Scientists and evangelicals; 10 Minutes With Philip Jenkins; Thr3e; Bridgeport United Church of Christ

Wednesday's RNS report features an article by senior correspondent Adelle M. Banks on scientists and evangelicals coming together to overcome their mutual suspicion: They sat together at a long table at the National Press Club on Wednesday (Jan. 17), a dozen representatives of the scientific and evangelical communities. They not only declared their joint concern for the need to address climate change but their surprising discovery that they could be friends. Their news conference announced an "Urgent Call to Action," in which 28 signatories said they have begun "a major shared effort among scientists and evangelicals to protect life on Earth and the fragile life support systems that sustain it." But it turned into a literal time of testimony about how they have softened the mutual stereotypes and found a passionate determination to work together.

In this week's installment of our regular feature 10 Minutes With ..., national correspondent Daniel Burke talks with Philip Jenkins, professor of history and religious studies at Pennsylvania State University and author of two books on how Christianity's center of gravity is shifting to the "Global South," about Jenkins' book "The Next Christendom" and the upcoming meeting of Anglican primates in Tanzania.

Michael H. Kleinschrodt reviews the Christian horror film Thr3e: The scariest thing about director Robby Henson's Christian horror film "Thr3e" is the spelling of its title. The movie, distributed by Fox Faith, is an adaptation of the novel by Ted Dekker. I cannot comment on the book, but the movie is neither particularly Christian nor particularly horrific. While characters in "Thr3e" are fond of discussing the nature of evil, none ever attends a church service or even engages in prayer. Toward the end, one character says, "All that is needed to overcome evil is the power of God." That's all well and good, but no one seems to be invoking that power (which tends to undermine the movie's message).

Edward Hershey reports on a church in Portland, Ore., that houses three different faiths: "We're a different kind of church!" the Bridgeport United Church of Christ's Web site proclaims. How different? The church is home to a Jewish congregation and housed a Catholic liturgical community that may return. While it is common for synagogues and churches to share space, several experts say they know of no other Protestant-Jewish-Catholic partnership in the country. Bridgeport, which began in 1998 and moved into the modest two-story church in 2001, is a good venue for ecumenism, the Rev. Susan Leo says. "This building was built by Mormons back in the '30s, and there is no permanent symbolism anywhere," she says. "It feels like the presence of God without having anybody having to claim which faith of God is present."