“There are those of us who will not give up until the death penalty has ended, until this country is about saving lives and not killing people and throwing them away for making mistakes,” said Jason Baldwin to more than 100 people sitting on the rooftop of the Saranac Building on Saturday.
Baldwin, one of the West Memphis Three, was released from prison 11 months ago after being incarcerated 18 years for a crime he didn’t commit.

President Obama and his likely GOP challenger Mitt Romney called for prayers and reflection after a deadly shooting at a Colorado movie theater, while liberal religious leaders called for stricter gun control laws.

Eric Blauer wants to know how liberal Christians are responding to Russell Douthat’s editorial on the decline of Liberal Christianity. Diana Butler Bass and the Rev. Winnie Varghese have given two very fine responses and I have a few observations of my own.

Ramadan Mubarak! That means, for our Muslim readers, have a happy Ramadan. The sacred Islamic month started today and will continue until Aug. 19 (Eid-al-Fitr).

With this morning’s rising sun dawned the Islamic month of Ramadan — a sacred time for Muslims to commemorate when the Quran’s scriptures were first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.

From now until Aug. 19 Muslims will fast from sunup until sundown.

Gonzaga University announced this week that its Presidential Speaker Series will two internationally renowned figures to campus as part of Gonzaga’s 125th Anniversary celebration.

Three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Thomas L. Friedman will speak Sept. 4, and primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall will speak April 9.