American classical pianist Van Cliburn died of bone cancer yesterday at age 78, but friends say the acclaimed musician was not afraid to die.

Update (May 2): Morning Star News reports that Sudan has begun deporting Christians to South Sudan, in spite of the president's pledge to protect religious freedom in the country. Officials deported the secretary general of the Sudan Catholic Bishops’ Conference in mid-April, and other Christian worshipers say they've been given as little as 24 hours to leave the country.
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Update (April 10): World Watch Monitor (WWM) reports that the Sudanese president's call for amnesty included the release of one Christian woman. However, the same WWM dispatch states that "over the past few weeks Sudan’s National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) have ordered more than 100 expatriate workers suspected of being involved with Christian activities to leave the country or face deportation."
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Update (Mar. 28): Morning Star News offers a fresh report on the aerial bombing of Christian targets, reportedly by the Sudanese government.

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Sudan's president has pledged to preserve religious freedom in his proposed "100-percent' Islamic constitution, but Christians doubt the prospect in light of increasing persecution.

Update (Mar. 12): German newspaper Deutsche Welle has reported that Hungary has approved a constitutional amendment that "allows parliament to decide on the legal status of religious communities," overruling last month's Constitutional Court decision.
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The Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled yesterday that a Saskatchewan Christian who distributed anti-gay pamphlets "violated the province's human rights rules." However, the ruling encouraged Canadian evangelicals because it also narrowed the definition of hate speech, striking down some sweeping, unconstitutional language.

One of America's largest megachurches brings in millions of dollars per year but is facing multiple foreclosure cases.

Who owns Jesus' name? If you're a start-up clothing company, you may find that "Jesus" belongs exclusively on Italian denim.

Update (May 14): Baptist Press (BP) reports that the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied Uwe and Hannelore Romeike's case for asylum, upholding a Board of Immigration Appeals ruling.

Judges ruled that the Romeikes, who left Germany in order to homeschool their children, "did not make a sufficient case" for their fear of persecution, according to BP.

RNS offers more details.

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Update (April 23): As lawyers for Uwe and Hannelore Romeike prepare to argue their case in court today, Religion News Service reports that the unusual deportation case of the German asylum-seekers will focus "on a parent’s right to teach their children at home, which isn’t allowed in the Romeikes’ native Germany."
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In 2010, a Tennessee judge granted asylum to a German family who feared persecution from their government for their decision to homeschool their children.The unusual decision pushed persecution boundaries—while the German government was not motivated by religion to persecute Uwe and Hannelore Romeike, it was frustrating the family's faith, said judge Lawrence Burman.

Now, three years later, the Romeikes are still in the middle of a deportation battle.

The founders of Georgia-based Angel Food Ministries (AFM), a former $140-million distributor of discounted food via church networks, pleaded guilty to federal charges of fraud and money laundering today—five years after the FBI's investigation into the Wingo family's misuse of ministry funds originally began.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) continues to ramp up its campaign for the release of Iran-born American pastor Saeed Abedini, who remains in prison after being sentenced to eight years for "threatening national security" with his church planting.

A notable coalition of Christian leaders is urging the federal government to avoid allowing "hungry and poor people" to fall through the cracks as spending cuts, scheduled to start Friday, could force the reconsideration of funds for certain welfare programs.

Update (April 12): Good news for Assyrian Christians: Reuters reports that Turkey plans to build refugee camps for the 250,000-plus Syrian refugees that have flooded into the country.
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Escalating violence in northern Syria is forcing Christians to flee their homeland and take refuge in nearby regions of Armenia and Turkey.

Update (Mar. 8): Time magazine also takes a look at Christian missionary effects in Tibet.

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Amid the Chinese government's attempts to stop the growth of Tibetan Buddhism—which have provoked more than 100 suicides by self-immolation in recent years—Christian missionaries seem to be gaining new ground.

A new Gallup study finds significant differences not only in religiosity between Latino Protestants and Catholics in the United States, but in how much each group is losing adherents to the ranks of the religiously unaffiliated.

Living Word Christian Center in Forest Park, Illinois, is known for preaching prosperity, but the suburban megachurch's inner-city bank has failed to become an example.

