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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: pastor

pastor stories: 22 news summaries

1 - 20 of 22 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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Gun-Toter's Pastor Prayed for Obama's Death

Ariz. preacher called prez 'socialist devil'

Aug 28, 09 11:33 AM CDT
(Newser) - The man who brought an assault rifle to an Obama town hall in Arizona last week had attended a sermon the day before during which the pastor said he would “pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell,” TPM reports. “I’d like Barack Obama... More »

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Barack Obama • town hall meeting • assault rifles • pastor • guns • Steven Anderson • Chris Broughton

(Newser) - The hallelujahs are strained in US churches these days as donations plunge at the same time demand for aid is skyrocketing, reports the Wall Street Journal. Congregations across the nation are slashing budgets and even laying off staff, including pastors. Churches and synagogues usually weather downturns well, but not... More »

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Catholic Church • Jews • religion • church • fundamentalism • Protestants • worshippers • donation • priest • synagogue • evangelicals • Baptists • pastor • baptism • temple • Catholic priest • women's issues • congregations • collection box • born again

 Get Off Prejean's Back: Pastor 

Plus, pageant exec stars in new pro-diversity campaign

May 8, 09 9:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Topless photos of Carrie Prejean may disqualify her from being Miss California, but “they do not disqualify her from being able to share her opinion,” her pastor tells E! “We all have things in our past that we would not want to have broadcast on national television.... More »

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gay rights • nude photo • pastor • Carrie Prejean • Miss California • Shanna Moakler

Pastor Charged With Killing Disabled Man

Police say preacher paid hitman with $50K in church funds

Apr 25, 09 4:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Baltimore police say a pastor has admitted to killing a mentally disabled and blind man to collect on his life insurance money, the Baltimore Sun reports. Charged yesterday, Kevin Pushia, 32, confessed to hiring a hit man with $50,000 in church funds to kill Lemuel Wallace—one of several... More »

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Baltimore • life insurance • pastor • murder plot

(Newser) - Playmobil has demanded that a German pastor stop using its toys to depict Bible scenes, reports the Telegraph. One plastic human figure has been given breasts to be a naked Eve, and another has been nailed to a cross. Photos of the altered figures have been posted on the internet.... More »

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Germany • religion • toys • Bible • Jesus Christ • pastor • pastor controversy • Playmobil • crucifiction

Church Shooter Marked 'Death Day' in Planner

Authorities baffled on motive; Lyme 'doesn't cause' shooting: expert

Mar 10, 09 12:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - The man charged with killing an Illinois pastor during a Sunday service appears to have planned the attack, having marked the date “Death Day” in his planner, the AP reports. But authorities are still stymied over a motive behind the attack. Terry Sedlacek was a quiet kid working in... More »

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Illinois • Lyme disease • church shootings • shooting • pastor • Terry Joe Sedlacek • Fred Winters

Slain Pastor Blocked 1st Shot With a Bible

As confetti flew, Illinois parishioners thought it was a skit

Mar 9, 09 7:55 AM CDT
(Newser) - What drove the shooting death of a pastor at an Illinois Baptist church service yesterday remains a mystery, as more details emerge, the Chicago Tribune reports. After exchanging words with the gunman who walked toward him, the pastor blocked the first of four rounds of bullets with a Bible, sending... More »

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crime • murder • Illinois • Bible • gunman • church shootings • shooting • motive • pastor • Bill Maher Grid

 Pastor Killed in Ill. 
 Church Shooting 

Three others injured, including suspect

Mar 8, 09 2:08 PM CDT
(AP) - Illinois state police say a man shot a pastor to death and injured others at a church during a service in Maryville. Master Trooper Ralph Timmins says the man walked down the aisle during the early Sunday service at First Baptist Church in Maryville, exchanged words with pastor Fred Winters,... More »

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crime • church • Illinois • church shootings • shooting • pastor • knife • guns

Man Kills a Second Wife
22 Years Later

Murder of first wife didn't worry her,
pastor said

Mar 4, 09 3:50 PM CST
(Newser) - An Illinois man has killed his second wife after serving 13 years for killing his first, the Chicago Tribune reports. Richard Wiley, who gunned down Kathryn Wiley-Motes with a Civil War replica rifle this weekend, then murdered his 17-year-old stepson and turned the rifle on himself. Wiley-Motes married Wiley months... More »

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prison • murder • murder-suicide • Illinois • pastor

Wife Knew Haggard Was Hot for Guys

She believed he was 'winning the battle,' spouse tells Oprah

Jan 28, 09 4:53 AM CST
(Newser) - Ted Haggard told his wife early in their 30-year marriage that he struggled with his attraction to men, she tells Oprah in an appearance with her husband due to air today. Gayle Haggard says she was shocked by the disclosure, but believed he was "winning the battle" before a... More »

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homosexuality • evangelicals • Ted Haggard • New Life Church • pastor • pastor controversy • prostitution scandal

