Religion Stories

CRANSTON, Rhode Island (Reuters) – A school committee geared up on Thursday for boisterous crowds expected at its meeting on a federal court order to remove a prayer banner that has hung for decades inside a local public school. The … Continue reading →

ROME (Reuters) – Prime Minister Mario Monti, a Catholic crusading to put Italy’s economy in order by ending entrenched privileges such as tax breaks, is striking against an unlikely target – his own Church. Monti’s government issued a statement on … Continue reading →

ROME – The new cardinal from Hong Kong said Thursday that he wants to “keep the door open” between the Vatican and the Chinese government while acknowledging there are “lots of battles” ahead for the Catholic church. Bishop John Tong … Continue reading →

(Reuters) – The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is a powerful institution, at least on paper. But a recent debate over contraception coverage has exposed a deep divide between the 271 active bishops and the rank-and-file U.S. Catholics who are … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Chinese officials have told the White House they are working on dates for a U.S. envoy for religious freedoms to visit China, White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Wednesday. The Washington Post reported that Suzan … Continue reading →

BOSTON – The debate over the line between religious freedom and federal health care mandates has made its way into Massachusetts’ closely watched U.S. Senate race, with Republican Sen. Scott Brown accusing his chief Democratic rival of wanting to “dictate … Continue reading →

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The Mormon church apologized on Tuesday for the posthumous baptism by its members of the parents of famed Nazi hunter and Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal. The posthumous baptisms were performed in Mormon churches in Utah, Arizona, … Continue reading →

SALT LAKE CITY – Mormon church leaders have apologized to the family of Holocaust survivor and Jewish rights advocate Simon Wiesenthal after his parents were posthumously baptized in a Mormon temple ritual last month. Salt Lake City researcher Helen Radkey … Continue reading →

LONDON – A British Cabinet minister says Europe is threatened by a wave of “militant secularism” and religion should play a bigger role in public life. Sayeeda Warsi says Europe should “become more confident and more comfortable in its Christianity.” … Continue reading →

Los Angeles – Sunday’s Grammy Awards opened with heads bowed in prayer for singer Whitney Houston, whose sudden death on Saturday at a Los Angeles hotel rocked the music world. “We had a death in the family.” intoned Grammy host … Continue reading →