NBC picks up religious series; update on Muslim reaction to terrorism

Friday RNS is featuring a review of "The Book of Daniel," a religious saga picked up by NBC for mid-season. "In it, Aidan Quinn plays the Rev. Daniel Webster, a good minister but one who's addicted to Vicodin, and whose wife has frozen inside since one of their sons died, and whose other son is gay, and whose daughter Grace is dealing marijuana. In moments of stress, Jesus turns up -- in the passenger seat of Daniel's station wagon, in the bedroom hallway, outside the church -- to offer his counsel. So, yeah, 'Book of Daniel' is going to be controversial."

We're also running an update of Tuesday's story on how Muslim groups are repudiating terrorism, with recent denunciations and Thursday's fatwa against terrorism.

Counting all victims of terrorism

An editorial from the Jerusalem Post

"Even if near-daily shelling of civilians in southern Israel with rocket and mortar fire doesn't count for him (Pope Benedict XVI), then surely the suicide bombing which took five lives in Netanya earlier this month was no less reprehensible than what happened in the countries the pope did see fit to mention."

-- The Jerusalem Post, lambasting Pope Benedict XVI in an editorial for not mentioning Israel in a list of countries that had been victims of terrorism.

Christian rock & roll soars to new heights

Thursday's top RNS story is about the revival of Christian rock. Not only is it surging ahead in the Christian music industry, but big mainstream labels are also catching on. Improved musical chops, impressive fan bases cultivated by constant touring, and artists who don't trash hotel rooms are all part of the draw, according to label execs like Capitol Records' Jaime Feldman.

A Mormon president?

Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass.

"The one question you didn't ask was about Mormonism -- whether it would hurt him (Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney) in a national campaign. The answer is no. We've moved on. That died with my brother Jack."

-- U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, quoted in an Atlantic Monthly story about the Mormon faith of Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is widely thought to be considering a run for the White House.

No "religious test" for Supreme Court nominee

Kevin Eckstrom writes, in the RNS article of the week, that Catholic groups will be guarding against the use of Supreme Court nominee John Robert's devout Catholicism to derail his nomination. Eckstrom notes that the debate over a public figure's religiosity "has reopened questions of whether a nominee's faith is fair game for inspection, and resurrected age-old fears that some Catholics face an ideological 'litmus test' about their ability to divorce their public lives from their private faith."

But as Frances Kissling, president of Catholics for a Free Choice, notes: "If a senator opposes a person based on their position on abortion, and that person happens to be Catholic, to say that is ipso facto anti-Catholicism, that is utter nonsense."

The RNS weekly e-newsletter has also now been posted.

Elvis stealing the church's music

Larry Norman, Christian rock artist

"I thought Elvis was stealing the church's music. And I thought I should steal it back."

- Larry Norman, Gospel Music Hall of Fame inductee, on how his musical career began. Norman, who is retiring, has been recognized as inventing the Christian rock genre. He was quoted in the Statesman Journal of Salem, Ore.

World's second-largest religion considers PR strategy

Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for theWashington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), faces this questions daily: "Why haven't Muslim leaders condemned terrorism?" Tuesday's top RNS offering is about U.S. Muslim groups working to battle the perception that they're soft on terrorists who attack in their religion's name.

Debate over roadside shrines

Annie Laurie Gaylor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation

"There's this tendency to litter our landscape with crosses without considering whether this is the best way to memorialize your loved one. We can all feel sorrow about a roadside accident, but do we have to be preached at every time we drive by?"

-- Annie Laurie Gaylor, co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation in Madison, Wis., commenting on roadside memorials placed in memory of victims of traffic fatalities. She was quoted by USA Today.

