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today's headlines
APRIL 14, 2006
HISTORY
AND FAITH
Christian
mavericks find affirmation in ancient heresies
G. Jeffrey MacDonald/Christian Science Monitor (4/14/06)
Across the country, observers say, the Gospel of Judas is striking a chord with
progressive Christians. Not so much for its heretical theology, but as an ancient
symbol of their modern mission to update what defines faithfulness. It's an
approach that's winning approval from scholars, who say Christianity has always
attracted diverse beliefs. But others worry that this revisionism misrepresents
time-tested truths.
Pope
Calls Judas Double-Crosser in Homily
Daniela Petroff/Associated Press (4/14/06: washingtonpost.com)
ROME -- Pope Benedict XVI Thursday recounted the Biblical betrayal of Jesus
by Judas, calling the apostle a double-crosser for whom "money was more
important than communion with Jesus, more important than God and his love."
The
Kingdom of Christ
Jay Tolson/U.S. News & World Report (4/17/06)
Archaeological finds may help reveal an alternative story to the traditional
Jesus narrative.
Discovery
of New Gospel No Fictional Tale
Bradley S. Klapper/Associated
Press
(4/14/06: lasvegassun.com)
BASEL, Switzerland
- The journey of an ancient document, lost for 1,700 years and offering an alternative
version of Christ's life, reads like an Indiana Jones adventure or a Dan Brown
novel. First comes a chance discovery in an Egyptian cave, then thievery and
smuggling. But the tale of the survival and restoration of the document is no
work of fiction, says Mario Roberty, whose foundation sold the rights to exhibit
and publish the manuscript to the National Geographic Society for $1 million.
POLLS
For
Almost All Americans, There Is God
CBS
(4/13/06)
A new CBS News poll shows that almost all Americans believe in God or some higher
power and more than half pray often and consider religion an important component
of their daily lives.
DOCTRINE
AND PRACTICE
Episcopal
Churches Turn to U2 to Pack Pews
Ray Henry/Associated Press (4/14/06: news.yahoo.com)
Ushers handed out earplugs and fluorescent glow sticks for the "U2 Eucharist,"
a communion service punctuated by the Irish rock band's music. Episcopal parishes
from California to Maine have hosted similar events, weaving U2's tunes —
laced with biblical references — into the liturgy.
'Urban
Way of the Cross' to recall Jesus' passion
John Blake/Atlanta Journal-Constitution (4/14/06)
Christians don't have to go to a Good Friday church service today to mark Jesus'
journey to the cross. A group of Catholics will evoke the entire drama in downtown
Atlanta. Some of downtown's biggest landmarks will serve as the backdrop for
the group's version of an urban passion play — the 26th annual Good Friday
pilgrimage.
A
little faith can go far in New Orleans
Christina Bellantoni/Washington Times (4/14/06)
Many in New Orleans have kept the faith in nontraditional ways -- an offering
left next to a woodpile that was once a church, a tribute to a ceramic Jesus
figurine that survived against all odds.
BUSINESS
Leap
of faith: Workplaces embrace spirituality
Yvette
Armendariz/Arizona Republic (4/14/06)
The trend toward accommodating religious needs means more than giving time off
during Passover or on Good Friday or other religious holidays. Religion and
spirituality also are seeping into work settings across the country, often in
ways that were taboo just years ago. The changes may be driven by spiritual
awakening, by employees seeking fellowship as they spend added time at work
or by executives' realization that moral and ethical standards are part of the
values of a good business.
ADMINISTRATION
Christian
Science Church - stressing 'mission focus' - cuts real-estate costs
David T. Cook/Christian Science Monitor (4/14/06)
BOSTON –
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, the publisher of this newspaper, Thursday
announced plans for major changes in its real estate holdings, including the
sale of buildings located outside Boston that have significant architectural
and sentimental value.
Christian
Science church sets deep cuts
Thomas C. Palmer Jr./Boston Globe (4/14/06)
The Christian Science church in Boston said yesterday it has cut its annual
$190 million budget by almost half, reduced its staff by 40 percent, and will
vacate two of its three headquarters buildings on the church's renowned Back
Bay campus.
CONGREGATIONS
AND FAITH GROUPS
Together
for Easter
Richard Vara/Houston Chronicle (4/14/06)
Celebrity singers. A 600-strong choir. More than 100 dancers. Two very different
megachurches join to celebrate the resurrection.
Rabbi
And Followers Accept Jesus
Frances Grandy Taylor/Hartford Courant (4/14/06)
This time of year, as Christians prepare to celebrate the Easter holiday, the
Rabbi Paul Saal finds himself in demand to speak at churches. Saal leads a congregation
of Messianic Jews, who observe all the beliefs and rituals of Judaism but also
believe that Jesus Christ, whom they call Yeshua, was the messiah.
POP
CULTURE
No
Catholic baptism for baby, Cruise tells ABC's 'Primetime'
Associated Press (4/14/06: toledoblade.com)
Katie Holmes was raised a Catholic, but, says fiance Tom Cruise, their soon-to-arrive
baby will not have a Catholic baptism.
Cruise,
Holmes likely to have quiet birth
Sandy Cohen/Associated Press (4/13/06: charlotte.com)
LOS ANGELES - Tom Cruise has been practically shouting from the rooftops about
his love for his pregnant fiancee, Katie Holmes. But when their much-anticipated
baby is born, the superstar dad probably won't say a word. According to the
tenets of Scientology, known as "Dianetics," words - even loving ones
- spoken during birth and other painful times are recorded by the "reactive
mind," or subconscious. Those memories, adherents feel, can eventually
trigger problems for mother and child. What the doctrine doesn't say is that
laboring moms can't make some noise during delivery.
ARTS
AND MEDIA
'South
Park' creators skewer own network
David Bauder/Associated
Press
(4/14/06: mercurynews.com)
NEW YORK - Banned by Comedy Central from showing an image of the Islamic prophet
Muhammad, the creators of "South Park" skewered their own network
for hypocrisy in the cartoon's most recent episode. The comedy - in an episode
aired during Holy Week for Christians - instead featured an image of Jesus Christ
defecating on President Bush and the American flag.
Thus
sayeth the Lord (in the voice of James Earl Jones)
Tyrone Beason/Seattle Times (4/14/06)
The weeks before Easter see a spike in sales for Bibles, both in print and in
audio form like the Jones CD set. And while audio Bibles still represent a small
share of the overall Christian publishing market, their popularity is growing.
Gwinnett
parent wants Harry Potter off shelves
Laura Diamond/Atlanta Journal-Constitution (4/14/06)
Move over Lord Voldemort. Harry Potter has a new foe. A Gwinnett County parent
wants the popular Harry Potter series removed from all school libraries in the
state's largest school district. Laura Mallory, who has three children at J.C.
Magill Elementary in Loganville, is asking the school board to make Harry and
his friends disappear. Mallory first challenged the book in September at her
children's school, saying the books glorified witchcraft.
Morningside
artist's modern paintings follow the stations of the cross
Ann Rodgers/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (4/14/06)
Ann Schneider stood back as she hung her painting of a Jerusalem street, making
sure that an overhead light was at the best angle to display her rendering of
the first of 14 places where Jesus is said to have stood, walked, fallen or
died on the day he was crucified. The 23-year-old artist from Morningside spent
six weeks in Jerusalem last year, painting the traditional sites of the stations
of the cross as they appear today.
Did your local
paper run an interesting story today about religion or ethics? Let us know at
papers@religionwriters.com.
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