Religion and Faith

As more American Indians seek out their spiritual heritage, there's growing tension over what is traditional.
Seven prophets came to the Anishinaabe. They came at a time when the people were living a full and peaceful life on the northastern coast of North America. These prophets left the people with seven predictions of what the future would bring. Each of the prophecies was called a fire and each fire referred to a particular era of time that would come in the future. Thus, the teachings of the seven prophets are now called the "Seven Fires."
For more than a century, the Ojibwe language has been under assault. Generations of American Indians were forced into government or church-run boarding schools, where their native language and culture were forbidden. Today, only a few can speak Ojibwe fluently. But there are growing efforts to revive the language.
The La Crosse City Council plans to appeal a recent court decision calling for the removal of a Ten Commandments statue. Now it's likely the case will advance on to the federal court of appeals in Chicago.
Episcopal leaders voted to approve the election of their first openly gay bishop, risking a possible exodus of conservatives who said their grief over the decision was "too deep for words." The Episcopal General Convention on Tuesday took the final vote needed to confirm the Rev. V. Gene Robinson as bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire. We hear a special program about homosexuality and the church, including updated news about the controversy surrounding Rev. V. Gene Robinson. The program is from Minnesota Public Radio's Speaking of Faith series.
The turmoil surrounding the vote for the Episcopal church's first openly gay bishop reflects a larger debate over sexuality occurring in many communities of faith.