Dobson in Politics

James Dobson is endorsing Dan Coats candidacy for a seat in the US Senate in radio ads. The Focus on the Family founder has been friends with the Indianan Republican for a long time. Dobson stresses that his endorsement is personal and not on behalf of any organization. Coats hoping to take the slot being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Evan Bayh. Meanwhile, Texas Congressman Ron Paul is backing Coats’s main challenger, John Hostettler. The primary will be held May 4th and the winner faces Democrat Brad Ellsworth in November.

High Court on Campus Rules

The Supreme Court heard arguments today in the case of a Christian group denied recognition on a college campus because gays and nonbelievers are excluded from membership. The University of California, Hastings College of the Law, denied recognition to the Christian Legal Society because it does not conform to the school's policy that membership should be open to all. Liberal justices suggested if the group was allowed to ban gays from membership, then women, minorities or those with disabilities could be kept out. But conservative Justice Antonin Scalia wanted to know whether a campus Republican club must admit Democrats or whether a Christian group must allow atheists to join and even conduct Bible classes. Scalia said "That's crazy" and the courtroom erupted in laughter. A decision from the high court could be made by the end of June.

Sea of Galilee Ban

Israel has stopped all fishing in the Sea of Galilee for two years. This is the first known ban on the practice dating back to when Jesus and his disciples fished those same waters. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says fish stocks in the freshwater northern Israel lake have fallen dramatically in recent years. Israel's agriculture ministry blames the drop on overfishing and the use of illegal nets that trap young fish.

The Outlaw Larry Norman

A documentary about Larry Norman will finally see the light of day. The Jesus Music pioneer recorded several albums in the early 70's that impacted many later Contemporary Christian musicians. The film called Fallen Angel: the Outlaw Larry Norman has suffered from legal delays as Norman's family tried to block its release. They eventually settled out of court. The film will be shown this coming Tuesday in Nashville (click here for more info). It suggests Norman cheated partners out of music royalties and fathered a child out of wedlock. Norman's family denies several claims in the film. N0rman died in 2008 at the age of 60.

Day of Prayer Struck Down

A federal judge in Wisconsin says the National Day of Prayer violates the constitutional ban on government-backed religion. Judge Barbara Crabb struck down the federal statute today. Defendants in the case, President Obama and White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs will be able to exhaust their appeal before the injunction against the 1952 law that created the National Day of Prayer takes effect. The Obama administration says Obama intends to recognize this year's National Day of Prayer on May 6.

Seminary Prof Resigns over Evolution Dispute

An Old Testament scholar was forced to resign from his position at Reformed Theological Seminary after endorsing evolution. Bruce K. Waltke was a professor at the Florida school until he posted a video on his blog. It's carried by the BioLogos Foundation, an organization promoting harmony between science and theology. Waltkes says he stands beside what he said on the video but also believes in "in the inerrancy of Scripture." Here's more on the story from USA Today.

Philosopher Dies

British Philosopher Antony Flew has died at the age of 87. He spent most of his life denying the existence of God but dramatically renounced his atheism in 2004. This shocked many of his admirers. He had long been regarded as one of their foremost champions of nonbelievers. Yet Flew's "conversion" did not included a belief in the afterlife, good and evil or divine intervention in human affairs. He was especially known for his work on the eighteenth-century philosopher David Hume and on the philosophy of religion. His paper Theology and Falsification was one of the most frequently-quoted philosophical publication of the second half of the 20th century.

Christian Singer Says She's Gay

Christian singer Jennifer Knapp says she's a lesbian. She's been out of the music spotlight for 7 years but plans a return. The 36-year-old, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter has a new album coming out on May 11 called Letting Go. The songs are mainstream, rather than Christian-oriented. Her last album was the 2001 The Way I Am release. Knapp says she still considers herself a “person of faith” and has not turned her back on the church.

Missionary Killed

A Southern Baptist student missionary has died in Mozambique. 21-year-old Jeremiah Johnson was killed yesterday in a motorcycle accident and his passenger was injured. Johnson was a member of Royal Palms Baptist Church in Phoenix and a student at Glendale Community College.

