Faith/Religion

Catholic church finds fresh ways to spread message in New Evangelization

Kellie Kotraba — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

There are enough former Catholics in the United States to make up a large Christian denomination of their own.

What does your local VFW have in common with your church?

Lukas Udstuen — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:25:55 +0000

One in five Americans now report having no religious affiliation. This number is increasing rapidly. And church attendance in America and Europe is increasing.

But our communities are filled with instances of people finding meaning outside of religion. The Boone County Veterans of Foreign Wars post, for example, offers veterans a place to unite around their experiences of serving in war. While people find meaning in all sorts of places, the VFW in many ways resembles a church.

Humanist group demands end to teacher-led prayers at Fayette High School

Kellie Kotraba — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:56:46 +0000

The American Humanist Association is demanding that weekly prayer sessions at Fayette High School be stopped on grounds that they are unconstitutional.

Porsha Williams shares challenges of Pagan conversion

Kellie Kotraba — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:45:03 +0000

Porsha Williams knows a thing or two about walls – metaphorical ones, that is. She’s been up against a lot of them, whether religious, psychological or cultural.

She describes herself as a “raised Christian, converted to Pagan woman.” And that conversion is the source of many of these walls.

The voices of the "nones" rise as religious affiliation declines

Lukas Udstuen — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:30:51 +0000

The number of people who say they affiliate with religion is at its lowest point in our nation’s history. Now only one in five Americans are "Nones" or people with no religious affiliation.

Candlelight vigil honors life of Arvarh Strickland

L.C. Chandler Jr. — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:25:55 +0000

University of Missouri students and faculty joined together Monday night, to honor former MU professor Dr. Arvarh E. Strickland with a candlelight vigil.

The MU Legion of Black Collegians student government (LBC) and the iGUIDE Leadership Team hosted the event just outside of Strickland Hall, for whom the building was named, in memory of MU’s first-tenured black professor who passed away on April 30 at age 82.

LifeBridge Lutheran Church reaches “lost generation"

Evan Townsend — Sat, 04 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This story was produced in partnership with Columbia FAVS.

The band of LifeBridge Lutheran Church practices in the community room of an apartment complex each Sunday morning before service begins. Furniture is piled in the corner to their left, and gym equipment in the corner to the right. Though they don’t have their own building to worship in, it’s progress for LifeBridge – a year ago, the church didn’t even exist.

Wagner's 'Die Meistersinger' reaches back to Reformation, forward to World War II

Kellie Kotraba — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

This story was produced in partnership with Columbia Faith & Values. Find more stories like this one at ColumbiaFAVS.com. You can get instant updates each day on Facebook and Twitter.

Student and atheist groups call for freedom of expression in Bangladesh

bridget bowden — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:08:11 +0000

A group gathered in MU’s speaker’s circle Thursday to speak out against the Bangladeshi government and advocate for freedom of expression.

Nearly 15 atheists participated in the Defend Dissent protest. The demonstration was inspired by the arrest of several bloggers in Bangladesh who spoke out against the government and against Islam. Columbia is one of several cities across the globe participating in Defend Dissent.

Columbia FAVS hosts walking tour of downtown churches [video]

Kellie Kotraba and laura davison — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:16:59 +0000

This story was produced in partnership with Columbia Faith and Values.