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Although — or perhaps because — I’m a religion reporter who has specialized in Judaism (including all kinds of circumcision rituals) and spent a few years working in the Bay Area, I’ve been content to just briefly mention the anti-circumcision ballot measure in San Francisco. Until now. Some context: California, especially San Francisco, is infamous for…

Football quarterback Tim Tebow, best known to the masses as the evangelical guy who wrote Bible verses in his eye-black as a college star last year (and had a pro-life ad air during last year’s Super Bowl), has been making the rounds to promote his autobiography, “Through My Eyes.” He’s only 23! Then again, the…

While I scratch my head for a Fun Friday topic, check out the faith-related coverage of the death of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the assisted suicide prophet who preached that suffering people had the right to die, even if they needed help to do so — euthanasia as a civil right, if you will. Looks like…

Speaking of John Walker Lindh, the imprisoned “American Taliban” whose father’s New York Times op-ed plea for his release (now that Osama bin Laden is dead) has prompted a new wave of debate over how suspected terrorists should be treated: Supreme Court: US Muslim cannot sue Ashcroft for 2003 detention ordeal (The Christian Science Monitor)…

Amma, an Indian woman called the “hugging saint” for her method of blessing via embrace, came to the Seattle area with an entourage of devotees this weekend for the start of her 25th North American tour. I was able to ask her a few questions through a translator, as she sat in the Hyatt Regency…

Hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend — prayers and picnics alike. Here’s my top five list interesting faith-related news from the past few weeks worth keeping an eye on: Battle over circumcision is shaping up in California (JTA) Bishop Eddie Long settles with accusers of sexual misconduct (Religion & Ethics Newsweekly) Crystal Cathedral…

Mixed news for Christian noggins this week: The skull of St. Vitalis of Assisi, a 14th Century Benedictine monk who led an “immoral and licentious youth” before becoming the saint to pray with to be healed from bladder or venereal disease, is expected to fetch around $1,500. Severed head of patron saint of genital disease on sale…

I’m meeting Mata Amritanandamayi — aka Amma, “the hugging saint” — at the start of her new U.S. tour tomorrow. (It’s nice when national religion news comes to the Seattle area!) Cathy Lynn Grossman at USA Today wrote about her during a 2006 tour stop, explaining that she was born to a traditional Hindu family in…

It’s a strange juxtaposition of long-awaited faith-related news this afternoon, with Oprah’s final network TV show talk show episode, and the much-delayed sentencing of Brian David Mitchell, the homeless man who kidnapped and raped Mormon teenager Elizabeth Smart in 2002. Oprah Winfrey (whose show has helped lift the taboo on reporting sexual abuse, coincidentally), thanked God and…

In the days since the unrapturous Rapture, I’ve seen a lot of comments here and on other religion blogs asking why Harold Camping’s prophecy got so much coverage in the first place, alternately accusing the media of snarky schadenfreude or just bad news judgment. Here’s a good response from Religion News Service’s daily roundup yesterday:…
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