Religious news in Washington Post (#255, Topic R)

Every Saturday, our local paper, Washington Post, devotes 1+ pages to religious news. In yesterday's issue, in space set aside for News in Brief, there are five entries. One, the Vatican will convene an advisory group to "study scientific insights into the evolution of the universe and of life," on which, in 1996, the predecessor to the current pope had said that "Darwin's theory of evolution was 'more than a hypothesis'" -- undoubtedly a major concession, since the earlier view held that it was only a hypothesis. Two, a Missouri Baptist group "has voted to oust 19 churches for donating money and having other ties to more-moderate Baptist groups." So, this is religious toleration in action in USA. Three, a Presbyterian minister was "charged with breaking church law for performing a lesbian marriage." Another example of religious tolerance? Four, a Holiness Church in Kentucky, following a passage in the Gospel of Mark where "Jesus is quoted as telling the apostles that they will be able to 'take up serpents' without being harmed" Well, "A woman has died after being bitten by a snake during a church service." Five, a Florida man, carrying garbage to a trash bin, was ambushed by two men with a rifle, but two copies of New Testaments in his shirt pocket stopped the bullet and saved his life. So, at least one story ends with a happy note.