Associated Press Rome – An Italian priest said Tuesday he has backtracked regarding his idea to organize an online beauty pageant for nuns, saying he had been misunderstood and had incurred the protests of faithful and local religious authorities. The Rev. Antonio Rungi had thought a beauty contest would give nuns more visibility within the…

By Kristina Riggle Religion News Service GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (RNS) Brian McLaren, a leader in the “emergent church” movement, says the three Abrahamic religions — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — are very dangerous. “Christians, Muslims and Jews are, in some ways, the most dangerous people on the planet, and probably Christians being the most dangerous…

Associated Press – August 25, 2008 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A proposal aimed at effectively banning gays and lesbians from becoming foster or adoptive parents was cleared Monday to appear on this fall’s ballot in Arkansas. The measure would prohibit unmarried couples living together from fostering or adopting children. Secretary of State Charlie Daniels certified…

Associated Press – August 25, 2008 BEIJING – Security agents detained an elderly bishop of an underground Catholic church in northern China hours before the closing of the Olympic Games, a U.S.-based group said Monday. Bishop Julius Jia Zhiguo, 73, of Zhengding, a city in northern Hebei province, was taken by six government officials from…

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