Each part of the British Isles is represented by a saint. The most famous is St. Patrick in Ireland, followed by St. Andrew in Scotland. Since 1222, England marks the day of St. George on April 23. In 1348, George was named patron saint of England; and in 1415, … Continue reading →

Jews around the world begin celebrating the feast of Passover at sundown Friday, April 6. The festival dates to biblical times, and its beginnings can be found in Exodus at the end of the plagues that forced the pharaoh of Egypt to allow the Israelites to leave with Moses. Continue reading →

A packed house of more than 1,300 people filled Greenwell Springs Baptist Church on March 1 to hear Steven Curtis Chapman. Many of them also were there to hear the tall slender man behind him. For bass player Brent Milligan the concert was a homecoming. Milligan, who … Continue reading →

In the early months of each year, people’s thoughts turn to the awards proclaiming the best movies of the previous year. In churches, sometimes there are complaints that movies don’t offer themes attractive to or appropriate for Christians. So how does one go about making a Christian film? Continue reading →

It’s raining in Nashville, and Steven Curtis Chapman has just dropped off two daughters at school. For anyone who knows his story, this simple statement brings up lots of emotions. That number should have been three: the number of daughters he and his wife adopted from China. But about four … Continue reading →

February marks the 100th and 200th anniversaries of two events in Christian life. See Page 8D of People & Faith for an article about ceremonies recognizing the sending of the first missionaries from America to serve overseas. On Feb. 6, 1812, a group of missionaries was commissioned by the American … Continue reading →

The Right Rev. Clarence Cullam Pope Jr., a Shreveport native and longtime Baton Rouge resident who died on Jan. 7 at age 82, is remembered for his dialogues with Roman Catholics about Christian unity. Pope served as rector at Episcopalian churches in Bossier Parish and Baton Rouge and as bishop of the Episcopal … Continue reading →

If the new missal translation causes you to mess up at Mass on Sunday, you are not alone. Even Roman Catholic musician John Michael Talbot, who recorded an album to help people learn the missal, admits to some problems on his record. In 2010, Talbot recorded “Worship and Bow Down,” a collection released this … Continue reading →

Think Christmas is coming too fast? For Orthodox Christians, the Nativity Fast begins Tuesday and runs through Dec. 24. This is one of four major fasts in Orthodox life. The others include Lent, which is before Easter; the Fast of the Apostles, eight days after Pentecost through June … Continue reading →

The end of October is known for Halloween and All Saints’ Day. However, another religious day happens in this season: Reformation Day. The website Interfaith Calendar.org says it is the “Protestant Christian anniversary of their tradition and its emphasis on the place of the Bible and religious freedom” … Continue reading →

Almost 1,700 years ago, an event happened that led to Christianity as the Western world knows it. On Oct. 28, 312, Constantine (280-337) fought in a battle at a bridge just outside Rome. Constantine was headed toward Rome with an army of 40,000 soldiers to face Maxentius, who had … Continue reading →

St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, in Bertrandville, and St. Augustine Catholic Church, in Klotzville, are celebrating a centennial together this weekend. Founded Oct. 1, 1911, St. Benedict the Moor is the oldest African-American congregation in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. At 5 p.m. Saturday, Mass will be … Continue reading →

Today’s main story is about Thich Dao Quang, abbot of Tam Bao Temple in Baton Rouge. While the number of Buddhist followers has grown, Americans often don’t understand the basics of the religion. Basics MEMBERS WORLDWIDE: 350 million, mostly in Asia. MEMBERS IN UNITED STATES: Estimates were 401,000 in 1990, but that had risen … Continue reading →

When one starts to consider interfaith groups, the idea of tolerance comes up. How can people work together in faith when they don’t believe the same things? The Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance has a large site about religion: http://www.religioustolerance.org/. It’s an excellent resource for dealing with faith issues from many perspectives. The group defines … Continue reading →

We received several news releases in conjunction with the 400th anniversary of The King James Version of the Bible. The most interesting so far has been from the Bodleian Libraries of Oxford University in England. The libraries have launched their first app for Apple and Android devices. “The Making of the King James Bible” is available for purchase … Continue reading →

Recently, I asked readers to provide their views of heaven and hell and of who gets to enter heaven. Their answers have as many theological variations as there were writers. The shortest response was one of two that expressed disbelief. John Taylor, of Natchez, Miss., said, “I have no recollection of any events before … Continue reading →

Rob Bell’s book “Love Wins” and its questions about hell have caused a resurgence in people using the term “universalist.” In Christian life, most denominations view the belief as a heresy, and the term is often used as a smear. While the story on today’s page refers to an organization with the word Universalist in the … Continue reading →

Religion can be a part of vacation in many ways. Some people use vacation to do mission or service trips. Today’s page shows some Louisiana day trips that include Eastern religions. My husband and I have taken many trips where religion played a role. Consider some of these: Large meetings • Attend a state, national or international event. Denominations and para-church groups often hold … Continue reading →

The Baton Rouge Baha’i community says it is hosting a “weekend dedicated to enjoying the diversity in our community and focusing on the benefits of unity” in conjunction with Race Unity Day. The events include a movie night, an interfaith service and a picnic. Patrick Garrett, one of the event planners, said, “Racial unity is a … Continue reading →