Daniel Burke Religion News Service Financial news powerhouse Dow Jones & Company has launched new “dharma indexes” to track the stocks of companies that observe the values of dharma-based religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism. The Dow Jones Dharma Indexes are the first to measure dharma-compliant stocks and now track more than 3,400 companies globally,…

Associated Press New York – The number of abortions in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005, the lowest level in more than 30 years in a slide attributed to reasons that include better use of contraceptives. The decline also marks a 25 percent drop from the all-time high of 1.6 million in…

By Matthew Streib Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) Several Jewish leaders have come to the defense of presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama against rumors that he secretly espouses radical Muslim beliefs. In a joint letter, leaders of nine Jewish groups including the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the American Jewish Congress characterized the e-mail rumor campaign…

Associated Press – January 16, 2008 RICHMOND, Calif. – A Presbyterian deacon who has twice been denied ordination because of her sexual orientation can move forward with her bid to join the clergy. The regional body of the Presbyterian Church (USA) voted 167-151 Tuesday night in support of Lisa Larges’ application, despite the denomination’s long-standing…

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