The ethics of fertility treatments are struggling to keep up with rapid-fire advances in biotechnology. The case of Nadya Suleman, the “Octomom” who gave birth to octuplets in January 2009 through reproductive technology, is just an extreme example of the ethical dilemmas that parents, medical professionals and religious leaders are facing.
As President Barack Obama delivered his first State of the Union address on Jan. 27, 2010, religious groups that support health care reform were pressing the White House and Congress to continue to try to pass a comprehensive overhaul. Prospects for that dimmed considerably with the Republican victory in Massachusetts’ Senate election Jan. 19.
The anniversary of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion always sparks discussions about this hot-button issue, and the annual March for Life on the National Mall in Washington is one focus of much media attention. But this year there are a number of developments driving the abortion debate in new directions.
The Christian diet craze of the late 1980s marked a trend toward the belief that “fit for the kingdom” included body as well as soul. Now the movement has expanded, as other religions have embraced faith-based fitness programs. Yet the issue raises questions about what messages faith-based diets, exercise programs and fitness centers send.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference, running from Dec. 7-18, will put an international spotlight on the environment and will draw world leaders, including President Barack Obama, to talk about humanity’s role in global warming. The conference will also draw unprecedented attention from religious leaders and groups that have become increasingly mobilized on the issue.
Nov. 24, 2009, marks 150 years since the publication of Charles Darwin’s seminal work, The Origin of Species. This year is also the bicentennial of Darwin’s birth. Darwin’s book was controversial from the start, and is perhaps more so today, with some celebrating its breakthroughs and others trying to debunk them.
Thanksgiving is a time when most Americans celebrate their bounty — and anti-poverty groups remind them how many others still go hungry. But this year the urgency is even greater, and the problems go well beyond a seasonal appeal. Indeed, the land of plenty has plenty of people experiencing hunger, as new reports show.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of more than 250 million Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide, is in the midst of a 17-day apostolic visit to the United States — a pilgrimage that puts the focus on a diverse and important community of Christians that often receives little in-depth coverage.
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