Former TBN Pastor Sentenced

A former TBN pastor got only 5 years probation for injuring a man on his way to the headquarters of the Trinity Broadcasting Company in Costa Mesa. Stephen Eugene Galiher was driving over 85 miles per hour and three times over the legal drinking limit almost one year ago when he injured David Rhodes who passed away within six months. Galiher will also pay restitution and was ordered by an Orange County judge to stay away from alcohol during the probation. Galiher spent 3 months in a alcoholism clinic and four months under house arrest at his Tennessee home before facing any sentence. The judge suggested he wanted to give Galiher more time but was constrained by the law.

John Tesh and Oprah

A new biography about Oprah claims she had a romantic relationship with John Tesh, known for his Contemporary Christian praise music. The book is rewritten by Kitty Kelley who says the two lived together in Nashville during the 70's but parted ways because the social pressure of an interracial couple at the time proved too much for Tesh. The book comes out tomorrow.

College Firings on Hold

A judge has issued a temporary injunction stopping the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church from removing 14 Erskine College board members. Three of the trustees filed suit against the church. Students at the South Carolina school have complained that professors are promoting nonChristian views in the classrooms.

Slain in the Spirit Ruling

Michigan's highest court says a woman injured when she was "slain in the Spirit" is entitled to money from Mount Hope Church in Delta Township. A jury had awarded Judith Dadd more than $317,000. Dadd claimed pastor Dave Williams defamed her when he sent a letter to members accusing her of insurance fraud, faking her injuries and renouncing her faith. An appeals court had said she was entitled to money from the negligence claim ($40,000) but not $273,000 in damages for libel, slander and false light. However, the 5-2 ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court reverses that decision.

Megachurch Meets with Creditors

Leaders from the Crystal Cathedral met with vendors and creditors yesterday to apologize for failing to pay them. Several businesses have filed lawsuits against the Crystal Cathedral stating that the megachurch owes them more than $2 million. There are as many as 185 creditors waiting in line to be paid. The church, founded by Robert Schuller, has put various properties up for sale, fired employees and cut its Easter pageant.

Documents Contradict Account of Abusive Priest

A priest involved with looking into accusations of sexual abuse by another priest at a Milwaukee-area school for the deaf now admits there are documents that contradict what he says happened. Thomas Brundage admits in a letter to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (read it here) that his archbishop in 1998 told him to stop the judicial process against Lawrence Murphy, a priest accused of molesting 200 deaf children. Brundage says he's sorry but his false statements were only a misunderstanding of how he remembered the events.

What Did the Pope Know?

An AP reporter discusses the Pontiff's involvement in the Catholic church's decision on what to do with a California priest with a record of sexually molesting children.

Protests Over Play

Students and their parents are calling on Gallaudet University to cancel a play at the deaf tschool they are calling offensive and blasphemous. The production is called Corpus Christi and in it Jesus and his disciples are portrayed as gay. Tarleton State University in Texas canceled a planned performance after a protest. Gallaudet's theater department has scheduled three performances from April 8-10 where Jesus will be portrayed as both gay and deaf.

A Catholic group called The American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property has launched an online petition here. The group says Gallaudet does not have the right to let the play be performed. So far, the university is standing by its production.

Church: "No Homo Mayor"

A Gainesville, Florida church changed the sign in front of the sanctuary from No homo Mayor to No Homo after learning it could lose its tax-exempt status for making a political statement. The original message in front of Dove World Outreach Center referred to Craig Lowe, a gay city commissioner who is running for mayor.

TBN Settles Lawsuit

The Trinity Broadcasting Network has settled a lawsuit that alleged an employee was harassed for his sexual orientation. Brian Dugger once worked as an engineer at the Christian broadcast network. His lawsuit alleged that Paul Crouch Jr., the son of founders Jan and Paul Crouch, teased Dugger and told him to quit acting gay. Crouch denied that ever happened but still made an out of court settlement with Dugger for an undisclosed amount.

Vatican Dismisses Abuse Accusations

The Vatican is calling accusations it covered up the abuse of deaf children by priests "petty gossip." The remarks came in a surprise move in which a cardinal made the unusual decision to speak before Pope Benedict offered his Easter Sunday Mass. Benedict himself did not mention the scandal though the Vatican several times has recently blamed the media for creating a smear campaign. The Vaican newspaper says he's the real victim, writing that Benedict is having to endure a "despicable campaign of defamation." The New York Times reported Benedict was warned about the priest but he was not defrocked and he continued abused children even after his forced retirement. Barbara Blaine, a leader of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said, "Victims are seeking consolation and healing and should not be insulted and told that our speaking out is petty gossip."