Claiming to uphold the U.S. Constitution, a federal judge has struck down Texas state constitution ban on same sex marriage, though leaving it in place pending a ruling by an appeals court. The amendment to the Texas constitution was approved…

“Animal rights come before religion,” said Denmark’s Minister for Agriculture and Food, Dan Jørgensen.  Jørgensen was defending Denmark’s new ban on the religious slaughter of animals for the production of kosher (Jewish) and halal (Islamic) meat. The change in the…

Nevada’s Attorney General, Catherine Cortez Masto, did a flip flop three days after strongly defending Nevada’s ban on same-sex marriage, saying that her arguments were “likely no longer tenable” in light of a San Francisco federal appeals court decision in…

Leaders of the American Jewish Institute met with Pope Francis in a private audience. The pope thanked them for maintaining “dialogue and fraternity” and said he hoped that Jewish and Christian communities would continue to engage in fruitful dialogue. He…

A major dispute over same-sex weddings has cause great disunity in the United Methodist Church. The row has pitted liberal clergy who have presided over gay weddings in defiance of church law against those who support traditional marriage. Methodist gay…

Travel disruptions continue in the wake of a “multi-pronged attack” of wind, rain and snow that for months has delayed trains and airlines, knocked out power and created treacherous road conditions.  The turbulent weather included hurricane force winds of up…

Virginia’s ban on same-sex marriage was struck down by a federal judge, but gay marriages cannot begin quite yet. The ruling blocked them until appeals are heard.   “Gay and lesbian individuals share the same capacity as heterosexual individuals to…

The United Kingdom’s Queen Elizabeth II, who is also the head of the Church of England, will meet with Pope Francis on April 2. As usual with dignitaries, the queen will visit the Vatican during a visit to Italy. It…

Demanding that the Vatican “immediately remove” clergy who are child abusers, the United Nations released a report that criticized the Vatican for not dealing with priests who have abused thousands of children. The report also criticized the church for its…

California is in severe drought and has nearly reached its worst case scenario. State water resources are stretched to the limit and the State Water Project has announced that they will provide no water to urban residents or farmers this…

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has said President Obama is “dangerous and terrifying” and uses a pattern of “lawlessness on a breathtaking scale” He also said even liberal Democrats will come to regret when a future president seeks to exercise similar…

Coinciding with the first Jesuit pontiff in papal history, Australians are poised for their own Jesuit experience. And interest in the order has accelerated world-wide. But now where more than in Australian politics they have received more prominence. And some…