Christianity Today

At least 200 dead in renewed Nigerian religious violence

Reports of the latest clashes between Muslims and Christians in the divided country vary. Death toll numbers have ranged from fewer than 100 to more than 300, but most news organizations are reporting that at least 200 were killed May 23 and 24. French news agency AFP says police have been ordered, in an attempt to stop revenge killings, not to reveal the full death toll. The attacks apparently began when villagers in a predominantly Christian neighborhood blamed Muslims for an earlier killing, and attacked and burned the homes of several Muslims. A cycle of revenge continued in Kaduna until police and military cracked down on the area. (See also the BBC's coverage.)

Christian station is second-most popular online

Christian Pirate Radio, a Salem Communications Corporation Internet-only music station, is second only to the UK's Virgin radio when it comes to online listeners, says the ratings giant Arbitron. Such popularity, says Joan FitzGerald, director of marketing for Arbitron Internet Information Services, "illustrates once again that consumers are listening to webcast programming that they cannot find on traditional broadcast stations." (See Salem's press release here.)

First Amendment protects churches discriminating on basis of gender, says appeals court

Joyce Austin, a director of music ministry and part-time parochial school teacher, says she was dismissed from Sacred Heart Cathedral in Raleigh, N.C., because she's a woman. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit on her behalf, but lost in district court. On Monday, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the verdict, saying, "The functions of the music ministry and music teaching positions in ...

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