Moroccan children adopted by Spanish families will be monitored by the Moroccan government until they reach the age of 18—but not to check up on their overall well being. Instead, Morocco intends to ensure that the adopted children remain culturally and religiously Muslim.

Craig Williford announced today that he will not renew his five-year contract as president of Trinity International University (TIU), but instead will take a sabbatical next year before his contract ends on June 30, 2014.

A new study by Grey Matter Research suggests that both churchgoers and the unchurched largely agree on whether or not Protestant churches should reference their denominational affiliation in their names.

On Tuesday (Feb. 19), renowned Christian photojournalist Don Rutledge died at his home in Virginia. He was 82.

This week may prove monumental in the modern history of Egyptian Christianity. On Monday (Feb. 18), heads of the five largest denominations—Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Greek Orthodox, and Anglican—united to create Egypt's first Council of Churches.

For the first time since the dawn of Catholic and Protestant missions in the 17th and 18th centuries, Egypt’s Christians formally stand united.

Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) pastors may have a place prepared for them in heaven, but many may not be prepared to vacate their earthly estates quite yet.

Disagreement between Muslims and Christians in Tanzania over the slaughtering of animals for sale led to the beheading of a pastor earlier this month. Now, in an attempt to quell tensions, a government-convened interfaith council will review policies that govern meat intended for human consumption in the east African nation.

Following an arrest earlier this month, one of Uganda's most recognized Christian leaders could face charges as a result of his retiring early to work with the Black Monday Movement, a campaign against political corruption in the government.

According to a new survey from Barna Group, faith determines a person's theater-going habits more than almost any other demographic factor except age—especially if you're an evangelical Christian.

Update (June 10): The Ottawa Globe and Mail reports that Canada's new religious freedom office and its ambassador, Andrew Bennett, face an "uphill battle" in China, a key trading partner. The paper notes that "it remains to be seen how much independence the religious freedom watchdog will have in a Conservative government known for controlling the message."

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Update (Feb. 21): A leading Canadian Christian think tank has affirmed the choice of Andrew Bennet as the new ambassador. "It was a surprise to me. I know Andrew. He’s very thoughtful and very principled. He will bring a great deal to the position," said Cardus senior fellow Janet Epp Buckingham in an interview. She also offered advice on what Bennett's first three projects should be.

Meanwhile, others have questioned Bennet's academic credentials.

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Two years after Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper promised to create a religious freedom office as part of his campaign platform, the government has finally given it a leader.

Update (March 1): Pastor Robert Jeffress addressed Tim Tebow's cancellation in front of his Dallas congregation this week. He emphasized how the change of plans would not damper their grand opening celebrations and that the publicity has offered them further opportunities to discuss the gospel in the media. Then, he took a not-so-veiled swipe at Tebow:

I am grateful for men of God like these who are willing to stand up and act like men rather than wimping out when it gets a little controversial and an inconvenient thing to stand for the truth,” said Jeffress, who received a standing ovation before he spoke. “God bless men like that.”

Tebow has not offered further details on what caused him to cancel his speaking engagement at the church's upcoming Easter event, celebrating the opening of its $130 million building.

Al Mohler wrote for Christianity Today, "For now, the controversy is over Tebow's withdrawal from an invitation extended by an historic church. (Jeffress') statements have been the center of the controversy. Inevitably, the controversy will shift to Tebow's own statement, which he will eventually have to make."

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According to The Daily Best, Jeffress said Thursday afternoon:

Tim [Tebow] is a member of a Southern Baptist Church, the First Baptist Church of Jacksonsville, Fla., that believes exactly what we believe about those issues, and Tim affirmed that that is what their church believes.... So I think Tim was probably speaking the truth when he said it wasn’t the belief of our church—it was the controversy surrounding his appearance.

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First Baptist Church of Dallas (FBC) began its construction campaign in the midst of the worst financial recession in recent history. Now the largest-ever church building project is ready to be revealed, and head pastor Robert Jeffress isn't the only big name slated to speak at its grand opening.

Or rather, that was slated.

The increasing number of young church dropouts isn't just a Protestant problem. According to new research from the Barna Group, "65 percent of Catholic-raised young adults say they are less religiously active today than they were at age 15."

