New York state’s Marriage Equality Act passed the state’s senate Friday night in a vote of 33-29, making the Empire State the sixth U.S. state or district to legalize same-sex marriage — joining Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington, D.C. The bill stalled for much of the week as state lawmakers debated the extent…

By LAUREN MARKOE c. 2011 Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) A group of clergy and lawmakers is trying to overturn a nearly decade-old policy that allows faith-based organizations that receive federal funds to hire and fire employees on the basis of religion. Critics say President Obama has reneged on a campaign promise to repeal the…

By SABRINA EATON c. 2011 Religion News Service WASHINGTON (RNS) NBC’s decision to edit the word “God” from the Pledge of Allegiance during last weekend’s coverage of the U.S. Open golf tournament has teed off an Ohio congressman, who wants the U.S. Golf Association to reconsider its relationship with the television network. “When we silence…

By G. JEFFREY MacDONALD c. 2011 Religion News Service (RNS) When GOP presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty goes to church, he knows he’ll hear a 27-minute sermon — never longer, never shorter. But whether he’ll hear a biblical endorsement of the Republican platform is far less certain. Pawlenty gets his spiritual guidance from Leith Anderson, senior…

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