Rapper talks about Christianity; Promise Keepers celebrates anniversary; aid to Africa is not enough; and Bush's 'wise choice' for the Supreme Court

Today RNS features stories on Christian rapper Govenor Reiss, who raps at churches, youth revivals and mission tents in the housing projects of New Orleans; the 15th anniversary and 20-city nationwide tour of Promise Keepers, the Christian men's movement that is trying to make the transition from the phenomenon it was in the early 90s to a lasting mission agency; commentary from T.D. Jakes and Andrew Young on aid to Africa; and commentary from David P. Gushee regarding the possibility that Bush's nomination of John Roberts for the Supreme Court will help close the religious divide.

Praying for peace and quiet

Karen Clark of Glenwood, Fla.

"We're not trying to prevent anyone from praying. But when Jesus went into the woods to pray to his father, he didn't bring a 4,000-pound bell."

-- Karen Clark, president of the Glenwood Civic Association in Glenwood, Fla., complaining about loud bells that call monks to prayer at the nearby Mother of Good Shepherd Monastery. Neighbors say the bells, rung five times a day, are too loud. She was quoted by the Orlando Sentinel.

Summer spirituality, musings on the Supreme Court nominee

Today RNS considers the spirituality of summer, offering thoughts on the subject from different writers:

"Listen to fantasy writer Ray Bradbury describe in his book 'Dandelion Wine' how 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding contemplates the first morning of summer in Greentown, Ill.: 'He saw his hands jump everywhere, pluck sour apples, peaches and midnight plums. He would be clothed in trees and bushes and rivers. He would freeze, gladly, in the hoarfrosted ice-house door. He would bake, happily, with 10,000 chickens in Grandma's kitchen.'"

On a more serious note, we consider Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' stance on assisted suicide: "Little is known about Roberts' views on a range of issues, but in a 2003 dissenting opinion that is now being scrutinized, he expressed a view held dear by many conservatives: that the reach of federal power under the Commerce Clause of the Constitution should be strictly limited. "

Pope weighs in on terrorism

Pope Benedict XVI

"Terrorism is irrational. There is not a conflict between civilizations. There are only small groups of fanatics."

-- Pope Benedict XVI, speaking during his Alpine vacation, about terrorism by Islamic militants. He was quoted by the Reuters news agency.

The commercialization of yoga, and the abortion debate in Europe

Today RNS's top feature is about the popularity of yoga, which leads about 16.5 million Americans to spend $3 billion annually on class and products. But it appears enthusiasts are ignoring the two basic tenets of this ancient spiritual philosophy: that it is unethical to charge money to teach yoga and that you need nothing but your body to learn it.

We're also covering the abortion debate in Europe, where secular and liberal values are clashing with those in conservative, Roman Catholic countries. Correspondent Lisa Bryant reports from Portugal.

Evangelicals in the limelight

Christianity Today editorial

"Now that we're prime-time, we don't want to start acting like American idols."

-- Christianity Today, on the responsibility of evangelicals in the news media.

Catholics, Galileo and the culture of life

RNS' article of the week, Galileo's Ghost Haunts Catholics in Stem Cell Debate, by associate editor Kevin Eckstrom, has been posted.

Quote: Jewish and mainline Protestant groups who support embryonic research say part of the Catholic bishops' problem is what they see as an inconsistent message that promotes life for embryos but seems to frown on extending or improving life for patients who could be helped by the research.

"A narrow ideology of a culture of life of a few should not hamper us from getting on with a culture of life that will benefit many," said the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Washington-based Interfaith Alliance.


There's also a sidebar (at the bottom of the piece) on two Senate stem cell bills expected to be debated before the summer recess.

Also, please note that the RNS weekly e-newsletter has been posted. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

Catholics on watch for questions of Roberts' faith

Following President Bush's nomination of Judge John Roberts for the U.S. Supreme Court, RNS is reporting on Catholic groups who said today that they will make sure the constitutional ban on any "religious test" for higher office is not used against Roberts, a devout Catholic. After another Catholic, William Pryor, saw his nomination stalled in 2003 over questions of his "deeply held religious beliefs," Catholic activists said they would not allow Roberts to face the same scrutiny. "A person's religious faith, and how they live that faith as an individual, has no bearing and no place in the confirmation hearing," said Joe Cella, president of a new Catholic group, Fidelis, formed to support conservative judges.

