Religion News on the Web
Selected religion-related news from around the Web
February 18, 2012
- The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore Sun: Md. House passes same-sex marriage bill
A bill that would legalize same-sex marriage squeaked through the House of Delegates on Friday night with just one vote above the minimum needed for passage, putting Maryland on the cusp of becoming the eighth state to allow such unions.
February 18, 2012
- The New York Time
NYT: A quiet struggle within the gay marriage fight
Straight couples dressed in tuxedoes and pastel-colored gowns were forced to wait in a hallway outside the San Francisco recorder's office on Tuesday as 10 Bay Area Christian leaders sat in a circle inside singing ''We Shall Overcome,'' ''Chapel of Love,'' and ''We Shall Not Be Moved.'
February 17, 2012
- The Wall Street Journal
WSJ: When religion restricts lending
This Saturday, synagogues will chant the Torah portion of Mishpatim, from the book of Exodus, which is the source for the injunction against charging interest to a fellow Jew: "When you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor; exact no interest from them."
February 17, 2012
- The Associated Press
AP: NJ Gov. Christie vetoes gay marriage bill as vowed
Gov. Chris Christie has followed through on his promise to reject a bill allowing same-sex marriage in New Jersey by quickly vetoing the measure Friday and renewing his call for a ballot question to decide the issue.
February 16, 2012
- The Tennessean
Tennessean: Birth-control compromise isn't enough for some
Religious leaders and Republican House members said at a hearing Thursday that a federal rule requiring employers to offer benefits covering birth control is still an attack on religious freedom, despite the Obama administration’s revision to accommodate religiously affiliated institutions.
February 16, 2012
- The New York Times
NYT: Judge grants churches a reprieve
Days before the city was to close public schools to religious groups that have been holding services there, a federal judge issued a ruling on Thursday that reopened the schools for worship, caught city officials off guard, and could set the stage for years of legal battles.
February 15, 2012
- The Associated Press
AP: Okla. Senate gives 'personhood' to embryos
The Oklahoma Senate bestowed "personhood" on fertilized eggs Wednesday, pushing the state toward the limits of the U.S. Constitution and upsetting doctors who fear the proposed law will jeopardize reproductive medicine.
February 15, 2012
- The New York Times
NYT: Self-insured complicate health deal
The Obama administration thought it had found a way to ease mounting objections to a requirement in the new health care act that all employers — including religiously affiliated hospitals and universities — offer coverage for birth control to women free of charge.
February 15, 2012
- The New York Times
NYT: Gay marriage a tough sell with blacks in Maryland
As a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland hurtles toward a vote in the legislature this week, a coalition lobbying for its passage has focused much of its efforts on a group of Democrats who could potentially scuttle its success: African-Americans.
February 14, 2012
- The National Post
National Post: Catholic teachers advocate Wi-Fi abstinence
As teachers' unions across the country scrutinize the effects of Wi-Fi in the classroom, an Ontario Catholic teachers' organization has definitively said schools should practice "prudent avoidance of exposure" despite the lack of conclusive evidence proving its harm.
February 14, 2012
- The Associated Press
AP: US bishops fight birth control deal
The top U.S. Catholic bishop vowed legislative and court challenges Tuesday to a compromise by President Barack Obama to his healthcare mandate that now exempts religiously affiliated institutions from paying directly for birth control for their workers, instead making insurance companies responsible.