Articles by Adelle M. Banks

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Technology unites missionaries, families around the world

Jan 04, 2011 by Adelle M. Banks
(RNS) Janine Winkler loves reading books to her 2-year-old grandson Judah, but instead of sitting on her lap at her home in Michigan, he's usually half a world away in Nigeria, where his father works for Wycliffe Bible Translators.
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Poll finds family, not Jesus' birth, at heart of Christmas

Dec 21, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
(RNS) While nearly all Americans celebrate Christmas, most focus more on family than religious traditions, a new survey shows.
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Despite sour economy, religious card sales are up

Dec 17, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
(RNS) The sour economy may mean fewer presents under the tree for many families this year, but one thing some Christians won't give up on is sending Christmas cards -- especially religious cards.
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Religious leaders join White House in Dream Act push

Dec 16, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious leaders joined White House officials Thursday (Dec. 16) in urging the Senate to pass the DREAM Act, calling it a moral solution to help students hurt by the country's immigration system.
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Republicans join FRC in ad countering hate group listing

Dec 15, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Family Research Council, joined by prominent Republican allies, is mounting an aggressive defense to a decision by the Southern Poverty Law Center to designate the powerful conservative lobby as a hate group.
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As polls show doubt, Obama underscores Christian identity

Dec 14, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

When President Obama lit the National Christmas Tree behind the White House in the 2009 ceremony, he spoke of a "child born far from home" and said "while this story may be a Christian one, its lesson is universal."

News

Holder denies entrapment of Muslim suspects

Dec 13, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder de­fended the FBI's recent undercover investigation of an Oregon Muslim terror suspect, saying that Muslim critics who think it was a case of "entrapment" are wrong.

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Black church group criticizes congressional tax cuts

Dec 10, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) The newly launched Conference of National Black Churches criticized Congress on Thursday (Dec. 9) for linking extension of unemployment benefits to tax cuts for the wealthy.
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Study: Congregants happier with good friends in pews

Dec 09, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

Close friendships among churchgoers, rather than theology, seem to be the key to happiness among religious people, according to a new study.

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Fewer ‘Middle Americans’ marry or attend worship

Dec 08, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

Marriage among Americans who have graduated from high school but not college is on the decline, and their religious attendance has dropped at the same time, a new report shows.

News

Most Protestant pastors think Bush, Palin are Christians but not Obama

Dec 07, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) The vast majority of Protestant pastors think former President George W. Bush is a Christian, but less than half think President Obama is, a new LifeWay Research survey shows.
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Survey: Typical atheist is white son of religious parents

Dec 06, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) The typical member of a fast-growing atheist association is a highly educated, married white male who grew up with religious parents.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation, which grew from 5,500 in 2004 to about 16,000 members this year, announced results of a survey of its members on Wednesday (Dec. 1).
News

Military chaplains voice `intense' views on gay ban

Dec 02, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) A long-awaited report on the possible repeal of the military's ban on openly gay members says the chaplains corps has "some of the most intense and sharpest divergence of views" on the issue.
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Muslims say respect is key to better relations

Dec 01, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

About half of Muslims surveyed worldwide believe that the West does not respect them, according to a new Gallup report, and many say not desecrating the Qur'an and portraying more "accurate" Muslim movie characters could improve a strained relationship.

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Blasphemy resolution passes U.N. committee

Nov 24, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
(RNS) A resolution combating the "vilification of religions" was adopted Tuesday (Nov. 23) by a United Nations committee, but religious freedom advocates who oppose the measure say support for it continues to diminish.

The resolution by Islamic countries is scheduled to be considered by the U.N. General Assembly in December.
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Conscientious objection to specific wars sought

Nov 24, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

A coalition of religious leaders and veterans has called for a reconsideration of conscientious objection to war, saying that military members should have the right to object to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for moral reasons.

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Hunger group hopes for progress in 2011 on global malnutrition

Nov 23, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) Significant progress on global malnutrition can be made in 2011, the ecumenical anti-hunger group Bread for the World said Monday (Nov. 22) in its new annual report on hunger.
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Faith-based reform gets mixed reviews

Nov 17, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks

President Obama has signed an executive order that reforms the White House's faith-based office in a bid to improve transparency and clarify rules for religious groups that receive federal grants.

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U.S. activists lobby against U.N. defamation resolution

Nov 15, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
WASHINGTON (RNS) Religious freedom advocates are urging members of the United Nations to vote against the latest proposal from Islamic countries to combat "defamation of religions."
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Rural church leaves ELCA over gay clergy, genetics proposal

Nov 15, 2010 by Adelle M. Banks
(RNS) A rural North Dakota church has voted to leave the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, not only to protest its recent policies to allow gay clergy but also its proposed statement on genetically modified foods.