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 A traditional Seder plate used to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover.
April 15th, 2011
05:08 PM ET
A Mormon Passover SederBy Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor The scene played out like many other Seders at Jewish campus centers, but in Provo, Utah, there was a twist. This traditional Passover celebration was hosted by Brigham Young University. As Gabrielle Birkner writes in The Jewish Daily Forward, about 160 people packed into a hall at the Mormon college a few Fridays ago to dip the bitter herbs in salt water and remember the tears shed when the Israelites fled Egypt to escape slavery. According to the university, Birkner reports, only three Jews are enrolled there; 99% of the students identify as Mormon. The premier college of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is hosting seven Seders this spring, Birkner writes. FULL POST
April 15th, 2011
04:07 PM ET
What if there is no hell?By Eric Marrapodi, CNN Belief Blog Co-Editor Michigan pastor Rob Bell recently appeared on CNN's "American Morning," speaking about his book "Love Wins" and the controversy surrounding it. Many conservative pastors have accused Bell of misrepresenting the Bible's teachings on heaven and hell, with some going as far as calling him a heretic.
April 15th, 2011
01:59 PM ET
5 plead not guilty in Philadelphia sex abuse casesBy Sarah Hoye, CNN Philadelphia (CNN) - Four priests and a parochial school teacher pleaded not guilty Friday to sexual abuse and conspiracy charges. Edward Avery and Charles Engelhardt were charged with allegedly assaulting a 10-year-old boy at St. Jerome Parish in Philadelphia from 1998 to 1999. Bernard Shero, a teacher in the school, is charged with allegedly assaulting the same boy there in 2000. Avery was defrocked in 2006. James Brennan, another priest, is accused of assaulting a different boy, a 14 year old, in 1996. Brennan did not appear in court Friday. Monsignor William Lynn, who served as the Secretary for Clergy under former Philadelphia Archbishop Anthony Bevilacqua was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the alleged assaults.  Stephen Colbert at the 'Rally To Restore Sanity And/Or Fear' in Washington in October 2010.
April 15th, 2011
12:57 PM ET
My Take: Why Islam needs Stephen Colbert
By Stephen Prothero, Special to CNN Quick question: When you think of Buddhism, whose name comes to mind? What about Islam? A few nights ago, I spoke at the University of North Alabama on an interfaith panel that included a rabbi (Micah Greenstein of Memphis, Tennessee), an imam (Sheikh Ossama Bahloul of Murfreesboro, Tennessee) and a Protestant minister (Bishop William Willimon of Birmingham, Alabama). During the spirited dinner conversation that preceded the event a group of us got to talking about the important role that high-profile public figures can play in breaking down religious stereotypes. At the local level, for example, getting to know your town's rabbi can undercut prejudices you may have toward Jews. Having dinner with your Muslim neighbor can debunk stereotypes about Islam. At the national level, though, public figures control the conversation. One reason Buddhists are accepted more often than they are feared in the United States is that when we think of Buddhism we think of the Dalai Lama and his trademark smile. When we think of Islam, however, many of us think of Osama Bin Laden and his AK-47. |
  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: Stephen Prothero, a Boston University religion scholar and author of "God is Not One: The Eight Rival Religions that Run the World," is a regular CNN Belief Blog contributor.