Popular in poorer neighborhoods, storefront churches preach love and gratitude. Often set up wherever space is available, these houses of worship have the unique capability to meet their worshippers right where they are.

July 14, 2006

Spain, once considered a European stronghold for the Roman Catholic Church, has become increasingly secular. The Church finds its spiritual and social influence throughout the country is in decline. It’s estimated fewer than 20 percent of Spaniards now attend Mass regularly. More →

July 7, 2006

A government advisory committee recommended that 11- and 12-year-old girls be routinely vaccinated against a sexually transmitted virus that causes cervical cancer. The vaccine is most effective when it’s administered to girls before they become sexually active. But with the potential for premarital sex involved, the recommendation has been caught between science, politics and religion. More →

June 30, 2006

In Myanmar, which many still call Burma, military rulers allow no democracy or free speech and persecute religious minority groups. Human rights groups say there is a campaign of oppression that has resulted in almost a million and a half displaced people. Critics say the generals who control the area are conducting a form of ethnic cleansing hidden from the eyes of the outside world. More →

April 21, 2006

Expanding medical technologies continue to create a host of new ethical dilemmas. Researchers can now detect early in a pregnancy if a fetus has Down Syndrome. The condition usually results in some degree of physical and mental disability, and armed with that information, some expectant parents face the wrenching decision of whether to terminate the pregnancy. More →

March 31, 2006

“Throughout our conversation, he spoke about God’s concern for the poor and biblical calls for justice. He came across as intelligent and informed, easily reeling off statistics and the details of arcane international trade policy. Earnest, not posturing.” More →

February 3, 2006

In some observant Jewish families, a little boy’s first haircut is more than just a haircut. It marks the beginning of not only his formal education but also his obligation to keep the commandments and perform mitzvoth — good deeds. More →

January 27, 2006

A new report says this year Americans gave record amounts of private charitable donations. Another report says Americans donated nearly $3 billion to post-hurricane relief efforts. Yet nearly four months after Hurricane Katrina, the magnitude of the destruction is still difficult to comprehend. In the midst of it, many people here say the themes of Christmas are echoing in new and poignant ways.
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December 16, 2005

In Germany, several of the concrete slabs at Berlin’s memorial to the Holocaust were defaced by vandals. In spite of anti-semitic incidents and other difficulties, the number of Jews moving to Germany has been going up dramatically. Also growing are the accompanying efforts to help them recover a sense of Jewish identity. More →

November 25, 2005

  Read the comments of Father Mark-Ephrem Nolan, abbot of Holy Cross Benedictine Monastery in Northern Ireland, on the Irish Republican Army’s July 28, 2005 statement ending its armed struggle: The recent IRA statement is an important step on the … More →

August 5, 2005