The Columbian

Churches & Religion

U.S. Catholic bishops try to calm anxiety over pope

November 11, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

BALTIMORE -- America's Catholic bishops came together Monday to project an image of unity, after a Vatican meeting on the family unleashed an uproar over the direction of the church. Read story

Hopewell United Methodist Church Senior Pastor Steve Morton, left, Debra Boyd, director of lay ministries, and Pastor Dan Hepner examine the name plates on one of the newly constructed columbaria Oct.

Churches offer final resting place for cremated

November 8, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

PHILADELPHIA -- Steve Morton read a few years ago that changing religious views, convenience and the recession were leading more people to choose cremation. As the senior pastor of Hopewell United Methodist Church in Downingtown, Pa., he knew he had to respond. Read story

Pope mulls removing annulment charges

November 6, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis on Wednesday denounced the hardships Catholics can face when seeking marriage annulments, revealing he once fired an official who tried to charge thousands of dollars for one. Read story

Church music concert to benefit the homeless

November 5, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

The 16th annual concert of church music aimed at raising money for local winter-weather homeless services is set for 7 p.m. Friday at St. John's Catholic Church, 8701 N.E. 119th St. Read story

Vatican official condemns assisted suicide

November 4, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican's top bioethics official calls ''reprehensible" the suicide of an American woman suffering terminal brain cancer who stated she wanted to die with dignity. Read story

Jeffrey Fowle talks Friday about being detained in North Korea for nearly six weeks.

Ohio man held in N. Korea hoped to aid church

November 1, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

LEBANON, Ohio -- An American who is back home after being detained for nearly six months in North Korea said Friday that he left a Bible in a nightclub hoping it would get into the hands of what he called the country's underground Christian church. Read story

Elton John performs at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 13th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit at Cipriani's Wall Street on Tuesday in New York.

Elton John at AIDS event: Pope Francis is my hero

November 1, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

NEW YORK -- Elton John called Pope Francis "my hero" for his compassion and push to accept gays in the Catholic Church at his annual AIDS benefit. Read story

Photos by Mark Humphrey/Associated Press
Matthew Vines, center, author of "God and the Gay Christian," talks with Devin Kennamer, left, and Kathy Baldock on Tuesday at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission National Conference in Nashville, Tenn. Southern Baptists organized the three-day event to strengthen the resolve of Christians preaching the increasingly unpopular view that gay relationships are sinful.

Southern Baptists: Hold the line on homosexuals

November 1, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- More than a thousand evangelical pastors and others -- gathered for a three-day conference to steel the resolve of Christians who preach that gay relationships are sinful -- were asked a simple question: How many live in a state that recognizes same-sex marriage? Read story

Satanic group offers materials to schools

November 1, 2014, 12:00am Churches & Religion

ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Satanic Temple has submitted a Satanic coloring book and two fact sheets to schools in Orange County, Fla., requesting permission to give them out to students in January. Read story