Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On February 12, 2002, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that "the 'Hiroshima Flame' kindled 57 years ago from embers of the atomic bombing of Japan... wends its way across America... Its escorts are a diverse group: a seemingly indefatigable Japanese nun who's walked across the United States four times, a Native American elder from Massachusetts, an idealistic 15-year-old girl from Honolulu, and others united in the hope that their unusual spiritual pilgrimage will foster world peace... The five-month journey...

Source: The Washington Post

On February 12, 2002, The Washington Post reported that "sixty leading intellectuals, mostly high-powered academics who study ethics, religion and public policy at American universities and think tanks, will issue an open letter today explaining why they believe the war on terrorism is necessary and just... There are times when waging war is not only morally permitted, but morally necessary, as a response to calamitous acts of violence, hatred and injustice. This is one of those times," the letter says... The 10-page...

Source: The Seattle Times

http://www.womenofwisdom.org

On February 9, 2002, The Seattle Times featured an article on the Women of Wisdom conference, whose participants are practitioners of "everything from earth-centered and goddess spirituality to Incan shamanic practices... About 2,000 people are expected to attend parts of the eight-day women's spirituality conference at Seattle Unity Church, a nondenominational metaphysical church. More than 90 events are planned, exploring...

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On February 9, 2002, The Houston Chronicle reported that "at first glance, Salt Lake City could seem a one-faith kind of town: Mormon... But as athletes, their families and spectators arrived from around the world for the Olympic Winter Games that began yesterday, other faiths are cooperating to make sure visitors find the religion of their choice in Salt Lake City, whether it be Catholic or Baha'i... the official Olympic organizing committee has gathered an interfaith council of 45 city religious leaders charged with...

Source: Star Tribune

On February 9, 2002, the Star Tribune reported that "ever since Sept. 11 the United States has seen a resurgence of sensitivity to and expressions of civil religion - we value service, cooperation, equality of justice and opportunity, respect for diversity and national symbols and ideas... The Rev. Peg Chemberlin, executive director of the Minnesota Council of Churches, said, 'Part of what we're seeing is a firm commitment to the celebration of religious pluralism. In that it's a central value of a democracy'... Chemberlin said, '...

Source: The Boston Globe

On February 9, 2002, The Boston Globe reported that "the Massachusetts Council of Churches, which for a century has been an exclusively Protestant organization, has welcomed the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Boston to its membership, marking a milestone for ecumenical relations here... The organization, which works toward unity of Christian churches and which lobbies the Legislature on behalf of its members, now represents every major Christian church in Massachusetts except the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic dioceses of...

Source: The Boston Globe

On February 8, 2002, The Boston Globe reported that "President Bush gave his blessing to a compromise version of his faith-based initiative yesterday that would deliver more private and public resources to religious charities over the next two years... The compromise, achieved by White House negotiators and a bipartisan group of senators, was a breakthrough for Bush. The bill would use tax incentives to spur charitable giving, while increasing the amount of grant money for groups that deliver social services... The bill's...

Source: The San Diego Union-Tribune

On February 8, 2002, The San Diego Union-Tribune featured a story on Tehseen Lazzouni, a local Mulsim American woman active in the community. "In September 2000, Lazzouni, with the help of four other Muslims, formed the Islamic Speakers Bureau, which has 10 volunteer speakers who go into schools to talk to students about Islam... Lazzouni knew that many teachers were calling local mosques to find Muslims to come and speak to their students... Peter Evans, a social studies teacher at Torrey Pines [High School], will be...

Source: The New York Times

On February 8, 2002, The New York Times featured the story "Seeing Heresy in a Service for Sept. 11." It reported on the controversy over Rev. David Benke's participation in the national prayer service with leaders from other faiths. The article explained, "Addressing his 'brothers and sisters,' he prayed: 'The strength we have is the power of love. And the power of love you have received is from God, for God is love. So take the hand of one next to you now and join me in prayer on this field of dreams turned into God's house of...

Source: The New York Times

On February 6, 2002, The New York Times reported that "Senate negotiators have reached agreement with the White House over President Bush's proposal to give federal money to religious charities, Congressional aides said tonight... The aides said details of the agreement between Senators Joseph I. Lieberman, Democrat of Connecticut, and Rick Santorum, Republican of Pennsylvania, will be announced Thursday by the lawmakers and President Bush... The aides said the most contentious elements of a bill adopted by the House last summer...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

http://www.asia.si.edu/exhibitions/mandala

On February 3, 2002, The Atlanta Journal and Consitution reported that "for six hours a day for two weeks... 20 Tibetan Buddhist monks... [created] the largest sand painting ever constructed in the United States... They began creating Jan. 11, four months after terrorists struck the Pentagon, [until] the day of the painting's final consecration, just before it was destroyed, its millions...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On February 3, 2002, the Los Amgeles Times reported that "Navy Lt. Abuhena Saif-ul-Islam has [an] assignment with no historic precedent: to provide spiritual guidance and comfort to the captured Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters being held at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba... Although the detainees have been described as boiling with anger at America and Americans, Saif-ul-Islam finds them mostly confused and anxious about the future... 'They're pretty consistent in seeking God's help' he said. 'The Koran says God helps those...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On February 2, 2002, the Los Angeles Times reported on a common "concern in Asian and Asian American churches: In becoming a Christian, does a convert sever ties with his non-Christian loved ones." The article focuses on the story of Dickson Yagi, "born in a Buddhist family in Hawaii... He had been the first member of his Shingon Buddhist family to convert to Christianity... Yagi went on to become a Southern Baptist minister... The third-generation Okinawan American's personal experiences convinced him that the 'good news' of...

Source: The New York Times

On February 2, 2002, The New York Times featured an article on David K. Scott, "who until last spring was chancellor of the University of Massachusetts flagship campus in Amherst... Mr. Scott said he feared that constitutional prohibitions against promoting religion had been used to effectively banish religion from public universities, or at least to 'ghettoize' religion in departments where it can be safely ignored by those who do not study it... Mr. Scott said he would like to see universities revamp the general education...

Source: The Hartford Courant

On February 2, 2002, The Hartford Courant reported that "after years of worshiping in rented space while enduring failed attempts to establish a place of their own, [central Connecticut] Muslims have what they have been searching for... The mosque is in a former bowling alley turned office building... The congregation does not yet have an imam, a Muslim religious leader, and plans for a library and kitchen will have to wait until funding improves. But just having a site for the 44 member families devoted to the Shiite branch of...