The legitimacy of the death penalty has emerged as a hot topic in the national conversation. Oregon’s governor declared a moratorium on executions, the execution of convicted murderer Troy Davis in September sparked controversy, and in October the Supreme Court heard a case whose outcome could affect the use of the death penalty.
Faith-based activists still hoping to see Congress pass immigration reform are launching the DREAM Sabbath campaign to raise awareness about the issue in houses of worship across the United States during September and October.
Plans to build or expand mosques have sparked controversy across the country in the past year, and news coverage has often focused on these disputes and cast them as symptomatic of a wider friction between Muslims and other Americans. But zoning issues are dogging efforts by all religious groups to build houses of worship.
The anniversary of the Jan. 22, 1973, Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion always sparks discussions about this hot-button issue, and the annual March for Life in Washington is one focus of attention. But the Republican takeover of the House has also raised hopes — and concerns — that new legislation could limit abortion rights.
The 2010 midterm congressional elections promised to reshape the political landscape, and they did just that, as Republicans swept to victory in the House while cutting deeply into the Democratic majority in the Senate. But the vote also recast the terrain on moral and social issues important to believers of all political persuasions.
President Barack Obama’s decision to replace the leader of allied forces in Afghanistan has led to renewed questions on the U.S. strategy there — and on whether the war is morally and militarily justified.
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is shaping up as an environmental and social disaster of epic proportions — and one that is also prompting a great deal of national soul-searching. Ethical, moral and religious aspects of the catastrophe are playing a critical role in the debate.
The National Day of Prayer is an annual civic and religious ritual that was established by Congress in 1952. Rarely has the observance been as controversial as it is this year, thanks to a recent court ruling.
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