An American tourist is being detained in North Korea after he was discovered to have left a copy of the Bible in a hotel room, reports state. According to reports, the tourist, identified in English as Jeffrey Fowle, has been held since mid-May, but North and South Korean news outlets first released the information today. “The […]
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — For years, opponents of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro vowed to take their legal fight to shut down the mosque all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. That fight ended Monday (June 2), when the nation’s highest court declined to hear their case. The four-year conflict over construction of the […]
A Catawba County trial judge has been scolded by the N.C. Court of Appeals for invoking Christian teachings into a lecture during a defendant’s sentencing phase. In its opinion released yesterday, however, the court ruled that the judge’s word choice did not violate the due process of the defendant, Max Earls, who was sentenced to […]
RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina House of Representatives has passed a bill protecting students’ rights to religious expression, and allowing teachers and other staff members to voluntary participate in student prayers before or after school. According to reports, SB 370 was presented in response to a recent situation where an elementary school student was prohibited […]
NASHVILLE — Southern Baptists will ponder a number of items for discussion at its annual meeting on June 10-11 in Baltimore, including decreasing membership, how to handle congregations that accept homosexuality and the push for transgender accommodation. A recent report released by LifeWay Christian Resources, an arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, notes that Southern Baptist membership […]
BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A mother in Washington says that she is ‘shocked’ and ‘in tears’ after attending a profanity-laced and sexually-charged awards ceremony at her daughter’s local high school. The unidentified mother told local television station KOMO that she eventually walked out of the event held on Sunday at Bellingham High School. She states that was outraged […]
LA MIRADA, Calif. – The leaders of a Southern Baptist congregation in southern California have voted to not dismiss their ‘pastor,’ despite recently stunning his congregation in announcing from the pulpit that he believes homosexual behavior is not a sin. Danny Cortez leads New Heart Community Church—a small congregation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Last […]
LEBANON, Mo. — The principal of a high school in Missouri recently circumvented a ban on graduation prayer by speaking about the history of God in public life during his recent address to graduates. Lebanon High School Principal Kevin Lowery exhorted students during the May 23rd commencement ceremony at the Cowan Civil Center to remember that “God is still […]
ODESSA, Texas — A number of Texas residents protested their local school district on Monday after officials decided to make prayer optional at its upcoming graduation ceremony, nixing the senior class’ vote to have prayer at the event. The Ector County Independent School District announced on Friday that it was changing its invocation and benediction to […]
NEW YORK – The U.S. National Park Service has announced an initiative to commemorate locations which played significant roles in the rise of homosexuality across the country. On Friday, the National Park Service unveiled a nationwide “theme study” to explore places and events associated with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement. According to […]