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August 10th, 2010
10:20 PM ET
Does the black church keep black women single?CNN's Liane Membis filed this report: Legs covered in skin-toned stockings, her skirt crisp to the knee, Patty Davis slips on the black heels she has shined for the day. "Got to look good in the Lord's house," she says as she spritzes her neck with White Diamonds perfume and exits her black Lincoln Town Car. Davis, 46, of Union City, Georgia, has attended African Methodist Episcopal churches since before she could crawl. She sits proudly in the pew every Sunday for service and is among the first to arrive for bible study each Wednesday.
August 10th, 2010
06:16 PM ET
New York bus ad opposing planned ground zero mosque approvedFrom CNN's Julie Cannold: An ad opposing a planned mosque near ground zero will soon appear on some New York City buses after getting the green light from the city's Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The controversial ad features a photo of one of the hijacked jets flying into the burning World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, along with a drawing of a high-rise building with an Islamic crescent and the label "WTC Mega Mosque." The ad, emblazoned with the words, "Why There?" was initially rejected by the transportation authority. The group that created the ad, the American Freedom Defense Initiative, sued the authority last week for censorship and obstruction of free speech.
August 10th, 2010
11:04 AM ET
Opinion: Make New York mosque an interfaith center
By Akbar Ahmed, Special to CNN The United States must resolve what I call the Great American Conundrum by clarifying its policy toward Muslims. It cannot treat its Muslim citizens as second-class citizens at home and hope to win them over abroad. American Muslims complain of their second-class status by pointing out that their religion and houses of worship can be attacked with near impunity. When they do object, they are told that this kind of abuse is a small price to pay for living in a free society. Yet it is blatantly clear that only Islam is being attacked in such a crass fashion. It is virtually unimaginable to hear of any other ethnic or religious group being so targeted without an uproar.
August 10th, 2010
10:48 AM ET
Arizona escapee sang hymns before capture
He would later be surprised to learn Province was a prison escapee and convicted murderer. Province, 10 days after he and two other inmates escaped from an Arizona prison, walked into Meeteetse Community Church wearing blue jeans and a flannel shirt. He stayed for the 9:30 a.m. worship service, sang songs like "Your Grace is Enough," and shook hands with some of the 50 or so attendees, the pastor says.
August 10th, 2010
10:38 AM ET
‘Ex-gay’ ministry on gay marriage's chances after Prop 8 ruling
Alan Chambers’ opposition to Prop 8 isn’t political. It’s personal. Chambers is the president of Exodus International, a nonprofit “ex-gay” ministry that promises freedom from homosexuality. He is also “ex-gay”– a married father of two children who says he’s abandoned homosexuality. Chambers sighed when asked his reaction to last week’s controversial court decision. A judge ruled that California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, known as Proposition 8, violated the constitutional rights of same-sex couples. |
  About this blog
The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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Editor's note: Akbar Ahmed is professor and Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington. He is author of "Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam," Brookings Press 2010.
The Rev. Ron Kingston thought Tracy Province was just a down-on-his luck soul when he welcomed him into his church in Meeteetse, Wyoming, on Sunday morning.
