebuild churches and synagogues damaged by Hurricane Sandy, despite concern that such aid could violate the doctrine of separation of church and state.
Globe and Mail: Key immigration role urged for new religious-freedom ambassador
An evangelical Christian leader wants the federal government’s new ambassador for religious freedom to play a central role in screening refugees and immigrants fleeing religious persecution.
NYT: Eagerly awaiting release of Brazilian evangelical’s autobiography
The crowds of young people began arriving in SoHo in the dark, pitching portable chairs and passing cups of porridge among them.
Observer: As Africa rises, Europe loses grip on Catholic power base
The muted light of an African sunset filters into the high, pointed roof of Christ The King church in Accra, a wide, understated building just metres away from the seat of government in Ghana's capital city.
Observer: Latin America is home to almost half the world's Catholics, but will struggle to produce the next pope
Almost as soon as Benedict XVI announced his resignation, Latin America was abuzz with speculation that the Catholic church would finally choose a pope from the continent with the most believers.
AP: Gay marriage support has risks for GOP lawmakers
As more state legislatures around the country consider whether to legalize same-sex weddings, an analysis of gay marriage votes in eight states shows that Republican lawmakers who backed it often faced consequences — including loss of their seats.
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