Cue the abstinence-birth control debate: teen birth rates are at their lowest levels in almost 70 years. Greater use of contraceptives and lower incidence of sexual activity are cited. The groves of Academe are getting sacred, or are at least studying the sacred a good deal more. But there’s sacred …

 Editor's note: Laura Kipp wrote this in response to this week's VIEWPOINTS question: Why do you think places of worship are losing young adults? Young men from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints go on two year missions at age 19. We have more than 55,000 full-time missionaries around …

Evolution is a hot topic on SpokaneFAVS this week. Read the story here. Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist specializing in religion reporting and digital entrepreneurship. In her approximate 20 years on the religion beat, Simmons has tucked a notepad in her pocket and found some of her favorite …

… We have to learn to be God’s “nomad people” — we have to learn to move on in life and leave our securities and trust that God provides. Dr. Karin Heller Why do we pray to stay in this sinful world? http://spokanefavs.com/blogs/dr-karin-heller/why-do-we-pray-to-stay-in-this-sinful-world Tracy SimmonsTracy Simmons is an award-winning journalist …

We pray to stay in this sinful world because that’s what we know. We don’t really know who God is and if his kingdom really exists and so forth. We want to be secure. That’s why we have to learn to be God’s “nomad people” — we have to learn to move on in life and leave our securities and trust that God provides. This is a long learning process,which takes sometimes our entire life!

It's likely that at some point everyone has felt wronged, betrayed and hurt. Psychologists and spiritual teachers of various traditions agree that forgiveness heals the emotional pain that bitterness and resentment create. But what is forgiveness? And how do we get there? Forgiveness is the theme of a meditation retreat at Sravasti Abbey …