Jesus called me on my cell phone

"Altar Boyz," a musical comedy on a Christian boy band

"Jesus called me on my cell phone/No roaming charges were incurred/He told me that I should go out in the world/And spread his glorious word."

-- Lyrics from "Altar Boyz," an off-Broadway musical about a Christian boy band. The lyrics were quoted in the Washington Times.

Galileo's ghost haunts Catholics on stem cells

Tuesday's top RNS offering concerns the Catholic Church's stance on stem cell research, and its struggle in defining the church's relationship with science and progress: "In the ongoing debate over stem cells, Catholic leaders have faced a two-pronged battle against public opinion that generally favors the research, even among Catholics. But perhaps the larger struggle has been trying to quiet the ghost of Galileo, whose condemnation for the pursuit of science has, for better or worse, haunted the church ever since."

Come one, come all

Joel Osteen, pastor of the Lakewood Church in Houston

"The principles in the Bible will work for anyone. ... If you give, you will be blessed. I talk about things for everyday life. I don't get deep and theological."

-- Joel Osteen, pastor of the nondenominational Lakewood Church in Houston. The largest congregation in the country, Lakewood moved over the weekend to its new home, the 16,000-seat Compaq Center. Osteen was quoted by The New York Times.

In ??? We Trust

"There's a godless organization for every wrinkle of nonbelief — the prayer-never-hurt-anyone, live-and-let-live atheists; the prove-the-God-fearing-world-wrong, keep-America-secular atheists; and the contrarian I-don't-believe-in-God-but-don't-call-me-an-atheist atheists."

A Time of Doubt for Atheists

What is Scientology?

RNS starts off the week with a feature on Scientology, which has been in the spotlight since actor and practitioner Tom Cruise espoused its antagonism toward psychiatry in an appearance on the "Today" show. From its launch in 1954 by science fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard, to its current popularity with celebrities, Scientology is still a mystery to most outsiders. Reporter Frank Bentayou tries to get a closer look.

Mega-chapel

Airport Chaplain David C. Southall

"I like to joke that my church has 17,000 members and 24 million visitors."

-- The Rev. David C. Southall, senior chaplain of Dulles International Airport's interfaith chapel, referring to the number of employees at the Virginia airport and the number of travelers who pass through the airport each year. Southall was quoted in The Washington Times.

Door-to-door with 15 eternal questions

Today RNS takes a look at a new low-budget film being produced by three guys and a mail-order video camera. “The filmmakers went knocking on the doors of some of the world's most admired spiritual thinkers and -- far more than they had any reason to hope -- were welcomed with open arms and minds. The final product concentrates on 15 eternal questions, such as "What happens to you after you die?" "Describe God" and "What are we all so afraid of?" The insights of the film coalesce in its title: "One," distilled from its working title "We Are All One." "

Pope Benedict XVI concerned by Harry Potter series

Pope Benedict XVI

"It is good that you enlighten people about Harry Potter, because these are subtle seductions which act unnoticed, and by this deeply destroy Christianity in the soul, before it can grow properly."

-- Pope Benedict XVI, in a 2003 letter to a German author while he was still known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, on the alleged dangers of the Harry Potter children's book series. He was quoted by Reuters.

Canada and Same-Sex Marriage

Ottawa Citizen - canada.com network

An interesting take on how Canadian churches are chaffing under the country's new gay marriage laws. Money quote: "The example highlights the problem churches are set to face due to the same-sex marriage law, even though a host of witnesses assured the Senate committee that the freedom of religion guarantees under the Charter of Rights will prevent churches from being forced to marry gay couples."

Anger in the wake of Sen. Rick Santorum's comments

Today RNS reports on the fallout over comments made by Sen. Rick Santorum regarding the Catholic Church's clergy sex abuse scandal.

