New Date for the End of the World

Fox News reports that the minister who predicted that the world would end on May 21, 2011, has announced a new date for apocalypse. Minister Harold Camping apologized for an error in his calculations, but not states that the world will end on October 21, 2011.

Camping also asserts that rather than a day of Rapture, May 21 was instead a "spiritual" Judgement day in which the world was placed under Christ's judgment.

Read the Fox News story here.

Heaven is a "Fairy Story" says Stephen Hawking

CBS News reports that Physicist Stephen Hawking does not believe in an afterlife. According to their report, Hawking describes Heaven as a "fairy story" for people who are afraid of death.

To read the complete story, click here.

Imam's Call to Add Crescent Moon Symbol to Russian Emblem Met With Alarm

Fox News reports that Imam Talgat Tadzhuddin who heads the Central Spiritual Association of Muslims of Russia has called for a change to the Russian coat of arms. In a newspaper interview, the Imam suggested that one of the heads of the Russian double-headed eagle be topped with an Islamic crescent moon, while the other continue to be topped with a Russian Orthodox cross. The Imam notes that approximately 18% of the population of Russia is Muslim.

To read the full story, click here.

USCIRF Identifies World’s Worst Religious Freedom Violators

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released its annual report yesterday. For the first time, the report lists Egypt as a major violator of religious freedoms.

The report can be accessed at the link below.

USCIRF Report

Vietnam Arrests Pastor of Banned Mennonite Church

Officials in Vietnam have arrested a pastor of a banned Mennonite church on the charge of sowing dissent between the people and the government.

The story can be viewed at the following link:

Vietnam arrests pastor of banned Mennonite church

Church of England Offers Combined Wedding and Baptism of Children Service

Realizing that one of every five couples who marries in the church already have children, the Church of England is introducing what is being referred to as a "two-in-one" marriage and baptism ceremony in which a couple who already has children can marry, and have those children baptized into the Church of England at the same time.

These services are being touted as "Family-friendly weddings", and are seen as an attempt to make the church more relevant for the 21st century.

The joint ceremony will cost approximately 300 pounds ($500), which is about what the two ceremonies would cost seperately. Cost saving to the families would come in not having to plan multiple celebrations.

Read the ABC News report of this story by clicking here.

Read the ABC News blog of this story by clicking here.

The Wisom of Solomon, the Patience of Job: The Governor Sanford Affair

In a tearful press conference today, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted that his disappearance over the weekend was not because he was hiking the Appalachian Trail, as first reported by his staff, but because he was in Argentina presumably ending an extra-marital affair.

Sanford had been viewed as a rising star in the Republican party, and held the position of chairman of the Republican Governors Association. He has now resigned from that position, and there are some calling for him to step down from the governorship.

Additionally, many are noting the irony of the Republican party touting itself as the party of "Family Values."

In the midst of this mire, Mrs. Sanford issued what TwoMinuteBriefing reviewers feel is an absolutely incredibly coherent, intelligent, and frankly Christian statement. The statement reads in part:

Psalm 127 states that sons are a gift from the Lord and children a reward from Him. I will continue to pour my energy into raising our sons to be honorable young men. I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance.

This is a very painful time for us and I would humbly request now that members of the media respect the privacy of my boys and me as we struggle together to continue on with our lives and as I seek the wisdom of Solomon, the strength and patience of Job and the grace of God in helping to heal my family.

To read the complete statement, click here.
To read the MSNBC story, click here.

Catholic Priest now Episcopalian Minister

Father Alberto Cutié, who was removed from his Catholic parish in early May after photos surfaced of him sharing physical affection with a woman on a Florida beach, has left the Catholic Church and preached his first sermon before an Episcopalian congregation today, Sunday May 31st.

An exceptionally well known Miami Beach based Catholic Priest, Father Cutié was known as Father Oprah, because of his media popularity.

When the photos first came to light, Father Cutié appeared before a variety of news programs, appearing at times contrite and apologetic for his behavior. In at least one program, he defended the Catholic Church's requirements of celibacy for priests.

Now, he has decided to leave the Catholic Church, but not his profession as a minister.

Although it is certianly not unusual for individuals to change denominations as a result of doctrinal disagreements, for an individual as visible (as now) Rev. Cutié to do so, particularly after he was caught violating a tenet he had vowed to keep is indeed troubling for the following reasons:

1. It sends the message that the individual is pre-eminent, not the doctrine or the rules of the church or organization to which one belongs,
2. It diminishes the concepts of integrity and commitment. Certainly it might be said that we must be true to ourselves, but when that concept is used as a justification to ignore or violate commitments that we have made to others, to a community, or in this case to a church, then we are effectively saying that we are not governed by any rules other than the ones we choose to obey at a particular time.

To read the ABC News story, click here.
To read the Fox News story, click here.

Church of Scotland Endorses Gay Minister

On May 24th, CNN reported that the Church of Scotland's ruling body had voted 326 to 267 to support the appointment of Rev. Scott Rennie who is openly gay. His appointment is causing dissension within the denomination similar to what has been seen in the Episcopal Church over the last few years.

Read a brief summary of the story at GLBT.TwoMinuteBriefing.com.