South African President Jacob Zuma appears to have patched up a quarrel with the South African Council of Churches, a key body in the struggle against apartheid.

The council was offended in 2009 when Zuma failed to consult it about the creation of the National Interfaith Leadership Council, and did not include it in the new body.

The South African Government’s Buanews agency reported on June 22 that “Zuma, who held a brief meeting with the South African Council of Churches … said the Church had historically played a key role in government and he hoped it would continue to …

“All are welcome” is a common phrase on many a church sign and website.    But what happens when a convicted sex offender takes those words literally?

Church officials and legal advocates are grappling with how — and if — people who’ve been convicted of sex crimes should be included in U.S. congregations, especially when children are present.

Last week, a lawyer argued in the New Hampshire Supreme Court for a convicted sex offender who wants to attend a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation with a chaperone.

“What we argued is that the right to worship is a fundamental right, and the state …

Nineteen Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) students have been selected to receive 2010 Fund for Theological Education (FTE) fellowships as outstanding young leaders preparing to serve in pastoral ministry or theological education.

FTE awards the fellowships annually to help ensure quality leadership and diversity among future pastors and scholars. Nearly 150 undergraduate, seminary and doctoral students from the United States and Canada — representing 34 Christian denominations — will receive $1.5 million this year in fellowships and support to prepare for vocations in ministry and teaching. 

Recipients of 2010 FTE Fellowships also attend leadership development conferences where they connect with peers, faculty …

The head of the Sudan Council of Churches has called for the urgent resolution of the conflict in Darfur after two German aid workers became the latest victims of abduction in the region.

The Rev. Ramadan Chan Liol, the general secretary of the council, which includes Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic churches, said the grouping denounces the continuing violence in Darfur. He warned it may complicate a referendum for the south scheduled for 2011.

“War in Darfur affects the peace in general. It will have an effect on the referendum in the south,” Chan told ENInews on June 22 from …

To get to the movie section at Lifeway Christian Store in Bridgeton, Miss., customers pass by shelves of books, CDs and greeting cards. The rack of Christian DVDs isn’t huge, but it’s twice as big as it was a year ago and “growing all the time,” said manager Francine Evans.

Some of the Christian titles these days, she said, tackle “touchy subjects” such as drugs, domestic violence or abortion.

“These are movies that deal with issues that real people deal with,” Evans said. “Sometimes that’s what’s necessary to reach people for God. But the seals are needed. They’re a good …