religion

The Religious Diet

Brian Ellison, Matthew Long-Middleton and Claire McInerny — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

As we find ourselves in the midst of Lent and with Passover on the horizon, the idea of food and the role it plays in various religions is on many people's minds. Why do Catholics not eat meat on Fridays, why do Jews not let their bread rise and why do members of Islam have permanent restrictions on what they can eat?

Atheists Shed Stereotypes

Alex Smith — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 18:31:22 +0000

In Kansas and Missouri, it’s now common for a lot of to politicians to not just proclaim their faith, but to openly push a pro-religious agenda. But for the past year, a Kansas City-based group has been trying to push back, although in a friendly way.

Drepung Gomang Monks / LGBTQ Youth Activism

Tomeka Weatherspoon and Brian Ellison — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:11:18 +0000

On Thursday’s Central Standard, special guest host Brian Ellison is joined by a group of Tibetan monks currently touring the city. We'll talk about their simplistic, yet powerful values. Plus, hear some chants for peace and healing.

Then, later in the hour, we’ll talk with an ambitious group of young people about LGBTQ activism in schools and in the community.

Religion Roundtable: Weddings

Brian Ellison and Danie Alexander — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 05:16:25 +0000

Whether as participant or observer, sooner or later we all go to a wedding. And whether under a mandap or chuppah, at the altar or in the parsonage, ceremonies in any faith are marked by one common denominator: a couple embarking on a life together.

Kansas City Sikhs Seek Tolerance

Alex Smith — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 17:19:22 +0000

While the Wisconsin shooting that took place on August 5th is the most dramatic attack on Sikhs in recent memory, members of the faith often experience harassment and discrimination. On Wednesday evening, Kansas City’s Sikh community hosted a vigil to remember the Wisconsin victims and promote tolerance.

Missouri Amendment 2: 'Right To Pray' Or Redundant Rights?

Stephen Steigman and Brian Ellison — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 02:48:56 +0000

On Tuesday, Missouri citizens will vote on Amendment 2, the so-called “right to pray” ballot measure. The amendment would guarantee Missouri residents the right to express religious beliefs and also would allow students in public schools to pray and acknowledge their religion voluntarily.

KC Catholics Caught Between Vatican And Nuns

Alex Smith — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:16:11 +0000

In mid-April, the Vatican issued strong criticism of its largest organization for American Catholic nuns, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious.

Local Presbyterian Pastor Becomes Advocate For Gay Rights

Alex Smith — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:18:50 +0000

Probably the most volatile fault line in America’s shifting opinion on gay rights is in churches. Both those who support gay rights and those who don’t claim that their beliefs are supported by their church’s teachings.

Interpreting Shariah Law Across The Centuries

editor — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:26:00 +0000

Sadakat Kadri is an English barrister, a Muslim by birth and a historian. His first book, The Trial, was an extensive survey of the Western criminal judicial system, detailing more than 4,000 years of courtroom antics.

In his new book, Heaven on Earth, Kadri turns his sights east, to centuries of Shariah law. The first parts of his book describe how early Islamic scholars codified — and then modified — the code that would govern how people lead their daily lives.

Inside The New Mormon Temple

Andrea Silenzi and Jabulani Leffall — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:00:27 +0000

On this Wednesday's Central Standard, learn what the erection of the new Mormon temple means for area Mormons, and join us for a virtual tour.

'When God Talks Back' To The Evangelical Community

editor — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:10:00 +0000

While attending services and small group meetings at The Vineyard, an evangelical church with 600 branches across the country, anthropologist T.M.

Assailing 'Disobedience,' Pope Says Women Will Not Be Ordained

editor — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:43:00 +0000

In a Mass today at St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI delivered a scathing homily that reiterated the Catholic Church's ban on female priests.

He also criticized a group of priests who have called on their colleagues to ignore Rome. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty filed this report for our Newscast unit:

"On Holy Thursday, the Catholic Church commemorates the day that it says Jesus instituted the priesthood. Pope Benedict took the opportunity to say nothing will change.

Philosopher Alain de Botton On Religion For Atheists

Stephen Steigman and Brian Ellison — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:00:37 +0000

Philosopher Alain de Botton says it’s time for those who believe in religion and those who don’t to stop denigrating each other and find common ground on art, community and morality.

The Struggle Over Teaching Evolution

Steve Kraske, Kathleen Pointer and Danie Alexander — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:05:38 +0000

From the Scopes trial of the 1920s to intelligent design today, teaching evolution remains a most divisive issue in America. Across the battlegrounds of pulpits, classrooms and courtrooms, opposing forces have struggled with what the curriculum should include.

KC Baha'is Fight Iranian Persecution

Alex Smith — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:22:29 +0000

Every 19 days, members of Kansas City’s Baha’i religious community gather for a potluck and a traditional service they call a feast. It’s a remarkable diverse mix of races, ages and backgrounds celebrating a 150-year-old gospel of global unity. But the optimistic spirit of many of Kansas City’s Baha’is has been tested. Many have fled for their lives in order to practice their religion.