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COMMENTARYAfter being knocked halfway to kingdom come, Tim Tebow knew that millions of college football fans would be paying close attention to his eyes the next time he led the Florida Gators into action.Viewers would be looking for signs that the quarterback was OK after a nasty concussion. Many would also want to see which Bible reference would be written in the patches of eye black that would be visible whenever television cameras focused on the face of America’s most famous muscular Christian.
WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural history will open a new permanent exhibit on to the "discovery and understanding of human origins" next March and convene a panel of experts to bridge the gap between religion and science.With input from more than 50 scientific and educational organizations and 70 distinguished scientists and educators, the museum launched a Broader Social Impacts Committee to address the interaction between religion and science.
In our better moments, we recall with the apostle Paul that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ that reaches the world. But we often find ourselves thinking the theology of one character in Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood, who said, "If you want to get anywheres in religion, you got to keep it sweet."There are various ways that we "keep it sweet"—that is, try to make the gospel inviting to as many as possible. The results have been mixed.
A new so-called “Twitter Bible,” which summarizes the over 31,000-verse Bible into nearly 4,000 short-form tweets, is being released at the Frankfurt Book Fair this week. Formally named And God Decided to Chill, the German language book is the compilation of tweets by more than 3,000 German Christians who participated in the church project earlier this year. In honor of the Pentecost holiday, German Christians used the micro-blogging service Twitter to summarize 3,906 Bible sections into 140 character messages.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright is long gone; Rick Warren, just an Inauguration Day memory. The hordes of ministers around town who were hoping they’d somehow wind up with the first family in their pews have (mostly) given up. The president has been pastorless for quite a while now. Well, sort of. Seventy miles from Washington’s prying eyes, Barack Obama has been attending church from time to time at Camp David, where services are led by a 39-year-old Navy chaplain with a famous last name, a compelling life story and a fervent belief in a God who works miracles.
An anti-evolution group is capturing headlines with its plans to distribute a special edition of The Origin of Species to tens of thousands of college students at secular universities next month, hoping that an introduction that promotes creationism will change the views of those who read it.But while that group is fighting for the hearts and minds of students at secular colleges and universities, there is also a theological and scientific struggle taking place at Christian colleges. Some professors, with support from prominent scientists, are trying to defend the teaching of evolution and to make it safe for those who…
LANDOVER, Md. – The evangelical movement is at a “head-snapping” generational change with younger evangelicals “revolting” against the tone of the Christian Right, says a prominent religious scholar.Across the nation, young evangelicals are naming Rick Warren or Bono as their role model for social engagement, rather than a Christian Right leader, says Michael Gerson, senior research fellow in the Center on Faith & International Affairs at the Institute for Global Engagement.
Nevaeh Rae Wallace was born on Valentine’s Day 2008, with an underdeveloped heart. Eight days later she had her first open heart surgery at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Four months later she had her second open heart surgery and for the next nine months lived the life of a normal baby, bringing joy to her parents, Matt and Jamie Wallace of Stoughton.But Nevaeh’s days were numbered. And now her family has initiated a fundraising project that will benefit other families who are facing health emergencies.
American evangelicals have approved a resolution calling for Congress to approve changes in immigration law. The resolution by the directors of the National Association of Evangelicals passed unanimously.
Toward the end of services at Calvary Gospel Church in Madison, the Rev. John Grant invites parishioners with heavy burdens to come forward and pray.Over the years, the majority of those prayers have dealt with health concerns, a pattern Grant does not find surprising. Throughout the Scriptures, Jesus heals. "That’s why I call him the great physician," Grant said.