Good news for pastors seeking employment: 2013 could be a good year for a new job—namely if you don't mind working at a megachurch.

Howard Hendricks, who taught at Dallas Theological Seminary for more than 60 years, died today at age 88, leaving behind a legacy of Bible lessons and Christian leaders across generations.

About 100 Indian doctors will serve six-month to five-year jail terms and have their licenses canceled or suspended for performing sex-determination tests and sex-selective abortions.

A spokesman for the Jamaican Umbrella Groups of Churches (JUGC), which represents most of Jamaica's Christians, said churches would be willing to pay property taxes in order to generate funds for the country’s federal government. But they would not be willing to pay taxes on weekly offerings.

The Quebecois are no longer less religious than their peers in other Canadian provinces, according to a recent survey of religious practices among Canadians.

However, the news is a mixed blessing for religious leaders.

A group of 134 Muslims, Jews, and Christians from several denominations convened Feb. 17 to create the Ten Commandments Party based on the tenets found in Exodus.

Update (Feb. 27): The Star-Ledger takes a closer look at the decision, noting the eight refugees—including a few who have been living at the church for more than one year—are part of a group of 80 Indonesians seeking asylum in the area, as well as the status of a congressional bill that would resolve their situation.

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Eight Indonesian immigrants who have lived in a New Jersey church for months in order to avoid deportation can now leave the property thanks to a decision by immigration officials.

Update (May 8): Voters resurrected former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford's political career, giving him 54 percent of the vote in last night's special election for the 1st Congressional District House seat.

In his victory speech, Sanford described himself as a Lazarus figure, saying, "I am an imperfect man, saved by God’s grace."
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Former South Carolina governor Mark Sanford is touting the "God of second chances" as the evangelical politician seeks to restore his career.

(RNS) Atlanta megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long is facing a suit from former parishioners who say he encouraged them to invest in a company that was operating an alleged Ponzi scheme.

The fastest-growing branch of the Lutheran World Federation has officially severed ties with its longtime American and Swedish partners.

Update (March 1): AFP reports that 48 Egyptian Christians have been arrested in Benghazi on illegal immigration charges. They are accused of attempting to evangelize Muslims, but "the main charge was illegal entry into Libya."

Twitter buzzed last week with proclamations of Lenten sacrifices, alongside plenty of jokes about what to give up for the 40 days of penance leading up to Easter.

Here's a look at this year's official Top 100, compiled by Stephen Smith of OpenBible.info.

Broadway may love scandal, but it did not love "Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson," a Foursquare Church-backed production that recently flopped on stage.

Update (Feb. 18): The New York Times reports on the long lines (and controversy) for the release of Macedo's autobiography.

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Protestants are increasingly taking over and influencing Brazil's religious landscape, making it a profitable time to be a Pentecostal pastor in the world's largest Catholic nation.

Uganda's controversial "kill-the-gays" bill is now making waves in Canada, where the federal government is reviewing international development funds allocated to an evangelical group that opposes homosexuality.

It appears that no criminal charges will be filed against officers in a Presbyterian Church in America-linked investment company that declared bankruptcy in 2008, causing 3,500 investors to lose $148 million.

Emmanuel Christian Seminary (ECS) is getting what it wanted—sort of.

The school's academic freedom debate with tenured professor Chris Rollston prompted Rollston's voluntary resignation, but the fallout from the scandal has contributed to the school likely being absorbed by neighboring Milligan College.

(BP) Southern Baptist apologist Mike Licona sparked a theological war of words (and subsequently left his job) in 2011 when he questioned the "raised saints" passage of Matthew 27. Now a group of noted theologians has assessed Licona's controversial analysis in a roundtable discussion in the Southeastern Theological Review.

Update (Feb. 19): LCMS president Matthew C. Harrison and Newtown pastor Rob Morris have issued a joint statement of unity:

"By the grace of God, we have worked through a very challenging situation. It has been our deepest mutual concern in dealing with one another to be faithful to Christ, our respective vocations, and to each other as brothers. Our dealings have been marked throughout with patience, kindness, and love. We implore the church to do likewise. We have mutually forgiven each other where we have fallen short. We are reconciled. We are at peace."

