L.A. Times - Religious News

Colorado church takes county to court

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Rocky Mountain Christian Church, which wanted to expand but was denied, says Boulder County is hampering its ability to practice its religion.

When the largest church in Boulder County, Colo., wanted to double its size two years ago, county commissioners said no.

Los Angeles-area Catholics and Muslims no strangers to dialogue

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

A recent forum at the Vatican designed to foster interfaith communication is the kind of thing local followers have been doing for years.

World Roman Catholic and Muslim leaders made headlines this month when they met in a first-of-its-kind interfaith forum at the Vatican. Locally, some faithful saw the forum not as something new but as an affirmation of efforts they have been making for years.

On this Catholics and Muslims agree

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

On this they agree

Say no to Summum's public display of religion

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

The Supreme Court should deny the sect's demand for a monument to its beliefs, similar to one in a park featuring the Ten Commandments.

In a case that reads like a law-school examination question, the U.S. Supreme Court was asked Wednesday to rule that a local government that displays the Ten Commandments on public property must also make room for the teachings of other religions. The question is complicated -- thanks in part to the court's past decisions -- but the answer is simple: No.

World Briefing

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Sudan: President offers cease-fire in Darfur / United Nations: Saudi king calls terrorism the enemy of all religions / Germany: Anti-terr

SUDAN President offers Darfur cease-fire

Catholic reform group urges parishioners to withhold donations

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

At a cathedral in downtown L.A., the organization Send the Bishops a Message requested at a news conference that congregants nationwide not donate Sunday in protest of clergy sexual abuse.

A new Roman Catholic reform group on Monday called for Catholic parishioners nationwide to withhold church donations on Sunday to protest what it called the failure of religious leaders to protect children against clergy sexual abuse.

Religious voters helped Obama to victory

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

His focused effort to target a group that had heavily favored Republicans paid off, an exit poll shows.

As he vaulted into national acclaim with his 2004 Democratic convention speech, Barack Obama directly took on the assumption that his party should cede religious voters to the Republicans.

Anti-Prop. 8 protests spring up in California

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Over 20,000 gather in Los Angeles, San Diego and elsewhere to oppose the gay-marriage ban. Proponents of the measure 'are mixing religion with politics,' one says. 'Everyone should have equal rights.'

More than 20,000 protesters spilled into the streets of Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and even Modesto on Saturday in mostly peaceful demonstrations over passage of Proposition 8, the statewide ballot measure that bans same-sex marriage.

Southern California's Korean Christians put a premium on evangelism

Sat, 8 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Missionary work is being underscored as well in South Korea, which surveys say is second only to the U.S. in the number of evangelists it sends abroad.

Visit a large Korean church in Southern California and you are likely to see a distinctive part of the decor -- a world map peppered with markers locating missionaries supported by the church.

L.A. Jews celebrate Yanov Torah's survival

Fri, 7 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Nearing the somber 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Los Angeles Jews celebrate the story of a Torah that was pieced together from scattered texts smuggled into a Nazi labor camp.

During World War II, Jewish inmates of the Yanov labor camp in occupied Poland defied their Nazi guards, secretly conducting religious services inside their darkened barracks.