Reported cases of priest abuse from last year have been the lowest since 2004, according to an annual compliance audit of Roman Catholic Church dioceses in the United States.

In 2012, there were six credible cases of abuse found of 34 claims, with 15 of those allegations still under investigation, reported the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).

The audit itself was performed by StoneBridge Business Partners, a multinational organization founded in 1994, on behalf of CARA. more >>

Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking announced this week that he would not be attending a major academic conference in Jerusalem in June as a way of showing "respect" for the Palestinians' academic boycott of Israel. In response, one rabbi said Hawking was joining the Church of Scotland in "demonizing" Israel.

"I was looking forward to hearing the iconic Stephen Hawking," said Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in an article for Fox News. "After agreeing to deliver the coveted keynote in Jerusalem, the highly unorthodox Hawking, who has visited Israel four times, has caved to the prevailing virulent anti-Israel orthodoxy among the United Kingdom's elite and announced he'll boycott because of Palestinian protests.

"It's interesting that Hawking, who is a principled atheist, has some kindred souls among theologians of the Church of Scotland." more >>

The sixth largest Episcopal church in the United States will soon begin looking towards expanding its facilities to accommodate its growing Texas-based congregation.

The Church of the Incarnation of Dallas will be announcing Sunday the results of their capital building campaign, "Lift High the Cross", which is also the name of an early 20th century hymn.

The Incarnation's congregation has increased by 35 percent since 2008, with a regular attendance presently around 1,300, but expected to reach 2,000 within ten years. more >>

A California judge has ruled against a conservative breakaway Anglican congregation in a property dispute between it and The Episcopal Church.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Kim G. Dunning ruled last week that the property of St. James Anglican Church of Newport Beach belongs to the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

"As a matter of law, the Diocese is entitled to enforce the trust in its favor and eject the current occupants," reads the court order. "All the church property acquired by and held in the name of St. James Parish is held in trust for the Episcopal Church and the Diocese, which have the exclusive right to possession and dominion and control." more >>

Correction Apended

A Florida Pastor who recently left the United Methodist Church has started up a new congregation at a beach bar so as to reach out to those uncomfortable with the traditional church setting.

Pastor Jack Kale oversaw the first prayer service for Central Waterside Church at Bimini Beach Bar in Hemingway on Sunday. The congregation is part of a megachurch based in Las Vegas. more >>

Dwight L. Moody, the renowned evangelist, once said, "Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man." A new study proves how right he was.

A study published in a recent issue of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry reports a positive connection between church attendance and clinical depression. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan found a 22 percent reduction in depression among those who went to church at least once a month compared to those who never attend.

The authors of the study wrote, "Significantly fewer monthly attenders reported having episodes or a diagnosis of depression. This…suggests a protective effect of religious attendance." The researchers also noted that those who would identify themselves as spiritual but did not attend religious service experienced no health benefits. more >>