(RNS) After causing a "debacle" by asking a local reverend to apologize after praying at an interfaith vigil for victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Conn., Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) president Matthew Harrison has sparked a media firestorm with charges that the 2.4 million-member denomination was intolerant, insensitive, or both.

Update (Mar. 25): John and Charica Daugherty, pastors at Victory Christian Center in Tulsa, have entered no-contest pleas on charges of failing to report child abuse. The pastors previously had plead not guilty.

Now, the Daughertys have been handed a five-year deferred sentence, which is not a conviction.
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While Sen. Marco Rubio directly referred to blessings, prayer, and God-given rights in the Republican response to last night’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama spoke in less outwardly religious terms as he called on Americans as citizens to serve one another. Both politicians referred to Americans as “authors” of the country’s future.

Google and other tech firms are going head to head with churches over the use of wireless microphones—but churches have some unlikely partners on their side: Broadway producers and the National Football League.

Following a fact-finding trip to the Kurdistan region of Iraq, a group of American religious leaders reports that the faith community in Kurdistan "is a success story that is still being told." This could offer hope for Iraqi Christians seeking a home in a war-ravaged, dangerous religious climate.

This month's Internet furor over a St. Louis pastor's apparent unwillingness to tip a waitress at Applebee's quickly outgrew the facts of the matter. But it certainly struck a chord, with many asking, "Why are Christians such bad tippers?"

Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, decided to search for statistics. "Why does this stereotype exist? Because, in large part, many servers think it is true. Many Christians do as well," he wrote on his blog. "But, what does the research say?"

Weeks before the release of a nearly two-year investigation into allegations of sexual abuse of missionary kids, the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (ABWE) has fired and replaced its investigator, Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment (GRACE).

Update (Feb. 19): If Boyd's congregation decides to join Mennonite Church USA, its 2,500 members would help the American denomination catch up to Anabaptist groups in India, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo that have surpassed it in size. New figures from a triennial census catalogue 1.77 million Anabaptists in 243 national conferences in 83 countries—a growth rate of almost 10 percent since 2009.

"About two-thirds of baptized believers are African, Asian or Latin American," notes Mennonite World Review.

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Christian writer and speaker Greg Boyd's megachurch is weighing its affiliation options, part of a yearlong commitment to exploring Anabaptism.

Update (March 1): Pope Bendedict XVI officially stepped down from his position as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics yesterday. He is the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years, but World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Theological Commission chairman Thomas Schirrmacher, a Protestant expert on the Catholic Church, says he has not been surprised by the events.

"Pope Benedict had made it unmistakably clear...that when a pope is physically or mentally no longer in a position to lead the Church, he has the right, “indeed under certain circumstances the duty,” to step down," Schirrmacher said in a WEA interview. "Presumably it will not be the last resignation due to reasons of age but should rather become the rule."
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Richard Twiss, co-founder and president of Wiconi International, which seeks reconciliation between Native Americans and other Americans, died on Saturday (Feb. 9, 2013). He was 58.

The University of Pittsburgh has announced that Alvin Plantinga, philosopher and professor emeritus of Calvin College's philosophy department, has received the prestigious Nicholas Rescher Prize for Contributions to Systematic Philosophy.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the 40 days of Lent. But if you haven't decided what to forego during the Lenten season, it's not too late.

To help, look at what 141,000 Twitter messages (so far) suggest people are giving up this year.

It's been more than a year since a military-induced massacre in Cairo, Egypt, killed 28 people—mostly Coptic Christians. But the only people convicted thus far have been the Christians themselves.

The BioLogos Foundation has announced that former Calvin College physics professor Deborah Haarsma will take over the organization as outgoing president Darrel Falk transitions out of his role.

Floyd Lee Corkins II, the man who opened fire at the Family Research Council (FRC) headquarters in August 2012, has pleaded guilty to three felony charges—including a terrorism offense.

DuBois and the Obama campaign's religious affairs director Michael Wear left their positions last week, and both will be involved in this new enterprise, called Values Partnerships.

