A federal appeals court in San Francisco heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by a Sacramento, Calif., man who says the words "under God" should be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance because they are unconstitutional.

Maybe you have heard this myth-that the so-called nuclear family is a recent cultural development. That's nonsense of course, because the most basic form of the family has always been a married couple with their offspring.

The ever-dwindling Christian communities living in Palestinian-run territories in the West Bank and Gaza are likely to dissipate completely within the next 15 years as a result of increasing Muslim persecution and maltreatment, an Israeli scholar said Monday.

For students who cannot read, all school subjects can prove difficult, and they often just give up. However, the American Bible Society and Salvation Army have joined forces in a campaign called Mission: Literacy, and participating at-risk elementary students in three New Jersey cities are excelling instead of quitting. While improving their reading and literacy skills, students' lives also are being enriched.

The Christian season of reflection, which starts Sunday and often is overshadowed by commercialism, focuses on the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of a Messiah.

"For Christ's sake, stop!" declared the president of the Southern Baptist Convention, the Rev. Frank Page, pleading for civility in the Baptist blogosphere.

"Amid much publicity last year, the National Geographic Society announced that a lost 3rd-century religious text had been found, the Gospel of Judas Iscariot. The shocker: Judas didn't betray Jesus."

How much do we really need to know about a person's needs or a particular situation in order to pray effectively? The question, "How may I pray for you?" is part of the litany in Prayers for Healing, Laying on of Hands and Anointing with Oil. We are encouraged in the Scripture to be forthright with our brothers and sisters in Christ regarding sins to be confessed and other needs.