Court Lets Vatican-Sex Abuse Lawsuit Move Forward

"The Supreme Court won't stop a lawsuit that accuses the Vatican of conspiring with U.S. church officials to transfer a priest from city to city despite repeated accusations that the clergyman sexually abused young people."

How to Sell Christianity? Ask an Atheist

"What do Christians learn when they start listening to atheists? Henderson, author of the forthcoming book The Outsider Interviews, has found that the 'I'm right/you're wrong' model is a conversation-killer par excellence. So is speaking of non-converts as 'lost.'"

Burqa Bans Grow Fashionable in Europe

"A growing movement in Europe to ban burqas and niqabs, the face coverings worn by some Muslim women, is igniting a debate over individual religious freedom vs. broader cultural values."

Religious Anti-Bias Rules Upheld

"The Supreme Court ruled today, 5-to-4, that public colleges and universities may require religious organizations seeking recognition or funds as campus groups to comply with anti-bias rules."

Most U.S. Evangelical Leaders Don't Drink, Survey Finds

"Sixty percent of evangelical Christian leaders say they don't drink alcohol socially, citing reasons as diverse as the words of St. Paul, the desire to be a good leader and a history of alcoholism in the family, according to a survey by the National Association of Evangelicals released Thursday."

Many Americans Expect Jesus' Return by 2050

"Among respondents to the survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press and Smithsonian Magazine, 41 percent said they expect Jesus' Second Coming in the next 40 years, while 46 percent said it probably or definitely won't happen."

Muslims Look for Piety First in Partners: Poll

"Muslims consider piety and religious compatibility the most important criteria when looking for a partner, according to a new survey from an online Muslim matrimonial service."

4th Century Icons of Peter and Paul Discovered

"Catacomb archeological superintendent Fabrizio Bisconti points to frescoes discovered with the earliest known icons of the Apostles Peter and Paul in a catacomb located under a modern office building in a residential neighborhood of Rome."

More Preachers Bivocational

"About three-quarters of Southern Baptists churches draw fewer than 100 people on Sunday morning. That means they often can't afford to pay a preacher a full-time salary. So about half of Southern Baptist churches nationwide, and two-thirds in Tennessee, rely on bivocational ministers."

Are Social Media Changing Religion?

"The boundary between private and public information is becoming murkier every day, a blurring that is perhaps inevitable in the world of online surfing and social networking. But how about religious communities? The boundaries are shifting there as well, because of a growing emphasis in congregations on honest and open sharing in small groups."

Evangelical Leaders Say Spill Raises Moral Issues

"Leaders of a group that encourages evangelical Christians to care for the environment say the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico raises moral challenges for the country."

Ultra-Orthodox Jews Protest School Ruling

"Tens of thousands of black-clad ultra-Orthodox Jews staged mass demonstrations on Thursday to protest a Supreme Court ruling forcing the integration of a religious girls' school."

Islamic World Confidence in Obama is Slipping: Poll

"A year after President Barack Obama sought a new beginning with the Islamic world in a speech from Cairo, confidence in the U.S. leader has dropped sharply in many Muslim countries, according to surveys released on Thursday."

Southern Baptists' Budget Vote Shapes New Evangelism Approach

"At a gathering of 11,000 Southern Baptists on Tuesday at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., Baptists overwhelmingly approved a plan that will channel funds away from established Baptist programs and use them to fund new churches and more missionaries. It's called the Great Commission Resurgence. The national meeting concludes today."

Scientists Get Religion

"New head of AAAS program strives to improve dialogue between researchers and people of faith."

Faith and Freedom

"Christian Higher Education Canada has announced that it is organizing meetings to bring together faculty members and administrators from a range of institutions to discuss and, maybe, define academic freedom."

Stephen Hawking on Religion: 'Science Will Win'

"Renowned physicist shares thoughts on God, fatherly advice in an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer."

Christians View Syria as Haven in Unstable Region

"Syria's dwindling Christians coexist with their Muslim compatriots in a country many of them see as a safe haven, in a region where religious minorities often struggle for survival."

Theology School Melds Studies of Different Faiths

"The venerable Claremont School of Theology has taught Methodist ministers and theologians for more than a century, but in the fall they'll try an unorthodox approach: cross-training the nation's future Muslim, Christian and Jewish religious leaders in classrooms scattered around Southern California as they work toward their respective degrees."

Cambridge University to Digitise Faith and Science Library Collections

"Fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls are among the jewels in the Cambridge University library that may soon be made available digitally."

10 Questions for the Dalai Lama

10 questions for the Dalai Lama.

Thousands of Priests Rally in Defense of Pope

"Thousands of priests from around the world have massed in Rome in one of the largest such gatherings ever in a major show of support for Pope Benedict XVI amid the clerical abuse scandal."

Christian Colleges Flourish in Distance Learning Environment

"The question facing universities looking to compete in the booming market for online higher education is not so much how to do it, but how to distinguish themselves from the rest. In this, Christian universities appear to have a built-in advantage. And many are seizing the opportunity to expand their footprint."

Pope Begs Forgiveness, Promises Action on Abuse

"Pope Benedict XVI begged forgiveness Friday from clerical abuse victims for the sins of priests and promised to 'do everything possible' to ensure prelates don't rape or molest children ever again."

Evangelical Rally Draws at Least 1 Million People in Sao Paulo

"At least 1 million evangelical Christians rallied in Sao Paulo on Thursday for the annual 'March for Jesus,' an event that unites the faithful from hundreds of Protestant churches in the world's largest Roman Catholic country."

Anglican Leader Urges Penalty for Ordaining Gays

The spiritual leader of the world's Anglicans wants to sideline provinces that violate moratoria on ordaining partnered gays and on other contentious activity in the splintering fellowship. The proposal is expected to cost Episcopalians their formal role in shaping Anglican doctrine and in conducting dialogue with other faiths.

Philosopher Alvin Plantinga retires from Notre Dame

"It is not surprising, then, that well over 200 philosophers assembled at Notre Dame May 20-22 for a conference celebrating the career of Alvin Plantinga and marking his retirement. The list of registrants was a virtual "who's who" in Christian philosophy today; just about everyone of importance turned up to pay tribute to Plantinga."