Faith & Religion

Thousands of United Methodist congregations have been voting on whether to stay or quit one of the nation’s largest denominations amid intractable debates over theology and the role of LGBTQ people. There are sharp differences over recognizing same-sex marriage and ordaining LGBTQ clergy.

By Peter Smith and Holly Meyer

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May 23, 2023

Some worshippers switching congregations amid United Methodist split over LGBTQ issues

Courts & Crime

An IHOP franchise in Charlotte is being sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for religious discrimination and retaliation.

By Catherine Muccigrosso

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May 10, 2023

IHOP fired N.C. cook who wanted Sundays off because of his Christian faith, employment commission says

Real Estate

A Facebook post published earlier this week by a local real estate agent suggested the church's two buildings on Kempsville Road will be marketed at an asking price of $20 million. The city's mayor said it was his "understanding" the property will be offered for sale.

By Jane Harper, Stacy Parker and Trevor Metcalfe

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May 04, 2023

Is Virginia Beach’s Rock Church for sale? Recent clues indicate a real estate listing is in the works

Courts & Crime

John Blanchard, a former lead pastor at Rock Church International, filed a criminal complaint last month seeking to have a frequent church protester found guilty of stalking and a protective order issued against him. A judge on Tuesday denied both requests.

By Jane Harper

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May 03, 2023

Rock Church pastor’s efforts to get protester convicted of stalking are denied by judge

Faith & Religion

“If you have ever felt like most worship music sounds the same,” the study’s authors wrote, “it may be because the worship music you are most likely to hear in many churches is written by just a handful of songwriters from a handful of churches.”

By Bob Smietana

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April 14, 2023

Why do many hit worship songs sound the same? Megachurches have cornered the market, study finds

Faith & Religion

About 100,000 Virginians are Latter-day Saints, including 34,000 in the Richmond region. The Richmond Virginia Temple, at 10915 Staples Mill Road, now serves a community that has been waiting and praying for a temple for years.

By Thad Green

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March 25, 2023

Virginia’s first temple serving Latter-day Saints gets ready for opening: ‘This is a house of hope’

News

A lawsuit by dozens of conservative United Methodist churches in western North Carolina wishing to break away from their governing body was thrown out of court Tuesday by an N.C. judge.

By Michael Gordon

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March 22, 2023

Judge tosses lawsuit from 36 North Carolina congregations looking to leave Methodist church

History

The Basilica of St. Mary, a historically Black church in Norfolk and the only predominantly Black basilica in the United States, received a grant to preserve its structure. The church's future is indelibly linked to its past.

By Cianna Morales

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February 19, 2023

New grant aims to preserve 100 years of Black history at Norfolk’s Basilica of St. Mary

News

The Diyanet Mosque in Norfolk is spearheading an effort to collect winter clothes and equipment like tents, sleeping bags, diapers, wipes, other hygiene products and more.

By Cianna Morales

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February 11, 2023

Hampton Roads mosques collect donations for Turkey, Syria earthquake relief

Nation & World news

Coroner’s reports, death certificates and headstones at a small Idaho cemetery show dozens of child deaths and stillbirths — some of them deemed preventable by medical experts — linked to the church and faith healing.

By Nicole Blanchard

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January 23, 2023