Religion

Lawyers for the Seventh-day Adventist Church are arguing that the First Amendment allows it to ask employees to “uphold their religious beliefs.”

At least 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed and 250 kidnapped by Hamas militants on Oct. 7, while more than 41,500 Gazans have died after an Israeli offensive. Here is what three friends brought together by the conflict think a year later.

Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant was a mentor and leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She died on Sept. 26 at age 77.

Archdiocese of Baltimore has made official the closure of more than half the Catholic churches in city, nearby suburbs.

Greater Grace officials announced that they had selected an evangelical nonprofit, GRACE, to lead an independent investigation of sexual abuse in the church.

Wallace Lane’s mother’s car burst in flames shortly after she parked it after church a few months ago. She and his sister had just left the vehicle.

Jenkins, who grew up in Eastern Maryland died in 2021, had been a member of the Nation of Islam until 1978, when he founded the separate United Nation of Islam.

Former members of Greater Grace World Outreach were shunned after leaving the controversial megachurch. For many, it took decades to build a new life outside.

John Heizer has played the Sunday service at the historic Zion Church of the City of Baltimore since 1974.

Ayman Nassar said he withdrew from Maryland's hate crime commission after an “online harassment and smear campaign was launched” against him.

Police said they identified the man and got a warrant for his arrest Friday. He has a history of fire-related crimes.

The cause of a fire just outside the locked front gates of the Jewish Museum of Maryland is under investigation, according to the Baltimore Fire Department.

Jim Hadley, one of the church elders, said on Sunday the church has “engaged” Rachael Denhollander as a consultant. Denhollander is a Michigan attorney and former gymnast who was the first to publicly come forward with allegations that Nassar had abused her.

A 150-year-old church overlooking Mount Vernon’s Washington Monument is for sale this month after the developer behind a controversial plan for the building died.

Archbishop William Lori and Paul Jan Zdunek, chair of the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, said they’re looking to move into mediation to reach agreements on the number of claims of sexual abuse claims filed in the case, compensation for survivors, and policies and protocols to protect children.

Charlene Bowie’s Bible has a bullet lodged in Jeremiah, right between chapters 29 and 30.

When the Archdiocese of Baltimore announced plans to close dozens of Catholic churches, Our Lady of Victory in Arbutus was on the list. But parishioners, including many Burmese refugees, fought successfully to save a church that many say has become like a second home.

The East Baltimore-based church expects to select a firm in the next few weeks and anticipates the work could take up to six months. Pastor Robert Colban's empathetic tone Sunday marked a departure from the more defensive sermons delivered by another pastor in response to a Baltimore Banner series of articles.

Many former members of Greater Grace World Outreach flocked to the East Baltimore church Friday evening to protest leaders’ handling of allegations of child sex abuse — the subject of a Baltimore Banner investigation.

The finalized plan by the Archdiocese of Baltimore affects many of Baltimore’s predominantly Black churches.