Jesus Rode a Dinosaur: Conference Looks at What Churches Tell Teens About Science
EDINA, Minn. (RNS) — Growing up a conservative Southern Baptist, Mike McHargue loved science.
He would drive his youth pastor and Sunday School teachers “insane,” he said, with difficult questions in his quest to reconcile his faith with science.
How Smaller Congregations Are Challenging the System to ‘Go Solar’
GREENSBORO, N.C. (RNS) — Faith Community Church, a small, mostly African-American congregation, has a long history of activism dating back to the civil rights era.
About a decade ago, church members, who worship in a small space within the Beloved Community Center, a larger hub for social justice activism, began to recognize the growing urgency of climate change, as well.
Coffee, Tweets or Jesus: Bible Ranks Low as Daily Must
PHILADELPHIA (BP) -- The Bible tops coffee, social media and sweets as a daily necessity for only 16 percent of the population, according to new research commissioned by the American Bible Society (ABS).
As US Cities Re-Examine Bail, Muslims Launch a Fund at Ramadan to Pay It
(RNS) — Like many Muslims, Chicago attorney Nura Maznavi pays zakat during the holy month of Ramadan.
And like many Muslims, she usually fulfills her zakat, an obligatory tax meant to purify Muslims’ wealth, by giving to local social service organizations and international relief groups. This year, she’s chosen a less traditional cause: helping people who are stuck in jail make bail.
For Some, the US Embassy’s Move to Jerusalem Fulfills Divine Prophecy
JERUSALEM (RNS) — When American and Israeli officials inaugurated the first-ever U.S. embassy in Jerusalem Monday (May 14) in a festive red, white and blue ceremony, more than 100 evangelical Christians, including former U.S. congresswoman Michele Bachmann, were on hand.
For 40 Days in 30 US Cities, King’s Poor People’s Campaign Lives Again
RALEIGH, N.C. (RNS) — Under sweltering 94-degree heat in front of the General Assembly building, a hardy group of progressive activists gathered to revive the 40-day Poor People’s Campaign, the civil disobedience movement founded 50 years ago by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
Hawaii Volcano Blasts Churches into Action
PAHOA, Hawaii (BP) -- Amid a lava flow that has destroyed three dozen structures and the threat of a violent volcanic eruption, Hawaii's churches "are working in really neat ways," said Chris Martin, executive director of the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention (HPBC).
He’s a Major-League Pitcher — and a Plumber — Whose Faith Helps Keep Him Focused
ARLINGTON, Texas (RNS) — It’s not hard to stay humble when you’re unclogging a toilet.
Or when you’re throwing gopher balls to Miracle League ballplayers swinging for the fences.
Churchgoers Say They Tithe, but Not Always to Church
NASHVILLE (BP) -- Most churchgoers say the Bible commands them to give. But their tithes don't always go in the offering plate.
‘Return to Sender’: Retired Missionary’s Casket Proclaims Life Journey
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Retired Southern Baptist missionary Patricia Stooksbury wanted everyone to know her life's journey. She had it printed plainly on her pine shipping-crate-modeled casket.