Faith

“Touched by an Angel,” “Dogma” and “City of Angels” all depict representations of angels. But as models of the spiritual, the religious and the miraculous, angels are not just movie creations.

The way Jacquie Sullivan sees it, the motto “In God We Trust” is more about patriotism than religion.

So when the Bakersfield, Calif., councilwoman heard on a Christian radio station in 2001 that protesters on the East Coast were trying to remove the phrase from public buildings, she considered it her civic duty to reverse the trend.

The St. Francis Catholic Worker Community in Columbia has adopted new regulations for its financial dealings since accusations of embezzlement were made against one of the group's co-founders.

About a half-dozen Roman Catholic dioceses that responded to a survey reported thefts of more than $500,000.Many U.S. churches have been victims of embezzlement over the years, reflecting not just moral weakness on the part of the wrongdoers, but lax financial controls. Often, church budgets are overseen by volunteers or employees with little guidance or professional training.

Now, some colleges are hoping to prevent such faith-shattering abuses by offering programs devoted specifically to managing church finances and personnel.

Baptists around the state hope to continue the unifying process set in motion by last month’s gathering of 15,000 in Atlanta.

“Christ” was not Jesus’ last name but a title meaning “anointed.”

The former president discusses his relationship with the Baptist convention and his hope to bring peace to the denomination.

The Upanishads contain many of the teachings of Hindu religion today, particularly reincarnation and the concept of Brahman.

A youth ministry has been opened for skateboarders in Hermann. The place resembles the idea of “marketplace ministry,” which is an attempt to build communities around the idea of Christians telling their friends, coworkers, anybody, about God.

For many Christians around the world, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent.

Critics question legality of marriages by friends who get ordained online.

Baptist, Islamic and Unitarian Universalist congregation leaders will gather Friday at Karis Community Church to debate and discuss their religions’ opinions of Jesus.

Online ordination allows a good friend to officiate a wedding.

Gov. Blunt’s decision not to seek re-election has left Missouri religious groups looking for a candidate to bear the social conservative standard. Most say the agenda won’t change, no matter who the candidate is.

Two Columbia families reflect on the role of adoption on identity in the Jewish community as their adopted pre-teen girls prepare for their bat mitzvahs.

Popular design trends and additional content are just two ways publishers have kept the Bible as one of the top-selling books each year, despite the fact that 91 percent of households already one a copy.

In the month since 'The Golden Compass' was released, church leaders across the world have condemned it as a damaging influence on young audiences.

One Virginia church is attempting to make a wide range of members feel included — and it seems to be working

Between now and Christmas, Michael Flanagan, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Columbia, will once again see large numbers of parishioners lining up before the confessional. It’s the season of Advent, the time of repentance for Catholics as they prepare to celebrate the Nativity.

Like it has for just about everything else, the Internet has led to new trends in penance.

Web sites such as IveScrewedUp.com, run by a Protestant church in Florida, and DailyConfession.com., which arranges confessions based on the 10 Commandments, offer penitents a chance to forgive themselves through anonymous, online confessions.