 Haggard Faces 
 New Gay Sex 
 Accusations 

Churchgoer says he had long relationship with anti-gay marriage preacher

Jan 24, 09 8:46 AM CST
(Newser) - Evangelical preacher Ted Haggard had a long extra-marital affair with a male parishioner before his downfall, KRDO reports. The churchgoer says the New Life Church paid him hush money after the affair several years ago. The church confirmed the accusation after learning that the man possesses a recording of a... More »

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homosexuality • sexuality • evangelicals • Ted Haggard • New Life Church • pastor

Rev. Warren References MLK in Invocation 

Obama's pick sparked gay-rights controversy

Jan 20, 09 10:58 AM CST
(Newser) - Offering the invocation at Barack Obama's inauguration, Rev. Rick Warren called the moment “a hinge-point in history: the first inauguration of an African American as the 44th president.” The controversial pastor added, “We know that today Dr King and a great cloud of witnesses are shouting in... More »

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Barack Obama • inauguration • Rick Warren • pastor • President Obama • Inauguration Day

 Haggard: I 
 Still Struggle 
 With Sexuality 

Disgraced evangelical speaks out in new doc

Dec 19, 08 11:45 AM CST
(AP) - Disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard says in a new documentary that he still struggles with his sexuality yet is committed to his marriage for the sake of his children. "The reason I kept my personal struggle a secret is because I feared that my friends would reject me, abandon... More »

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sexuality • drug abuse • evangelicals • Ted Haggard • prostitute • pastor

 Blago to 
 Ministers:  
 I'm Innocent 

Guv says he'll be vindicated

Dec 12, 08 1:04 PM CST
(AP) - Rod Blagojevich prayed with several ministers before heading to his office today, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," said a pastor. He added that the governor discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place... More »

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corruption • Illinois • governor • Rod Blagojevich • political scandal • pastor

Billy Graham Done Advising Presidents: Son

But influential pastor supports and would like to pray with Obama

Nov 7, 08 2:30 PM CST
(Newser) - Billy Graham, the pastor who has advised every president since Eisenhower, won’t be counseling Barack Obama, the AP reports. Graham, who turns 90 today and is in failing health, “feels like his time and day for that is over," said Graham’s son Franklin. "He would... More »

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Barack Obama • health • Christianity • North Carolina • Billy Graham • pastor • President Obama

Methodist Ministers Defy
Ban on Marrying Gays

California clergy members ignoring church ban on officiating gay weddings

Jul 17, 08 11:02 AM CDT
(Newser) - Methodist ministers in California are revolting against religious edicts that forbid them from performing same-sex marriages, the Los Angeles Times reports, in a struggle that many consider "the civil rights cause of their generation." Dozens of Methodist pastors have officiated at gay and lesbian weddings since they were... More »

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California • gay marriage • wedding • pastor • minister • United Methodists

Obama Repudiates Preacher Over 'White Tears' Slam

'Renegade priest' mocked Hillary Clinton from pulpit

May 30, 08 3:27 AM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama has had to apologize for another troublesome preacher at his home church, reports MSNBC. The Rev. Michael Pfleger—a white Catholic priest widely known as Chicago's "renegade" priest for his liberal social activism in the city’s black community—mocked Hillary Clinton in a guest sermon, saying... More »

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Barack Obama • Michael Pfleger • Trinity United Church of Christ • pastor • pastor controversy

 McCain May Pray 
 For Pastors to Zip It 

Hagee not talking, but another high-profile preacher may be in news soon

May 8, 08 9:33 PM CDT
(Newser) - John McCain may be heading for his own preacher problems, but at least one of his problematic pastors is clamming up for now, Newsweek reports. John Hagee, who called Hurricane Katrina “the judgment of God,” and Catholicism a “false cult system,” recently answered a request... More »

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John McCain • Islam • Christianity • John Hagee • Election 2008 • Rod Parsley • pastor • pastor controversy • inflammatory remarks

 Huckabee: Lay Off
Obama Pastor 

Former minister goes to bat for controversial figure

Mar 20, 08 8:05 AM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama got some unexpected help yesterday from Mike Huckabee, of all people. The former candidate called Obama’s speech “historic” and said it wasn’t fair to hold candidates accountable for everything the people near them say, ABC News reports. Huckabee, once a pastor himself, said he understood... More »

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Barack Obama • race • Jerry Falwell • Mike Huckabee • segregation • Jeremiah Wright • Joe Scarborough • pastor • sermon

 Obama Preacher's 
 Words Keep Resurfacing

Inflammatory comments from past may haunt candidate

Mar 14, 08 11:59 AM CDT
(Newser) - In the latest campaign preacher flap, TV networks are airing clips from sermons in which the former pastor of Barack Obama's church condemns "racist" US society and compares the candidate's experiences to Jesus' struggles, the Guardian reports. "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human,... More »

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Barack Obama • John McCain • politics • religion • presidential race • United Church of Christ • Jeremiah Wright • Election 2008 • pastor

1 - 20 of 22 Stories | 1 2 Next >>


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