Tag: religion
UVA sociologist: ‘Faith is a family-friendly force’ for African-Americans, Latinos
African-American and Latino couples who attend church together experience happier relationships and family life.
Mark Grabowski: School’s Islam assignment displays ignorance on all sides
An Augusta County high school teacher’s controversial assignment this month involving Islam is the latest unfortunate example of ignorance in America.
UVA faculty lead global effort to combat religious violence
The University of Virginia is at the heart of a global network of academics, politicians and activists urgently working to stop the spread of religion-related violence.
EMU media, religion professors team up to analyze selfie culture
Cell phones are this generation’s cigarette. That was one analysis provided by Jerry Holsopple and Linford Stutzman to students participating in an October Living and Learning Forum at Eastern Mennonite University. Holsopple, a visual and communication arts professor, and Stutzman, professor in the Bible and religion department, teamed up to talk about “selfie culture” and the potential side-effects of this social phenomenon.
ACLU calls for defeat of bill licensing discrimination against LGBT Virginians
The ACLU of Virginia released the following statement attributed to Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, Executive Director, ACLU of Virginia regarding HB1414, a bill to license discrimination that was pre-filed for consideration in the 2015 General Assembly Session by Delegate Bob Marshall (R-Manassas).
Unbroken: Technically brilliant, but still … broken
Fans of the 2010 Laura Hillenbrand best-seller Unbroken won’t be disappointed with Angelina Jolie’s film adaptation, not until the final credits begin to roll, and they realize that a rather important part of the story was left on the cutting-room floor.
Appeals court rejects Pittsylvania County appeal in government prayer case
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit today unanimously dismissed Pittsylvania County’s appeal from a lower court order prohibiting the Board of Supervisors from opening its meetings with Christian prayers offered by Board members.
Research on the struggles of teenage girls
In her doctoral research, Emily Peck-McClain gathered thoughts from 24 girls from New York area Methodist churches that were both profound and disturbing.
UVA study identifies why re-educating torturers may not work
A recent study of torture by Rachel Wahl, an assistant professor of social foundations of education at the UVA Curry School of Education, was published this month in the journal Law & Society Review.
David Swanson: We must always have war because magic
This advertisement for permanent war appeared in my local newspaper today. By pointing out this fact I am neither opposing working with religious groups that favor peace nor asserting that Martin Luther King Jr. was a warmonger.
Compromise: A dirty word with the modern Republican Party
Never has “compromise” been treated as such a dirty word as by today’s Republican Party. Never has a party been less interested in working together to do the people’s business.
Ideas that can make Liberal America stronger
The imbalance in intensity in the political battle raging in America is largely due to the deficiency of moral and spiritual passion in Liberal America,
Andy Schmookler; Beliefs that make Liberal America weak
One important reason is that the battle playing out in our politics is fundamentally a moral and spiritual battle, and while the right is connected to their moral and spiritual passions (even though that connection has been made on the basis of lies) Liberal America is not.
Virginia Democrats comment on Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage
The Supreme Court today denied a writ of certiorati in the case that overturned Virginia’s ban on gay marriages, making marriage equality finally legal for all Virginians.
Nathaniel Deutsch, co-director of Center for Jewish Studies, to lecture at W&L
Nathaniel Deutsch, professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he is also co-director of the Center for Jewish Studies, will give a lecture at Washington and Lee University on Monday.
Cherryvale United Methodist Church joins 30,000 churches in National Back to Church Sunday
“Back to Church Sunday,” part of a national movement of churches across America, will be held at Cherryvale United Methodist Church in Staunton, Virginia at 9:15 am on Sunday, Sept. 21.
Local author marks latest release with book signing
Book-signing on Saturday, September 6, 2-4 p.m., at Bookworks in Staunton with author Paul Klein, whose latest book is Unusual Suspects: Four Stories of Suspicion, Suspense and Murder.
Chris Graham: Different vistas
We’re driving through Altavista this week on our way back from Greensboro, and it hits me. The anxiety medicine that I take when traveling, that is.
GOP mass meeting to determine nominee for open Augusta County BOS seat
Augusta County Republicans have called a mass meeting to determine a nominee for the open South River seat on the Board of Supervisors.
ACLU supports President Obama’s non-discrimination executive order
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today expressed strong support for President Obama’s decision to amend existing federal Executive Orders to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity by federal contractors and the federal government.
Libertarian perspective on Hobby Lobby ruling
In response to yesterday’s Hobby Lobby ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict made the following statement.
