Your Source on Religion and the Presidential Campaign
If you are researching the positions of presidential candidates on social and other issues, or wondering about their religious backgrounds, don't forget Religion & Politics '08, which provides easy-to-find answers in a concise format.
Explore Religion & Politics '08
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Context for State Department Report on Religious Freedom
The U.S. State Department released its annual report on international religious freedom last week. Earlier this year, the Pew Forum invited three experts to discuss the extent to which religious freedom - and religion itself - should play a role in U.S. foreign policy.
Read the transcript
Read the State Department report
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Sept. 18 - The Washington Times
Candidates Invite New
Questions About Their Faith
Pew Forum Senior Fellow John Green says the religious backgrounds of some GOP
presidential candidates are being scrutinized because they "don't fit with the
conservative Christian voting bloc comfortably, and that requires a lot of
discussion."
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Sept. 20 - The Associated
Press
Dobson Says He Won't
Support Thompson
Evangelical leader James Dobson made it clear
in a message to friends this week that he will not support Fred Thompson's presidential bid.
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Sept. 19 - The
Washington
Post
U.S. Working to
Reshape Iraqi Detainees
The U.S. military has introduced "religious
enlightenment" and other education programs for Iraqi detainees as it
wages war in the "battlefield of the mind," according to the
commander of U.S. detention
facilities in Iraq. |
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Sept. 18 - The Associated Press
Fort Riley Soldier
Sues Defense Department Over Religious Freedom
A soldier
who unsuccessfully tried to hold a meeting for atheists and other
non-Christians is suing the Defense Department, claiming his right to religious
freedom was violated.
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Sept. 18 - The
New York
Times
Group Loses Tax Break
Over Gay Union Issue
After
refusing to hold civil union ceremonies at one of its properties, a Methodist
organization lost its real estate tax exemption.
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Sept. 18 - The
Miami Herald
7 GOP Hopefuls Face
Off in Values Debate
On a night that opened with 90 minutes of prayers, gospel music and
Bible verses, seven Republican presidential candidates gathered in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.,
in an effort to win over an evangelical voting bloc that has been a political
powerhouse in past elections.
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Sept. 18 - Chicago Tribune
Abortion Fight's Epicenter is Aurora
Opponents
and supporters of abortion rights agree that a new Planned Parenthood clinic in Illinois is a
pivotal battleground in the national abortion debate.
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Sept. 18 - The Associated Press
McCain:
Overall Faith What's Important
Presidential
candidate John McCain had referred to himself as an Episcopalian until recently calling himself a Baptist.
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Sept. 15 - The Washington
Times
Students' Right to Pray Outlined
A
conservative Christian advocacy group has outlined the rights of students to
pray and express their faith at school in an effort to stave off any challenges
or questions this school year.
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Sept.
15 - The Washington Post
In Europe and U.S.,
Nonbelievers Increasingly Vocal
Especially
in richer nations, and nowhere more than in Europe,
growing numbers of people are actively saying they don't believe there is a
heaven, a hell or anything other than this life.
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Sept.
14 - The Associated Press
Report:
Iraqis Losing Religious Freedom
Religious
freedom has sharply deteriorated in Iraq over the past year because of
the insurgency and violence targeting people of specific faiths, according to
an annual report by the State Department.
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