"Angry sex abuse victims and Democrats have demanded that U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum apologize for “insensitive” and “self-serving” remarks that blamed Boston's liberal cultural, political and academic institutions for causing the Catholic Church's clergy sex abuse scandal.

The firestorm ignited on Wednesday (July 13), the same day that a new poll showed that Santorum, R-Pa., continues to trail state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr. by 11 percentage points in the 2006 U.S. Senate election. The issue could further hurt Santorum's standing in a campaign where he and Casey, both anti-abortion Catholics, will be courting the Catholic vote. "

Skateboard Ministries

RNS' article of the week, Ministries Use Skateboarding as Evangelistic Tool to Tap Into Youth Culture, has been posted.

Quote: The definition of Christian skateboarding is loose, but the Palau method melds wicked tricks on the half pipe with a Billy Graham-style evangelistic message. After demonstrating the newest moves, skateboarders then tell their personal stories to an onlooking crowd of teens.

Also, check out our weekly e-newsletter.

The courts do impact your life

Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian law firm

"We have had more response to this case than we have had to the decision on the Ten Commandments -- how about that? ... I think it ranks up there with any case we have ever had in showing that the court does, in fact, impact your life."

-- Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, in reference to Christian conservatives' opposition to the recent Supreme Court ruling giving cities the right to seize property for development that generates tax revenue. Sekulow was quoted in the New York Times.

Today in RNS: A lotus grows in the mud

Today RNS reports that as an unprecedented number of Americans turn to Buddhism -- there are now an estimated 6 million Buddhists nationwide -- more and more Buddhist ideas and symbols are popping up in bookstores, gift shops and business retreats. An accompanying sidebar tells the story of Siddhartha Gautama, who 2,500 years ago at the age of 35 became the Buddha.

Today we're also reporting on an apology from the board of the Unitarian Universalist Association for incidents involving "apparently disrespectful and racist treatment" of youth delegates during the denomination's annual meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, in June. The UUA board's letter has set off a debate among Unitarians about tensions over race within the mostly white denomination.

In addition we're covering the news that the Rev. Steve Gaines will be replacing the Rev. Adrian Rogers, one of the nation's best-known Southern Baptist leaders, at the renowned Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.

The role of justices

Robert H. Bork, former judge

"Once the justices depart, as most of them have, from the original understanding of the principles of the Constitution, they lack any guidance other than their own attempts at moral philosophy, a task for which they have not even minimal skills."

-- Robert H. Bork, former U.S. Court of Appeals judge and rejected Supreme Court justice nominee, on the role of justices. His op/ed appeared in The Wall Street Journal.

Former crack dealer now pushes the Gospel

Today RNS's top feature is about about Huey Harris, a former drug dealer who now preaches about God: "The 6-foot-2-inch, 255-pound preacher wipes sweat from his face with a towel as he leads Bible study on an asphalt driveway in the back of a modest ranch. His kingdom, which once included several crack houses and a stable of cars and women, now consists of a dozen people ignoring the heat and the roar of a neighbor's motorcycle."

Islam's silent majority

Amir Taheri, columnist for the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Sharq Al Awsat

"The real fight against this enemy of humanity would start only when the so-called 'silent majority' in Islam speaks out against these murderers and those who brainwash, train, finance, and deploy them."

--Amir Taheri, columnist for the London-based Arab newspaper Al-Sharq Al Awsat, on Muslims' reactions to the London bombings.

Ministering to the BTK Killer

The Rev. Michael Clark, Pastor of the BTK Killer

"Some people want me to get up on that pulpit and condemn Dennis to hell. But that's not why I was called into the ministry."

-- The Rev. Michael Clark, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Wichita, Kan., speaking about church member Dennis Rader, who has admitted to being the BTK serial killer. He was quoted by Reader's Digest.

