Author: Melissa Nann Burke

Source: York Daily Record

http://ydr.inyork.com/ci_12339729

Many gave thanks in church Sunday to mom.

At the spiritually eclectic Nature Church, which attracts followers of Earth-based and nature religions, congregants also remembered the divine mother -- mother goddesses first revered by ancient cultures for qualities of motherhood, fertility or creation.

"She is the oldest, most primal, most universal of deity concepts...

Author: Jenna Russell

Source: The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/11/nes_identity_bolsters_gay_marriage_tolerance/

Two days before he voted to approve same-sex marriage, Larry Sirois stood and faced the congregation in his small Maine church.

Word had gotten out that he was planning to vote yes, and Sirois, a retired math teacher, self-...

Author: Jona Ison

Source: Chillicothe Gazette

[chillicothegazette.com/article/20090511/NEWS01/905110301]

Southeastern Local Schools has received notice from a Washington group that it would be a violation of the Establishment Clause to include a prayer at the graduation ceremony.

Traditionally, the school has had a reverend deliver an invocation and benediction at the ceremony, but the practice recently was challenged by senior Jacob Davis. Davis, who raised his concerns in a Letter to the...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Times

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article6261820.ece

Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians in the Middle East to hold on to their faith and traditions at an open-air Mass attended by 50,000 worshippers.

He told them to work with other religions to enrich their daily lives and counter violent ideologies. “Be faithful to your roots,” he said yesterday in his homily at...

Author: Fakir Hassen

Source: The Gaea News

[blog.taragana.com/n/zuma-inaugurated-as-south-african-president-after-sanskrit-chants-57666/]

A Hindu prayer started off the inauguration of South African President Jacob Zuma at the Union Buildings here Saturday.

As Indian Vice-President Hamid Ansari joined heads of state of 28 other countries, South African Hindu Maha Sabha president Ashwin Trikamjee recited a few lines in Sanskrit before translating them into English and making a plea for divine...

Author: David Brown

Source: The Times

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/article6245144.ece

An honour established by the Queen has been declared unlawful after Muslims and Hindus complained that its Christian name and cross insignia were offensive.

The Trinity Cross of the Order of Trinity was established by the Queen 40 years ago to recognise distinguished service and gallantry in the former colony of...

Author: Francis X. Clooney, S.J.

Source: America Magazine

Author: Rachel Donadio

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/world/middleeast/09jordan.html?_r=1&emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

Arriving in Jordan on his first trip to the Holy Land as pope, Benedict XVI on Friday expressed his “deep respect” for Muslims and his desire for the Roman Catholic Church to play a major role in fostering peace in the Middle East.

Benedict was greeted...

Author: Adelle M. Banks

Source: Religion News Service

http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/rnstext/national_day_of_prayer_gets_a_political_makeover1/

Evangelical leaders gathered for the annual observance of the National Day of Prayer on Thursday (May 7) prayed for President Obama but criticized his decisions to not mark the day with a White House event or send a representative to their annual gathering...

Author: Bob Smietana

Source: The Tennessean

http://www.tennessean.com/article/D4/20090507/NEWS01/90507020/Non-Christians+feel+left+out+on+Day+of+Prayer

Growing up in South Korea, the Rev. David Choi learned at an early age that prayer was serious business. As a child, he used to get up before dawn for a 4 a.m. prayer service.

Choi and other believers will join elected officials...

Author: Manya A. Brachear

Source: The Chicago Tribune/The Boston Herald

http://www.freep.com/article/20090506/NEWS15/90505108

After a standing invitation to the White House during the Bush administration, evangelical Christian organizers of National Day of Prayer activities have not been invited to attend White House ceremonies on Thursday.

In fact, it’s unclear whether there will be ceremonies in the White House at all.
...

Author: Ryan J. Foley

Source: Examiner.com

Wire Service: AP

http://www.examiner.com/a-2000823~Obama_defends__curtails_National_Day_of_Prayer.html

President Barack Obama is scaling back White House plans for Thursday's National Day of Prayer even as his administration defends the tradition in federal court in Wisconsin.

Obama's position has disappointed Christian conservatives...

Author: Ben Hubbard and Ibrahim Barzak

Source: The New York Times

Wire Service: AP

Author: Staff Writer

Source: CBS News

Wire Service: AP

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/05/ap/middleeast/main4994022.shtml

The Egyptian government is using swine flu as an excuse to get rid of tens of thousands of pigs raised by garbage collectors who live amid the refuse in Cairo slums. But the move has prompted accusations Monday that Muslims are attacking minority Christians, who breed the...

Author: Nicole Neroulias

Source: Religion News Service

http://pewforum.org/news/display.php?NewsID=18045

A watchdog group that monitors inappropriate proselytizing in the military has renewed calls for a Pentagon probe after a recent Al Jazeera English news segment showed U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan preparing to distribute Bibles printed in the Pashto and Dari languages.

"These inciteful actions are grossly offensive to not only Muslims in...