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By Tim Murphy Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) While Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s staunch evangelical conservatism may appeal to her party’s Christian base, the Alaska governor’s home state ranks among the nation’s least religious. According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, Alaskans are less likely to believe in God, pray,…

By Steve Rabey c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) “The Shack,” a novel of horror and healing that was rejected by more than a dozen publishers, has sold more than 2 million copies to become the bestselling religion book of the past year. Author William P. Young, who goes by Paul, says he wasn’t writing…

By Bill Graves c. 2008 Religion News Service COOS BAY, Ore. — Kitzen and Jeni Branting have been in a committed lesbian relationship since high school and plan to get legally married in Oregon next spring. True, voters amended the state Constitution in 2004 to allow marriage only between a man and a woman. And…

Associated Press Los Angeles – The departure of a key figure in a record $660 million clergy sexual abuse settlement has endangered part of the deal that some plaintiffs consider more important than the money: the promise by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to allow the release of accused priests’ confidential files. More…

By Eric Gorski and Rachel Zoll Associated Press St. Paul, Minnesota – Sarah Palin often identifies herself simply as Christian. Yet John McCain’s running mate has deep roots in Pentecostalism, a spirit-filled Christian tradition that is one of the fastest growing in the world. It’s often derided by outsiders and Bible-believers alike. Palin was baptized…

Associated Press Newark, N.J. – An influential New Jersey Muslim leader accused by some federal officials of having terrorist ties but praised by others as being an important ally won his fight to gain permanent U.S. residency Thursday. A federal immigration judge in Newark ruled that Mohammad Qatanani, the spiritual leader of the Islamic Center…

Associated Press – September 3, 2008 SPOKANE, Washington – A historical novel about the prophet Muhammad and his child bride that was pulled by Random House over concerns it would anger Muslims has found a new English-language publisher. Gibson Square will publish the book next month in Great Britain, saying Wednesday that it is imperative…

By G. JEFFREY MacDONALD c. 2008 Religion News Service (UNDATED) When Marilyn Lorenz of Alma, Mich., talks about living out her Catholic faith in daily life, she starts by describing what’s inside her refrigerator. The produce is grown on nearby farms, and the milk is organic and hormone-free. Meat comes from a local farmer who…

By David Finnigan c. 2008 Religion News Service ST. PAUL, Minn. — At 67 million strong and packed into must-win states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida, U.S. Catholics are the ultimate electoral prize for any candidate seeking the White House. Since 1976, winning the Catholic vote has meant winning the Oval Office — except for…

Chicago Tribune Daniel Darling thinks George W. Bush is doing a good job as president, and that means roughly 70 percent of Americans think Darling is a nut. He is not. What he is, perhaps not surprisingly, is the pastor of an evangelical church in the far north suburbs. He is a man of faith–the…

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