The Catholic Church and American Nuns

"For more than a thousand years, becoming a nun was the best—and often the only—way for a young woman to get an education and to earn a modicum of independence. In the modern West, though, women have other options. In the United States, the number of religious sisters has shrunk by two thirds since 1965, to 59,600."

Monks Making Money: A Business Beyond Prayer

"Nestled amid lush rolling green hills, the sacred grounds of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit are awash in pastoral tranquility. Here 40 Trappist monks who left the world they once knew -- on Wall Street, in academia and elsewhere -- dedicate their lives to prayer, reflection and the worship of God. . ."

Divers Explore Cleopatra's Sunken Palace

"Archaeologists retrieve artifacts from royal quarters submerged for centuries in Alexandria's harbor."

Atheists, it's Time to Play Well With Others

"What is not so encouraging in America's conversation about origins is the opposition of 'New Atheists' to any thawing of the chilly relations between science and religion."

Catholic Church Reburies ‘Heretic’ Nicolaus Copernicus With Honour

"Nicolaus Copernicus, the 'heretical' 16th-century astronomer who was buried in an unmarked grave nearly 500 years ago, was rehabilitated by the Roman Catholic Church this weekend as his remains were reburied in the Polish cathedral where he had once been a canon."

Southern Baptists Buck Trend, Post Most Baptisms in 4 Years

". . .the Southern Baptist Convention—the nation's largest Protestant denomination — post its highest number of baptisms in four years. Baptisms jumped by 7,539. Specifically, the baptisms jumped from 342,198 to 349,737 last year, reversing years of decline. Baptist leaders say the numbers show the convention's renewed focus on reaching nonbelievers is working."

Evangelical Group: We'll Partner to Reduce Number of Abortions

"The National Association of Evangelicals is making an anti-abortion move that some evangelicals may not welcome: They've announced a willingness to partner with groups that offer contraceptive services and other programs aimed at reducing the number of abortions."