Television watchers across the country are glomming on to an unlikely megahit: the History Channel's 10-hour retelling of stories from the Bible. To the disbelief of Hollywood executives, viewers are shunning a lineup that includes "Revenge" and "The Mentalist" to watch another telling of the greatest story ever told.
The contentious cause of religious liberty has a new, high-profile advocate: Rev. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., and author of "The Purpose-Driven Life," the 10-year-old publishing phenomenon that has to date sold upwards of 62 million — yes, million — copies.
Since the 2008 presidential campaign, when then-Sen. Barack Obama told the Rev. Rick Warren that he supported traditional marriage defined as the union of "one man and one woman," the president's position on this topic has "evolved," and now, of course, has reversed.
GOP vice presidential hopeful Rep. Paul Ryan says President Obama's "you didn't build that" remark explains why the U.S. recovery has been so sluggish.
Ask someone to describe what sets America apart from the rest of the world and the word "equality" almost surely will come up.
One of the nation's more prominent evangelical ministers is looking to reprise a forum for the presidential candidates on faith and policy next month, and analysts say that any religious or social tones struck during the event could help tilt a race thus far defined by economic issues.
The Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule apparently weren't clear enough. The National Association of Evangelicals, seeking to give more guidance to church and congregational leaders on how to conduct themselves, has issued what is believed to be the first "code of ethics" for pastors.
Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
Guest lineups for the Sunday TV news shows:
Library users searching for e-books will soon get to look through a much bigger catalog and help decide what their local branch might carry.
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has done us a wonderful service with her Aug. 15 article in the Atlantic, "Is Rick Perry as Christian as He Thinks He Is?"
Five years ago, a few activists in the "green" Christian movement secretly sought signatures among their allies in the liberal "social gospel" ranks to support a statement, while also picking up a few respected names such as that of "Purpose Driven Life" pastor Rick Warren and former National Association of Evangelicals President Leith Anderson for support, and published "Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action."
He quickly added that he believes in "conversion," via persuasion, and not "coercion," in the matter of religious choice: "It isn't faith if it's forced," he declared.
KELLNER: Warren driven by a new purpose — religious freedom →
Ecumenical without being syncretistic, Mr. Warren said he would support the right of a Jewish- or Muslim-owned restaurant or meat market not to sell pork or other religiously proscribed items.
KELLNER: Warren driven by a new purpose — religious freedom →
