Religion and Faith

As families have changed over time, some churches have adjusted as well. A new study looks at the practical connections between places of worship and people in the pews.
A dispute simmers at the University of Minnesota, where a respected scientist insists on teaching a class questioning the validity of evolution. Intelligent Design is one of the topics he explores.
Monday is the first full day of Chanukah, and that means it's time for a public radio tradition: "Chanukah Lights," a collection of short stories about the Jewish winter holiday in everyday life.
U.S. Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert doesn't want to call the brightly decorated spruce that will adorn the Capitol grounds this December a "holiday tree." Hastert says it's a Christmas tree, and he requested that the name be officially changed in a letter to the architect of the Capitol. Hastert's letter is just the latest salvo in an ongoing battle over religious symbols in public places.
An announcement from the Vatican is expected to ban homosexuals from the clergy and create controversy within the Catholic Church.
Salman Rushdie, the Indian-born British novelist who was forced into hiding after the Iranian government put out a death warrant on him in 1989, speaks Thursday at the Westminster Town Hall Forum in downtown Minneapolis.
Some people may believe the dead send messages to the living, but is there any science to back up that belief? A journalist known for her quirky takes on mortality has a new look at the world of mediums.
Afghanistan officials are examining allegations American soldiers burned the bodies of Taliban fighters. Cremation is a violation of Islamic law. A counter-terrorism expert says there are cultural lines that should not be crossed, even on the battleground.
Author and activist Jim Wallis says faith should inform politics, but it should do so in a way that benefits the poor.