ACLU of Virginia comments on Hobby Lobby case
The ACLU of Virginia released the following statement by Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastañaga commenting on today’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hobby Lobby v. Sibelius.
Virginia State Police releases 2013 crime report
Virginia’s official and only comprehensive report on local and statewide crime figures for 2013 is now available online at the Virginia State Police website at www.vsp.virginia.gov, under “Forms & Publications.”
Randy Forbes: Flags in – a reminder of the First Amendment
The First Amendment of our Constitution outlines some of those freedoms that our Founding Fathers saw as inherent to our DNA as a nation.
Virginia interfaith leaders urge action on kidnapping of Nigerian girls
More than 80 Virginia religious leaders have signed a joint letter to world leaders, urging them to take more coordinated action to return more than 220 Nigerian girls who were kidnapped from their school by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
Bridgewater professor chosen for interfaith understanding seminar
Dr. Nancy B. Klancher, an assistant professor of philosophy and religion at Bridgewater College, has been selected from a nationwide pool of nominees to participate in a faculty seminar on the teaching of interfaith understanding.
ACLU praises veto of National Guard chaplain bill
Today, the General Assembly voted to sustain Governor McAuliffe’s veto of Senate Bill 555. Senate Bill 555 would have allowed National Guard chaplains to proselytize to unwilling service members.
President of Bethany Theological Seminary to speak at Bridgewater College commencement
The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey W. Carter, president of Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Ind., will provide the 2014 commencement address at Bridgewater College on Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m.
ACLU applauds governor’s veto of school prayer bill
Gov. Terry McAuliffe vetoed a bill that would have compelled schools to sponsor student prayer at official school events where students (and other members of the school community) are a captive audience, such as graduations, assemblies, and sporting events.
ACLU applauds Gov. McAuliffe’s veto of SB 555
The ACLU of Virginia applauds Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s veto of Senate Bill 555, which would have allowed National Guard chaplains to proselytize to unwilling service members.
ACLU: Gov. McAuliffe further entrenches discrimination into Virginia law
Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed Senate Bill 330 into law on Thursday to license genetic counselors that includes a so-called “conscience clause” that will allow these state-licensed healthcare professionals to refuse service to patients based on the counselors’ “deeply held moral or religious beliefs.”
ACLU asks Gov. Terry McAuliffe to protect bills that might threaten religious freedom
The ACLU of Virginia has sent letters urging Gov. Terry McAuliffe to veto Senate Bill 236, Senate Bill 330, and Senate Bill 555. Senate Bill 236 and Senate Bill 555 will allow the government to promote one religion over another, and Senate Bill 330 will license the use of religion to discriminate.
ACLU urges veto of Senate Bill 855 regarding National Guard chaplains, prayer
The ACLU of Virginia has sent a letter urging Gov. Terry McAuliffe to veto Senate Bill 555. The bill severely undermines the religious freedom of rank and file National Guard members by permitting military chaplains, acting as government agents, to push their personal religious beliefs during official National Guard events.
Gettysburg religion is focus of Bridgewater College professor’s new book
The diversity of religion in a small town that saw one of the most horrific battles of the Civil War – Gettysburg, Pa. – is the focus of a new book by Bridgewater College professor of history Stephen L. Longenecker.
Prayer in school: Un-American
At age six, I’m faced with a dilemma. Should I learn this prayer and say it along with everyone else? That’s up to you, my mother tells me. I could say it, or remain silent while everyone else recites, or she offers to request that I be excused from the room during the prayer.
State Senate passes controversial school religious freedom bill
The Virginia Senate voted on Tuesday 20-18 to pass SB 236, a bill that would enable students to express their religious views to captive audiences of their classmates, potentially creating the appearance that schools have sanctioned or approved a particular religion.
Senate Republicans vote to kill employment non-discrimination bill
On a 7-7 vote today, the Senate Committee on General Laws voted to kill a bill that would have protected state workers from employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Gov. McAuliffe signs Executive Order No. 1 prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity
Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed Executive Order Number 1 at the Capitol of Virginia on Saturday, which prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, political affiliation, or against otherwise qualified persons with disabilities in Virginia state government.
Analysis: Dickie Bell gets attention from local Democrats for science education bill
Local Democrats are seething over a controversial bill introduced by Del. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, that would require school boards to “find effective ways to present scientific controversies in science classes.”
AFPBusiness.com: Book takes on heavenly topic
Edited by Chris Graham AFPBusiness.com What would it be like if we could have seen everything just as the Heavenly Host or angels saw it? Frank Dunlap of Swoope takes on that weighty topic in his first book, A Heavenly View. AFPBusiness.com has the story.
