Bible Game Show

Jeff Foxworthy will host a new cable show called The American Bible Challenge. Foxworthy already hosts Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? which also appears on the GSN network (which once stood for Game Show Network).

What Brought Down a Megachurch?

Did sibling rivalry led to the downfall of Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral here.

The Hunger Games

There's a new movie opening tomorrow based on a best-selling series of books for teens. The Washington Post looks at the religious aspect of The Hunger Games here.

The Reason Rally

Atheists will gather on the National Mall this Saturday for the Reason Rally. Comedian Eddie Izzard, author and biologist Richard Dawkins, MythBusters cohost Adam Savage and comedian Bill Maher will be among the speakers. The punk band Bad Religion will perform. Organizers expect more than 10,000 people. Thier annual conference will take place afterward in the DC suburb of Bethesda, Maryland. The group was founded by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, who led the drive to the Supreme Court that pushed prayer and Bible reading out of the public schools.

7 year Trial Ends

The Jerusalem District Court has acquitted an Israeli antiquities collector. Oded Golan was accused of being part of an international forgery ring and forging dozens of priceless archaeological artifacts, including an inscription on the burial box, or ossuary, of James, brother of Jesus. The trial lasted seven years and the judge's verdict ran 475 pages. In it, he made a point of recognizing the disputes between scholars over the matter, commenting at one point, "If you, the world's leading experts in this field, cannot agree with each other on the authenticity or otherwise of these items, how do you expect me, a mere judge, to reach a conclusion?" Despite the acquittal, one of the prosecution experts says the verdict only indicates there was no legal way to prove the fraud, but doesn't change the minds of those who believed the items were faked.

Schuller Leaving Ministry

Robert Schuller is resigning from the board of Crystal Cathedral and his Hour of Power TV show, just a month after the church's sanctuary was sold to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange. Last week, Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law were removed from the board. Schuller retired in 2006 and the megachurch filed for bankruptcy in 2010.

Banks foreclosing on churches in record numbers

Many banks are no longer willing to grant struggling religious organizations forbearance. Read about it here.

Miley's Twitter Comeback

We told you Tuesday about a Tweet by celebrity Miley Cyrus that got Christian fans angry (read it here) After getting many responses, she wrote back, "How can people take the love out of science and bring hate into religion so easily?"and then "It makes me sad to think the world is this way. Like Einstein says ‘Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind."

Christian Concert Promoter Sentenced for Ponzi Scheme

A Christian concert promoter will serve more than 4 years in prison for an investment scheme. Lauren Baumann of Los Angeles plead guilty to creating a Ponzi scheme involving nearly $1 million. She's been ordered to pay restitution to more than two dozen people including some from her church, Desert Reign Assembly of God. Baumann ran Stewardship Estates and promised to use the money for Christian battle-of-the-bands concerts. Prosecutors say she used the money to pay off previous investors and on her family. She didn't tell investors she had been convicted of securities fraud more than a decade ago in Texas.

Hour of Power Changes

Three relatives of Robert H. Schuller are out jobs at the Crystal Cathedral. The church's board voted to oust the Rev. Robert H. Schuller's daughter and two sons-in-law. They were involved in the production of the church's Hour of Power show. Old shows will run for a few weeks during the reorganization.

Miley: Forget Jesus

Below is a short video report on a controversial Tweet by singer Miley Cyrus.

To Get out the Vote

Data-mining the Evangelical vote. Hear the NPR story here.

Megachurch could leave PCUSA

The First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs will vote Sunday on whether to part ways with the the Presbyterian Church, USA. The 4000 member congregation may bolt for the more conservative Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians. The main source of contention is the definition of marriage. Regional bodies of the denomination allow the ordination of gay clergy who are part of committed relationships. Church leaders are considering a proposal to allow ministers to officiate at same-sex weddings.

Swapping mega-churches for tiny ones

The Washington Post takes a a trend toward smaller congregations here.

Christian College Prof Arrested

A Christian education professor at Wheaton College was arrested today. Donald Ratcliff is facing charges of possessing child pornography photos and videos. The one-time pastor has been a faculty member for about five years. The Chicago-area school has put Ratcliff on administrative leave. He's due in court in the morning.

Bible Study Group Robbed at Gunpoint

Suspects nabbed after standoff. Read the details here.

Tebow and Lin

ABC News reports that Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin have formed a friendship. Here's a video report on the two rising sports stars.

Tebow and Swift?

Country western singer Taylor Swift and Tim Tebow were spotted at dinner in Los Angeles Monday with two other guests, fueling speculation the two are dating. One report says the two people with them were their agents. The Denver Broncos qarterback has publicly said he is saving himself for the right girl and for marriage. On the other hand, Swift has been in some high profile relationships which have become to the subjects of her albums. Swift had a Christian rock band open for her on her last tour. Here's one Internet report about the couple.

Jeremy Lin and Active Faith

Fox News interviews one of the founders of Active Faith talks about the compan's relationship to Jeremy Lin.

Zombie Muhammad Controversy

A judge called a Pennsylvania man a "doofus" for offending Islam - even though he was the victim in the case before the judge. Mark Martin, who is a Muslim himself, dismissed harassment charges against Muslim defendant Talaag Elbayomy for choking Ernest Perce during a Halloween parade in Mechanicsburg where Perce wore a “zombie Muhammad” costume. Elbayomy ran out from the crowd, grabbed a sign around the neck of Perce and pulled it until the strings choked Perce, who is the state director of American Atheists’ Pennsylvania. Instead of defending Perce First Amendment rights, as the arresting officer stated to a local TV station, Martin lectured him, saying, “I think our forefathers intended to use the First Amendment so we can speak with our mind, not to p— off other people and cultures – which is what you did.” Martin went on to warn Perce that he could be put to death in some Arab countries. Perce faces a possible arrest  himself for posting audio of the judge's comments, which you can hear below. The first video is a report on what happened from WHTM-TV.