They will work on engaging religious organizations around similar issues as the government's faith-based partnerships, "from improving public health to expanding financial literacy to reducing recidivism," he wrote. "We’ll also help leaders in the church and faith-based nonprofits navigate the public square around them."

DuBois also plans to speak on issues of religion and politics, and his book of presidential devotionals is being published by HarperOne.

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Update (Feb. 26): Morning Star News reports another rare instance in which a Christian accused of blasphemy in Pakistan has escaped sentencing on charges of blasphemy—at least for now.

Morning Star reports, "The complainant in Karma Patras’ case, Syed Zulqarnain Shah, stated on Thursday (Feb. 21) in Sangla Hill Judicial Magisterial Court that he had mistakenly accused Patras of committing blasphemy against Islam and that he would have no objection if the pastor were released on bail."

However, because the Shah is not the official plaintiff in the case, Patras could still face penalties for the charges.

Such a release is exceptionally rare, but may fuel the fire of renewed hope for the release of Asia Bibi, the first Pakistani woman sentenced to death for blasphemy several years ago.
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After being told not to feed the homeless in city parks, Bread of Life Mission (BLM) in Seattle has official permission to continue its ministry.

Bethany Christian Services (BCS) has announced that Marguerite Bonnema, the organization's last living co-founder, died last week—just days before what would have been her 100th birthday.

According to Messiah College professor and author Eric Seibert, misuse of the Bible is not just Christians' fault. Rather, the problem "runs right through the pages of Scripture itself."

A short-term missions trip with Vision Beyond Borders (VBB) isn't your average STM. Volunteers aren't working in orphanages or building houses; they're smuggling Bibles.

Update (February 6): InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) has noted how newly named Lausanne director Michael Oh received his call to ministry at the IVCF Urbana conference in 1990. Oh first became an IVCF student leader as an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition, IVCF highlights Oh's keynote address at Urbana 2009, during which he recounted his own faith journey.
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The similarities between National Public Radio's (NPR) "Science Friday" and Colorado pastor and radio host Bob Enyart's "Real Science Friday" were no coincidence: Enyart intended his show to challenge—not imitate—NPR.

Two local governors are asking the Japanese central government to submit a list of Christian locations to UNESCO for World Heritage status—the first time Japan will honor Nagasaki's Christian past in this way.

A for-profit Christian school operated by a church in Southern California is suing two of its former teachers to prevent them from filing their own discrimination suit against the school—all over a questionnaire sent by the school asking the teachers to provide proof of their faith.

Update (Feb. 4): La Sierra University has issued a press release regarding its decision to name its new center after Allred. Full text at bottom of post.

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A prominent Seventh-day Adventist university in California is under fire for its decision to name its new economics center after Edward C. Allred, a well-known alumnus who was also a physician who supported and performed abortions.

The Gleanings blog had some tech troubles last week that kept many posts from initially appearing on the Christianity Today and Gleanings homepages. So, in case you missed any, here are five items you should have read...

In December, Gallup looked at the seven people Americans trust more than their pastor. Today, the Barna Group reported that Americans believe professional athletes influence society more than pastors "by more than a three-to-one margin."

Update (May 7): The board members of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) are expected to vote this month on whether or not to lift the organization's ban on gay members. Ahead of the vote, though, the BSA says more than 6 in 10 adult members support the existing policy.

BSA conducted a survey of more than 1 million adult members, of whom 200,000 participated. The results showed that members "support the current policy by a 61 percent to 34 percent margin."
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Update (April 19): Reuters reports that the Boy Scouts of America will end its ban on gay members, pending ratification by a board vote in May.

According to the Associated Press, the organization "is proposing to lift the ban for youth members but continue to exclude gays as adult leaders."

ReligionClause offers links to the proposal here.

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Update (Feb. 6): The board of the Boy Scouts of America decided to delay its vote until its annual meeting in May, saying that more discussion is needed.
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This coming Sunday is "Scout Sunday," a day when many churches honor the Boy Scouts of America. But for conservative churches, it may be the last.

(RNS) Leaders of Catholic and Reformed churches have signed an agreement to recognize each other’s sacraments of baptism, a public step toward unity among groups that are often divided by doctrine.