Thou shalt memorize the Ten Commandments

In today's report, RNS invites readers to take a quiz on the Ten Commandments. With the recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, it might be a good time to review what you know about this ancient eithical and moral list. For example, "What did Jesus say was the "greatest commandment?"

Check out RNS today for more questions and answers.

How to properly dispose of a damaged Quran?

Sedki Riad, Director, Islamic Center of Blacksburg, Va.

"There is nothing better than knowing that Blacksburg is what we expect it to be -- a caring, friendly and supporting neighborhood. ... It is a big relief."

-- Sedki Riad, director of the Islamic Center of Blacksburg, Va., on the revelation that a charred Quran discovered outside his mosque was not evidence of a hate crime. A Muslim student at Virginia Tech told police he left the damaged holy book outside the mosque because he thought members would know how to dispose of it properly after it was damaged in a house fire. Riad was quoted by the Roanoke Times.

The UCC and Identity

Caught Between the Cross and the Comma: UCC Denomination Addresses Identity

The RNS Article of the Week has been posted. Click the link above to read it.

Quote: On this and other issues, the UCC seems to be wrestling with its core identity, torn between its Puritan roots and its reputation as the proud left pole of American Protestantism. To put it another way, the church is caught between the cross and the comma.

Also, check out the latest edition of our weekly e-newsletter, here.

The world's most kosher MC

Today RNS is moving the story of 50 Shekel, a Jewish parody rap star who recently shocked the Jewish world with the announcement that he's accepted Jesus as his messiah. The article originally appeared on Beliefnet, but can be reprinted by RNS subscribers.

Darwinism in church

Russell D. Moore, of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

"It's time to do something about all the Darwinism in our evangelical churches. No, I'm not talking about church members holding to the ideology of natural selection put forward by Charles Darwin's infamous 'Origin of the Species.' Instead, I mean the ways in which we inadvertently pick up the 'Survival of the Fittest' mentality -- and put it to work in our evangelism, our missions and our congregational business meetings."

-- Russell D. Moore, in "Darwinism in the Church Business Meeting" in the
June/July issue of SBC Life, the journal of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Christians' place in the world

Rick Warren, Senior Pastor, Saddleback Church

"If Christians ought to be anywhere, they ought to be where people are talking about poverty. So I felt like Christians ought to show up big and strong, because if we don't the world ... looks up and says, `Where are the Christians when we talk about poverty?'"

-- Rick Warren, from the Live 8 rock concert in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday (July 2). Warren wrote the best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life." He was quoted by ASSIST News Service.

The abilities they have

Today RNS is moving an article about a Christian ministry for teenagers with disabilities. The story focuses on Will Gathro, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant, and spent most of his teenage years at home with his parents. That changed when he joined Capernaum Partnership. The ministry, says Will's mother, Kathy Gathro, has been "a social lifeline -- they see our kids for the abilities they have, not the disabilities they have." The program, which empowers youth with disabilities to get out of their homes to serve others, is just one example of how, after years of neglect, the church and religious nonprofits are beginning to meet the needs of people with "special needs." Check out the ministry's Web site.

Update on today's coverage: The shot heard 'round the world?
Today we're also reporting on the United Church of Christ's vote that has made it the first mainline church to support civil marriage for gay couples. Will it affect the way other churches approach the issue? The answer, for a number of reasons, is probably not. RNS subscribers can check out today's report for an analysis of the decision. Non-subscribers can purchase the article on a one-shot basis.

Making poverty history

Jars of Clay's Lead Singer Dan Haseltine

"There is never a moment in this age when we can rest on what we have done to serve the poor and the suffering. As long as there are people without access to water, and people who do not even have the basics for survival, we who have so much should never rest. I believe we can make poverty history."

-- Dan Haseltine, lead singer of the Christian band Jars of Clay, speaking about the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia on Saturday (July 2) to raise awareness about poverty in Africa and encourage G8 national leaders to increase aid to the continent.