U.S. News and World Report religion writer Jeff Sheler looks at Christianity's changing understanding of hell throughout history. Among his findings are that more Americans believe in hell than did in the 1950s or in 1990. But most today think of hell as a state of existence than a literal place. Christianity Today's recent article, " Can We Be Good Without Hell?" is quoted in a discussion of how the notion of hell influences moral behavior.

A Southern Baptist leader attributes the university's leave to Baylor University's prominent split from the denomination 10 years ago. The university president says he did it to protect the school's accreditation.

"President Hosni Mubarak said the culprits behind the clashes that killed 23 and injured 34 on Jan. 2 were 'pushed from abroad' to destabilize Egypt," reports the Associated Press.

"We no longer want the United Church of Christ speaking for us, taking stands for us that we don't agree with," Pastor Darrell Coons of Hope United Church of Christ (now Hope Church) told the Associated Press. Coons says the UCC president's signing of a declaration calling for churches to bless same-sex couples and allow openly gay ministers was "the last straw."

Toby McKeehan of the band dc Talk garnered 10 nominations—six for solo work, four for the band—for the Gospel Music Association awards, to be awarded April 20. Steven Curtis Chapman was nominated nine times, Michael W. Smith eight times, and Kirk Franklin ...