2012 will be the year when 30 Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars gather in a permanent, international council, opening up new roads in interreligious relations.
Named after the common religious figure the Abrahamic Council will translate ancient wisdom from Scripture into the modern world and thereby address dilemmas of our time.
GAINESVILLE. FL - (ANS)-A pastor, his wife, and teenage daughter were among the 10 people killed in a massive highway pileup in Florida, now deemed as the deadliest crash on an American highway in 20 years.
www.CBN.com/CBNNews reports that Pastor Jose Carmo, Jr. and his family from the International Church of the Restoration in Atlanta were returning from a religious conference when their vans collided with several cars, six tractor-trailers, and a motorhome on I-75 near Gainesville, Sunday.
CBNNews reported that Restoration's senior pastor, who had opted to delay his departure until the next morning, said Carmo had wanted to be back in time for the suburban-Atlanta church's Sunday morning service.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — At least one news report on Catholic bishops’ reactions to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services decision to mandate employer-provided health-insurance coverage of contraception, sterilization and drugs that induce abortions — related to parishes around the country this past weekend — was headlined “Catholics vs. Obama” (The Daily, Jan. 30 edition). Bestselling author Teresa Tomeo sees a battle line drawn against an entire gender — not just this religion or that.
“There are so many things wrong with the HHS mandate it’s hard to know where to begin," Tomeo said.
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Bev Shea singing with Cliff Barrow (left) and Billy and Franklin Graham looking on (Photo: Dan Wooding)
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At 103 years of age, George Beverly Shea is still serving the Lord
MONTREAT, NC - It is hard to believe that George Beverly Shea is about to reach the grand old age of 103, but this amazing man will celebrate this great achievement Wednesday, February 1, 2012 in Montreat, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife Karlene, and close to his dear friend, Billy Graham.
And while he won't be partying like a teenager, the youthful centenarian will celebrate the day in the company of his family and in quiet reflection, reading greetings from around the world now pouring in to him.
LARGO, FL - Christian Newswire - An onslaught of articles reported by the mainstream media earlier this week ranged from utter disbelief to crass remarks denigrating Oklahoma Senator Ralph Shortey (R) over the bill he introduced banning food products developed using aborted fetal material in his state.
Unfortunately for the media, the good Senator is correct.
"This is perhaps the worst case of irresponsible reporting by the mainstream media that we have witnessed in this millennium," stated Debi Vinnedge, Executive Director of Children of God for Life who first broke the story in March 2011. "A simple fact check would have revealed that Senator Shortey is correct about how some of our foods are being produced."
As the Florida
Republican primaries approach, Hispanic Evangelicals in
that state
are being courted by candidates, and faith leaders are
encouraging
congregations to be involved in the political process.
Hispanic
Americans make up about 16% of the national population, and
according to Juan Sepulveda, Sr. Advisor for Hispanic Affairs, DNC,
the
group skews young and heavily immigrant. Numbering 10 million
and
growing, the Hispanic Evangelical voting bloc has become a
crucial
constituency in U.S. politics. In an effort to ensure their
voice is
heard in the 2012 election, the National Latino Evangelical
Coalition
has launched "Nuestro Futuro," a voter registration drive
aimed at young
Latinos and Latinas.
The Palmetto Family Council, based in Columbia, S.C., received praise from The Humane Society of the United States for the release of a strong video criticizing cockfighting. The blood sport is widespread in South Carolina because of the weakness of the state's anti-cockfighting law and consists of roosters fighting to the death while spectators gamble on the outcomes.
The Palmetto Family Council is tackling the issue head-on in a new video that features Dr. Oran Smith, the executive director of Palmetto Family, as well as Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's ethics and religious liberty commission.
MURRYSVILLE, PA - Bible Discovery TV Network was launched by the late Ron Hembree and his son, Rod, in April of 2009.
The vision for the network was to develop a commercial free international television service designed specifically to train Christians in the Bible and develop solid Biblically literate leaders around the world.
"We wanted this service to be available to everyone in the world," Rod Hembree said.
MADISON, WI - A call for prayer in support of religious freedom at a top university has been made by a leader of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.
Jim Lundgren, Senior Vice President and Director of Collegiate Ministries for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA has sent a letter to InterVarsity's Vanderbilt University chapter alumni, and others with a special interest in InterVarsity's campus ministry, asking for prayer in support of religious freedom at Vanderbilt University.
This special request has been made in response to the decision by Vanderbilt's leadership to place on provisional status InterVarsity's Graduate Christian Fellowship and three other campus Christian groups for non-compliance with Vanderbilt's anti-discrimination policy, according to a media release from IVCF.
Twenty Seminaries Now Meet Standards of Sexual Health and Responsibility
The Religious Institute, a multi-faith organization dedicated to sexual health, education and justice, has doubled the number of United States seminaries, divinity and rabbinical schools that are preparing the next generation of clergy with the training they need to address sexuality issues in ministry. Twenty seminaries now meet a majority of the criteria for a sexually healthy and responsible seminary, compared to just ten in 2009.
“When I was in seminary, there was virtually nothing mentioned about sexuality in my courses,” said the Rev. Debra W. Haffner, Executive Director of the Religious Institute. “Through the Religious Institute’s hard work in partnership with these institutions, we are proud to say that the landscape at U.S. seminaries, divinity and rabbinical schools is shifting towards increased sexuality education. These twenty seminaries are the vanguard in ensuring that tomorrow’s clergy are prepared to minister to their congregants, and to be effective advocates for sexual health and justice.”
DALLAS — Do faith and work mix? And if so, as America’s workforce increasingly wants meaning beyond a paycheck, do pastors help? From a recent national study commissioned by Dallas-based LeTourneau University’s Center for Faith & Work, answers are, “Yes,” and “Not enough.”
“Ninety-three percent of pastors say they want to help members of their congregations integrate faith and work but fully two-thirds of them admit their efforts fall short,” Bill Peel, Center for Faith & Work executive director, said. “People work more, and better, when their labor carries a sense of calling. But most employers can’t give it, and most pastors don’t.”
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Would Jesus text?
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WOULD JESUS SEND TEXT MESSAGES? God loves kids and Jesus was in the habit of going where people needed him the most and speaking to them in a way that related to their lives. It is undeniable that texting is the language of teens. Pastors that desire to reach kids where they are must be texting. Did you know?— 95% of text messages are read and 80% of those are read in 15 minutes.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine is celebrating its 25th anniversary this February, and looking back at how it has helped children thrive in Christ all this time.
From summer campaigns designed to help kids become more globally aware of the needs children in other countries face, to an innovative Web-to-print format of delivering content for its readers, Clubhouse has always looked for new ways to get its readers involved in their communities and help others.
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WASHINGTON, DC - Mr. Obama recently cut 19 million dollars from a program sponsored by the Catholic Church that helped and assisted the victims of sex trafficking.
The reason the Administration gave for removing the funds and ending the program; they did not provide abortion referrals.
Faith organizations to hold "Prophetic Witness for Life, Human Rights and Justice" in front of the White House, today at 9:30 A.M., to challenge President Obama on his radical abortion position.
The prayer vigil and public witness will be on the 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW side of the White House.
