July 1, 2008

DEATH PENALTY
Fla. executes child rapist, killer
Associated Press (07/01/2008: usatoday.com)
STARKE, Florida — Florida on Tuesday carried out its first execution since a botched lethal injection procedure prompted a moratorium and state investigation. Gov. Charlie Crist's office said Mark Dean Schwab was put to death by lethal injection at 6:15 p.m. Schwab was convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing 11- year-old boy.

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Obama works to mobilize 'Christian left'
CNN (07/01/2008)
Democrats have usually conceded the evangelical vote during presidential elections, but Sen. Barack Obama is trying to change that by mobilizing what some call the "Christian left."

Obama Wants to Expand Role of Religious Groups
Jeff Zeleny and Brian Knowlton/New York Times (07/01/2008)
ZANESVILLE, Ohio — With an eye toward courting evangelical voters, Senator Barack Obama presented a plan here on Tuesday to expand on President Bush’s program of investing federal money in religious-based initiatives that are intended to fight poverty and perform community aid work.

Obama wants to expand faith-based programs
Associated Press (07/01/2008: msnbc.msn.com)
CHICAGO - Reaching out to religious voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama called for expanding President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — supported some ability to hire and fire based on faith.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Some clergy want out of wedding duty
Jennifer Garza/Sacramento Bee (07/01/2008)
Some clergy think churches should divorce themselves from the wedding business. The controversy over same-sex marriage – along with a growing sense that many couples who marry in churches never return – has prompted faith leaders to say it's time to reconsider how California couples tie the knot.

ABUSE CRISIS
Denver Archdiocese settles priest abuse cases
Reuters (07/01/2008)
DENVER - The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Denver will pay $5.5 million to settle 16 lawsuits filed by victims of sexual abuse by priests, both sides said on Tuesday.