Ten years after the clergy sexual abuse scandal erupted in the United States, Catholic bishops from all over the world will meet next week at a Vatican summit aimed at preventing abuse and protecting children. The conference, “Towards Healing and Renewal,” will be held on Feb. 6-9 and is organized by the Jesuit-run Gregorian University [...]

After months of urging from other Baptists around the country, the Rev. Fred Luter told his African-American congregation that he will seek to become the first black man to lead the predominantly white Southern Baptist Convention. Several Baptist leaders said Luter becomes the prohibitive favorite for the post, to be filled in a potentially historic [...]

They may not be as large as Catholics or as active as evangelicals, but white mainline Protestants have a big thing going for them this election cycle: they are divided, and possibly persuadable. That’s according to a new poll released Thursday  that found white mainline Protestants are more evenly split between President Obama and his Republican challengers [...]

When Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney released his federal tax returns for the past two years, he disclosed that he and his wife, Ann, gave about 10 percent of their income to their church, a well-known religious practice called tithing. In that way, the Romneys are typical Mormons, members of a church that is exceptionally [...]

After a rigorous debate and a 28-21 vote, on Wednesday night, the Washington state Senate approved a measure that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. In addition to the measure, more than 10 amendments were introduced. Several amendments, including one that strengthened legal protections for religious groups and organizations, passed. An amendment that mandated [...]

President Obama connected his faith with his policies toward the poor at the National Prayer Breakfast today, a subtle but sharp contrast to remarks made by presidential hopeful Mitt Romney the day before. “Living by the principle that we are our brother’s keeper. Caring for the poor and those in need,” Obama said before an [...]

A group of theologically conservative American Christian leaders is joining with animal rights defenders to advocate against cockfighting, calling the practice of watching and betting on roosters who fight to the death antithetical to biblical values. “Christians should stand up and speak out against this barbaric practice which horrendously abuses God’s creatures,” said Richard Land, [...]

From her home, Samia Ramsis holds a key chain bearing the face of the Virgin Mary as visitors outside come to look upon the spot where Egypt’s Coptic Christians believe Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus found refuge after fleeing Bethlehem. Once crowded with Christians, Cairo’s Coptic quarter where she lives with her husband, Mounir, [...]

On the eve of the 203rd anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birthday, lawmakers in at least four states are taking steps to hinder the teaching of evolution in public schools, while other bills would do the same without naming evolution outright. One of the bills, New Hampshire‘s House Bill 1148, not only singles out evolution, but would [...]

Even though a famous civil rights leader came to Trenton to scold him, Gov. Chris Christie unapologetically defended his recent controversial remarks on civil rights, calling one his New Jersey critics “numbnuts.” Agitated and at times caustic, the governor went after openly gay Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, who had hammered Christie for saying that in the [...]