August 1, 2008

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
McCain resists calls to remove embattled Catholic aide
Ronald J. Hansen/Arizona Republic (07/31/2008)
For weeks, Sen. John McCain's campaign has quietly resisted calls to dump one of his leading religious representatives who critics say is an inappropriate surrogate because of links to allegations of sexual impropriety. At least three religious groups have asked the McCain campaign to remove Deal W. Hudson from its national Catholic-outreach group. The groups say Hudson, who quit President Bush's political team in 2004 amid similar calls, lacks the moral authority to represent the campaign on religious issues.

DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE
Muslim women's law firm breaks down stereotypes
Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah/Chicago Tribune (08/01/2008)
6 Muslim women start own legal firm, one they hope helps dispel stereotypes, represents ethnic, religious diversity that exists within Islamic faith

LAW AND COURTS
Update: Inmate reaches accord with prison over eagle feathers
Mallika Rao/Religion News Service (07/31/2008: pewforum.org)
An American Indian inmate in Wyoming has reached an agreement with prison officials to allow him and other inmates access to bald eagle feathers for use in sacred ceremonies. Stephen Pevar, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who represented inmate Andrew John Yellowbear, called the decision a "great victory for religious freedom."

Lane Bryant mystery deepens
David Heinzmann, Stacy St. Clair and Matthew Walberg/Chicago Tribune (07/31/2008)
Six months ago five women were killed in a Lane Bryant store in Tinley Park. Police thought it was a botched robbery. Now they are probing a financial scandal in a closed evangelical church where the slain store manager had been associate pastor.

BUSINESS
Faith groups push minimum wage hike to $10
Ashly McGlone/Religion News Service (08/01/2008: pewforum.org)
WASHINGTON - A nonpartisan coalition of more than 90 faith, community, labor and business organizations has launched an ambitious "$10 in 2010" campaign to raise the federal minimum wage within two years. The Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign announced the "$10 in 2010" crusade with support from various denominations, including American Baptist Churches USA, the Episcopal Church, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation, Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Christian social justice group Sojourners.