Louisiana

The Louisiana state House voted unanimously (91-0), without debate, Monday to approve the placement of a Ten Commandments monument on the state capitol grounds in Baton Rouge.

Patrick Williams, a Democratic representative who authored the bill, says that while he recognizes the First Amendment provides for separation of church and state, his bill is not intended to promote the religious importance of the Commandments.

“The significance is historical,” he told Reuters. “Our laws are based on the Ten Commandments. In fact, without them, a lot of our laws would not exist.” more >>

A federal court ruled this week against forcing Louisiana to recognize a gay couple on the birth certificate of their adoptive son.

The majority of the full 16 judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided that the state of Louisiana, which does not allow gay marriage or gay adoption, is not required to put two men’s names on the birth certificate of a Louisiana-born child adopted in New York.

A key issue in the case is whether or not including only one parent’s name on the birth certificate violates the U.S. Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause, which says states must respect the “public acts, records, and judicial proceedings” of other states. more >>

With a third of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico now closed to fishing and leaked oil continuing to spread, local churches are banding together Sunday for a day of prayer.

They're calling it the Oil Spill Day of Prayer and participants include The Wesleyan Church, the Church of Nazarene and Southern Baptists.

"The current oil spill is not only causing harm to the coast, marsh lands, the gulf and the future of oil exploration but to the economic future of many [states]," said Dr. Dan Berry, the South Coastal district superintendent of The Wesleyan Church. "This is a case of denominations coming together, saying we are desperate." more >>

Residents around the oil-contaminated Gulf of Mexico gathered Wednesday evening for a community crisis prayer service in the wake of what some say may be the worst leak in U.S. history.

Prayers were said at First Baptist Church of Chalmette to help people summon strength and hope five weeks into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Though the Coast Guard had estimated the flow of oil resulting from the April 20 explosion of a BP oil well to be at 5,000 barrels a day, new estimates suggested it was much higher. A group of scientists determined that between 17 and 39 million gallons of oil have spilled into the waters – more than the 11 million gallons from the 1989 Exxon disaster, according to The Associated Press. more >>

A measure that would allow concealed handguns to be carried in churches failed to make it past the Louisiana House on Thursday.

In a 45-39 vote, the bill fell short of the 53 votes needed to pass.

State Rep. Henry Burns (R-Haughton) plans to reintroduce the bill for another vote. more >>

The first of a series of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association summer concerts drew nearly 11,000 people this past Saturday.

“Rock the River Tour,” a series of day-long concerts along the Mississippi River, kicked off in Baton Rouge over the weekend where the summer heat mixed with the music of some of the hottest Christian bands.

For seven hours, young people from all over Louisiana enjoyed the music of America’s top rock and hip-hop bands that included Flyleaf, Superchick, RED, Hawk Nelson, Mary Mary, Da T.R.U.T.H., Dennis Agajanian, and Canton Jones. more >>