Source: The Boston Globe

On June 23, 2001, The Boston Globe reported on Ukraine, "an extraordinarily tense spot on the map of world religion, where three branches of Orthodoxy and two branches of Catholocism vie with one another, with Protestant missionaries, and with the legacy of 70 years of state-enforced atheism. 'Ukraine is ground zero of Orthodox-Catholic tension in the late 20th and early 21st century, and the tension has spilled onto the international scene,' said one member of the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. "From the vantage point of...

Source: Religion...

Source: southofboston

Source: The Washington Post

On June 21, 2001, The Washington Post reported that "four churches in Hyattsville that were once all-white have morphed into a polyglot of faith and racial togetherness[, as] Prince George's County has changed from a predominantly white county to one that is predominantly black...At First United Methodist Church...[an] African American pastor booms out sermons to pews filled with blacks, whites, Hispanics and immigrants from 38 nations. At the Redeemer Lutheran Church...the son of German immigrants... [preaches to] congregants...

Source: The Kansas City Star

On June 21, 2001, The Kansas City Star reported that "the leader of the National Conference for Community and Justice called on churches and synagogues to quash racism, bigotry and bias" at the organization's regional conference in Kansas City...He said faith-based groups in America have gotten away from fighting social ills such as racism because they have gotten too caught up with other issues."

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

On June 20, 2001, The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "Federal Express Corp. must allow employees to wear beards for religious reasons, the U.S. District Court in Augusta has ruled. The decision came after [Muslim] Khaleed Abdul-Azeez filed a complaint through the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claiming that the company violated his religious beliefs and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with its policy prohibiting employees in customer-contact positions from wearing beards."

Source: The Virginian-Pilot

On June 20, 2001, The Virginian-Pilot reported that two scholars "urged...in a forum broadcast live on public radio...a model in which religion is treated with respect and taught in the curriculum" in public schools. "But we keep the government from imposing or denigrating religion," they said. Both scholars "work with the First Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, whose focus is religious liberty...The scholars said that teaching about religion can be - and should be - included in school curriculums that are based on sound...

Source: In-Forum

http://www.in-forum.com/pub/06202001/25733.shtml

On June 20, 2001, In-Forum, the online media partner of The Forum, of North Dakota, reported that organizers of "the second annual Pagan Hands Across the Red River are hurt by what they call 'bad publicity' about the four-day pagan festival 40 miles south of Fargo. Letters published on The...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On June 19, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that "southland Muslim and Jewish leaders decided...to restart a troubled interfaith dialogue group after Mideast tensions moved the Islamic side to freeze the effort last month...The group...has lost members in the last several months as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict stoked emotions and suspicions on both sides." Many, however, believe that the issues need to be squarely addressed in interfaith dialogue.

Source: The New York Times

On June 19, 2001, The New York Times reported that "it is in the United States that the consciousness of being part of a single Hispanic world -- absent in Latin America -- has been emerging as varied Hispanic peoples experience identical conflicts with American culture...Such conflicts are essentially religious." Hispanics share similar values, which can follow the Republican or Democratic policies, depending on whether these policies "have their origin in Catholic social thought."

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 19, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "a year after striking down student-led prayers before high school football games in Santa Fe, the U.S. Supreme Court...let stand a lower court's ruling [in Alabama] allowing such prayers." Having previously ruled that the student-led prayers violated the separation between church and state, "the justices did not explain why they chose to pass on hearing the [Alabama] case...Lawyers for the American Center for Law and Justice...hailed the action as a 'critical victory for...

Source: The Boston Globe

On June 18, 2001, The Boston Globe reported on the arrival of Brooklyn-born Hasidic Jews and immigrants from Russia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Nigeria and Mexico to Postville, Iowa. "At first, the Iowans smiled stretched out their hands. But over time, they resented what they saw as the newcomers' unfriendly ways...[Some] say Postville, which has become a real-life model of diversity, immigration, and demographic shifts, proves Iowa is not [psychologically and socially] ready for a mass immigration...Of all the newcomers...the Hasidic Jews...

Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On June 17, 2001, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Bush's faith-based initiative "is about to be debated in Congress. But the outlook is stormy, and one key Republican has warned the White House that the bill faces serious constitutional and political problems...The White House and its allies are launching a major effort to mobilize political support."

Source: St. Petersburg Times

On June 17, 2001, St. Petersburg Times reported on Dr. Kiran Patel, "a champion of Indian culture in Tampa." One of the Indian traditions that he espouses is "for Indian fathers to help arrange the marriages of their daughters to worthy Indians," but his 27-year-old daughter decided to marry an American Methodist from New Jersey. Dr. Patel opposed the marriage at first, but eventually relented.

Source: Newsday

On June 17, 2001, Newsday reported on Frank "White Eagle" Schaefer, a registered member of the Onondaga nation and holy man. "He is...deeply steeped in his culture and works to educate others of the ways of his people. Schaefer is a much revered elder among those following the Keetowah faith, which teaches reverence for family and nature and [has been] practiced in diverse forms by American Indian tribes" for centuries. Schaefer is also devoted to Catholocism. He "weaves American Indian headbands out of 12 colorful pieces of yarn,...