Source: The Denver Post

On July 7, 2000, the Denver Post published an article about the recent Colorado State Board of Education decision to encourage schools to display the national motto "In God We Trust," angering many who see the vote as an effort to bring religion into the classroom. The resolution, passed 5-1 by the Board of Education, is non binding, yet it "immediately drew threats of lawsuits from at least one group that says it will sue if any schools actually post the motto." Supporters say that the motto is a part of America's national...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

On June 17, 2000, the St. Petersburg Times reported that a House of Prayer will open on Monday, June 19 in Largo, Florida. The House of Prayer is linked to the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Mo., where 300 people take turns leading a non-stop musical prayer ministry. Dale Denham, pastor of Harvest Temple Church in Largo, which owns and operates the House of Prayer, stated: "Anybody who wants to can come in and pray, yet there is always only an audience of one and that is God." Fifty American cities and 25...

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On June 16, 2000, The San Francisco Chronicle published an article entitled, Mass of Their Own; A Group Gathers Monthly in an Oakland Park to Celebrate a Vision of a Catholic...

Source: The Washington Post

On June 15, 2000, The Washington Post reported that Southern Baptist leaders for the 15.8-million member denomination overwhelmingly voted to ban female pastors and change the Baptist Faith and Message Statement at their annual convention, held this year in Orlando, Florida. Although the ban on women pastors has caused the larger controversy outside of the denomination, the change to the Message Statement was the larger controversy within the denomination. In the 150-year history of the Baptist denomination, the Message had only...

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On June 15, 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times published an article on the reaction of Rev. Elaine Graham, a pastor in a Southern Baptist church in Calumet City, Illinois, to the SBC ban on female pastors. Graham is one of about two dozen Baptist female pastors in the Chicago metropolitan area, which claims 50,000 Southern Baptists. Though she has no intention of mentioning the SBC vote in her Sunday sermon, Graham emphasized the benefit of having female pastors: "Women are sometimes more open to talking with another woman." Graham, who...

Source: The Boston Globe

On June 15, 2000, The Boston Globe published an article on the SBC ban on women pastors. James Merritt, the Georgia pastor who is the newly elected president for the group, defended the ban on women pastors: "The issue is not competence; the issue is God's word. The calling by God to the pastorate is for the male only. I think a lot of these people who say they've been called are mistaken." The convention's stand against female pastors leading congregations was written into the revised Baptist Faith and Message statement. It does...

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 14, 2000, The Houston Chronicle reported that Southern Baptist moderates will challenge revisions to the denomination's mission statement. Charles Wade, executive director of the Texas Baptist convention, stated: "If this document is adopted, even though it is not binding on individual Baptists or churches, it will be used by SBC-appointed trustees to test the doctrinal positions of seminary professors and missionaries." Moderates have largely ignored the national convention and have developed alternative groups such...

Source: Los Angeles Times

The June 1, 2000, Los Angeles Times reported that Jaime Soto has became the youngest bishop in the U.S. He is a well respected community member who easily blends Spanish and English in his masses. "Soto's promotion signals the growing emphasis by the Catholic church on the burgeoning Latino population here and across the United States. Of Orange County's 1 million Catholics, about 480,000 are Latino, according to diocesan officials." "Nationwide, there is one priest for every 1,230 Catholics...but only one Latino priest for...

Source: The Washington Post

On May 29, 2000, The Washington Post published "Putting a New Spin on an Old Show; Passion Play Takes a Kinder Look at Judaism." The article discusses the revision of a Passion play that has taken place every decade in Oberammergau, Germany since 1634. "Many of the story's most ardent critics now declare this version, which premiered May 21, a milestone in decades-long efforts to expunge negative images of Jews."

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On May 27, 2000, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "the National Council of Churches wants to help form a new organization that for the first time would include all major branches of U.S. Christianity." The Council includes "mainline Protestant, black Protestant and Orthodox denominations" while "the Roman Catholic Church, Southern Baptist Convention, and Evangelical and Pentecostal groups" are not represented. It is possible that the NCC would itself disappear if a more inclusive group were...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On May 27, 2000, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported on "the Cathedral of the Annunciation on Clairmont Road, Atlanta's largest Orthodox Christian church. The cathedral is...the seat of Bishop Alexios, head of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Atlanta, which is composed of about 30,000 Greek Orthodox families across the Southeastern states. The Papadopouloses, who moved to Atlanta in 1973, are one of about 1, 400 families who make up the cathedral's growing congregation." The community is building "a new...

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On May 26, 2000, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published the article "Unity’s Bright Light; 24 Christian Groups Joined at Prayer Service." On May 25th, 2000 Christians in St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral gave thanks for 30 years of ministry by Christian Associates of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The service drew from the worship practices of the 24 traditions in the ecumenical organizations. Prayers were sung in the ancient chants of Eastern Orthodoxy and a psalm was read in the call-and-response style of African-...

Source: Star Tribune

On May 20, 2000, the Star Tribune reported that on Memorial Day weekend, mid-19th-century bishop Raphael Hawaweeny "will join sacred company and become St. Raphael, one of 11 people recognized by the Orthodox Church in America as saints." The bishop was born in Lebanon in 1860, arrived in the US in 1895, and has had several miracles attributed to him since his death, although miracles are not required for someone to be sainted in the Orthodox tradition. He is known in the church as one who spread the Orthodox faith through the United...

Source: The Seattle Times

On May 20, 2000, The Seattle Times published an article entitled, "Archbishop a Healer, Here and Abroad: Brunett Plays Key Role in World Drive toward Religious Reconciliation."

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On May 8, 2000, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Vsevolod has made a move to mend a rift between the Ukrainian Orthodox and Catholic Churches by offering to share a vial of oil gathered from the bones of St. Nicholas. The oil, which reportedly oozes from the bones of the 4th century bishop's remains every year and is believed to have healing powers, will be shared by the St. Volodymyr Orthodox Cathedral and the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. The oil will be officially transferred in a...