religion

Pope Francis began his papacy in March. In his first year as pope, columnist James Carroll says, Francis has put unprecedented focus on "the dilemma of the vast majority of human beings who simply don't have enough to live decently."

Religion

In Francis' First Year, A 'Radical Pope' Seeks To Save His Church

3:55pm December 18, 2013

"Who am I to judge?" With those five words, Pope Francis "stepped away from the disapproving tone, the explicit moralizing typical of popes and bishops," writes columnist James Carroll.

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Manischewitz-brined turkey centers the Thanksgivukkah feast, surrounded by challah-apple stuffing, sweet potato bourbon noodle kugel, horseradish-spiked mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts with pastrami and pickled onions, and latkes with cranberry applesau

Religion

Time To Mix Up The Manischewitz Turkey Brine For Thanksgivukkah

5:24pm December 16, 2013

by Deena Prichep

Jewish foodies say the flavors of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving are a culinary match made in heaven. And this Thanksgivukkah feast is especially sweet because it may not happen again for 80,000 years.

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Florida lobbyist Keith Arnold stops to look at Chaz Stevens' Festivus pole made out of beer cans in the rotunda of the Florida Capitol in Tallahassee.

Florida Man Airs Grievances With Festivus Pole In Capitol

8:14pm December 11, 2013

by Jessica Palombo

On Wednesday, Chaz Stevens' beer can-covered pole joined a number of other displays in the state Capitol in Tallahassee. There are also a religious Nativity scene and an atheist display. Stevens says he's protesting what he sees as a flagrant disregard for the separation of church and state.

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Pope Francis as he waved to the crowd in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Wednesday.

Argentina's Cardinal Bergoglio Is The New Pope; He Will Be 'Francis'

8:11am December 11, 2013

by Mark Memmott

On the second day of their conclave, 115 Roman Catholic cardinals settled on their selection. Now, the new pontiff faces the challenge of leading a church that is confronting many challenges. His chosen name honors a saint known for works of mercy and a simple lifestyle.

Religion

Pope Francis Reveals He Once Worked As A Bouncer

6:02pm December 03, 2013

Long before becoming the head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis worked some odd jobs. At a church in Rome over the weekend, the pope talked about sweeping floors, working in a chemical lab and teaching in high school. And at one time, he kicked troublemakers out of clubs.

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Archbishop Joseph William Tobin of Indianapolis prays at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' annual fall meeting in Baltimore on Nov. 12.

ACLU Sues, Claiming Catholic Hospitals Put Women At Risk

7:50pm December 02, 2013

by Julie Rovner

A woman in Michigan says that a Catholic hospital failed to give her adequate health care when she came to the hospital after her water broke when she was 18 weeks pregnant. That has sparked a lawsuit from the American Civil Liberties Union.

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John Brown, the head of Zion Oil & Gas, believes the Bible will help him find oil in Israel. The company, which is listed on Nasdaq, has so far spent $130 million and drilled four dry holes. Brown is shown here at one of the company's drilling rigs in Isr

Drilling For Oil, Based On The Bible: Do Oil And Religion Mix?

12:44pm November 27, 2013

by John Burnett

The born-again head of Zion Oil believes the Old Testament and an office full of geologists will lead him to oil deposits in Israel. So far, the company has spent $130 million and only hit dry holes.

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This colorfully illustrated French and Hebrew Passover Haggadah was published in Vienna in 1930. Caption on the image: "Eating Matzah." This restored document is part of an exhibit at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., that opens Nov. 8.

Who Owns The Archives Of A Vanishing Iraqi Jewish World?

12:22pm November 10, 2013

by Larry Abramson

In 2003, U.S. forces discovered a trove of Jewish documents in a flooded Baghdad basement. They tell the tale of a once-thriving Jewish community. The painstakingly restored documents will be exhibited in the U.S. before they are returned to Iraq. But some Jewish groups are trying to prevent that.

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A player from the Vatican's new cricket team of priests and seminarians returns a ball during a training session at the Mater Ecclesiae Catholic college in Rome last month. The Vatican officially declared its intention to defeat the Church of England —

The Vatican Reaches Out, A Cricket Match At A Time

6:21pm November 06, 2013

by Sylvia Poggioli

The Vatican is vowing to defeat the Church of England — not in the pews but on the cricket pitch. The Vatican has launched a cricket club, which draws from seminarians and priests of different nationalities who live and study in Rome. It's hoped the club will forge ties with teams of other faiths.

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Little oil lamps mark Diwali celebrations in Allahabad, India, far away from American homes.

Far From Diwali's Lights, The Warm Glow Of Home

9:42am November 04, 2013

by Lakshmi Singh

South Asian communities around the world are celebrating good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, light over darkness. Sunday is Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights. The holiday isn't well-known in the U.S., though, so families rely on themselves to keep the tradition alive.

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