Religious leaders will be excluded from the 10th anniversary memorial service of New York City's 9/11 tragedy. Critics of the decision argue that religious leaders played an important role during and after the tragedy and should be included.

Former New York Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, who was serving in office at the time of the September 11, 2001 attack, expressed outrage at the exclusion in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

“This is America, and to have a memorial service where there's no prayer, this appears to be insanity to me. I feel like America has lost its way,” Washington said. more >>

A mayor in Indonesia is fighting to ban the construction of Christian churches on streets that bear Islamic names, and is prohibiting the use of an existing church in the city of Bogor.

In the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, religious intolerance continues to block the opening of the Taman Yasmin Indonesian Christian Church. The church was supposed to be unlocked in 2008 in Bogor, but the legality of the permit to build was protested by residents.

In December, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Taman Yasmin, and approved the church’s construction. Also, the church recently received a recommendation by the National Ombudsman Institute urging the building’s permit to be reinstated, Charisma News reported. more >>

A study reveals that how one interprets the bible may be linked, not to their own education, but to the education of their fellow worshippers.

The study, conducted Baylor University sociology doctoral student Samuel Stroope and derived from data from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, details that those who have greater contact with church members that went to college are less likely to interpret the Bible word-for-word, regardless of their own education level.

Stroope explains that others are influenced by witnessing college educated people discuss the bible in an analytical fashion as opposed to a literal fashion. more >>

President Barack Obama is hosting a third annual celebration of the Muslim holiday Ramadan at the White House Wednesday night, maintaining a tradition that Southern Baptist leader Richard Land says rightly affirms freedom of religion for all faiths.

Land reminds Christians and other believers that they can affirm freedom for different religions while still differing with their doctrine.

Obama will lead an Iftar dinner, the meal that breaks the day of fasting, in the State Dining Room. In doing so, he continues a tradition that began annually under President Bill Clinton and was also observed during President George W. Bush’s tenure in the White House. more >>

Two Christian leaders are attempting to squelch a persistent rumor that Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren “embraces Chrislam.”

Pastors Geoff Surratt and Brandon Cox have posted their defense online. Warren recognized the posts late last week on Facebook and Twitter where he stated, “The stupid Chrislam lie wont die. Here are 2 true articles quoting me.”

Televangelist Jack Van Impe, who recently left Trinity Broadcasting Network as a result of his accusations aimed at Warren and Robert Schuller, has been suggesting that Warren is pushing Chrislam. He points to an Islamic conference in which Warren was a speaker at two years ago as evidence. Others in the Christian community and beyond have perpetuated the claim. more >>

Religious leaders from the Evangelical, Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Churches have called upon President Obama to take “bold action” to establish peace in Israel and Palestine.

In a letter drafted by “Churches for Middle East Peace” this week the president was urged to make a clear and bold stance in advance of the United Nations General Assembly in the fall.

The letter urges Obama to make a statement that “addresses all final status issues, including the need for Jerusalem in the future to be the shared capital of both states, a just resolution on the issue of all refugees, and assured access for all faiths to their holy places.” more >>