Topic: Lynchburg

Cover Story Who's filling America's church pews

In Puritan New England, Protestant and Catholic churches are declining while evangelical and Pentecostal groups are rising. Why the nation's most secular region may hint at the future of religion.

Obamacare: Supreme Court orders new look at university’s lawsuit

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered an appeals court to consider the underlying merits of Liberty University’s lawsuit – including whether Obamacare violates religious freedom.

How did Romney do at Liberty University? Just fine, evangelicals say

Mitt Romney always has had an uneasy relationship with evangelical Christians and other social conservatives, both on issues and regarding his Mormon religion. In his important commencement speech at Liberty University, he seems to have won them over.

Mitt Romney courts evangelicals at Liberty University

Mitt Romney’s Mormon religion has been a problem for some evangelicals. At conservative Liberty University Saturday, Romney stressed Christian values without mentioning his own faith, part of an apparently successful effort to win over evangelicals and other social conservatives.

Gay marriage issue: Who does it hurt most, Obama or Romney?

Gay marriage is not a campaign subject either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney really needed, and it could present difficulties for both candidates as the election nears.

The Vote Rand Paul 'detained' by TSA. Does that happen to other senators?

TSA could hardly have singled out a worse person for pat-down treatment than Sen. Rand Paul, up-and-coming libertarian standard-bearer and son of GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul. He's not the only one on Capitol Hill to complain about pat-downs.

Obama's health-care reform law faces new test in appeals court

Two cases challenging the constitutionality of the health-care reform law arrive Tuesday for oral argument at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.

Foreclosures on the rise: Is your city on the Top 10 list?

Foreclosures have been huge in cities that rode the real estate bubble in the West and in Florida. But the fastest rise in foreclosures is taking place primarily in far less frothy metropolitan areas of the Southeast, according to a new report by RealtyTrac. North Carolina alone was home to four of the Top 10 fastest-rising foreclosure metros last year. While their foreclosure rates are still quite low compared with most places, these metros and their plight illustrate how the poor economy is driving the housing crisis now.

Health-care reform: Battleground shifts to Florida courtroom

The legal battle over health-care reform is destined for the Supreme Court, analysts say. On Thursday a US district judge in Florida hears arguments in a case brought by 20 states.

Health-care reform law is constitutional, federal judge rules

Legal challenges to health-care reform include a lawsuit filed on behalf of Liberty University in Virginia. On Tuesday, a federal judge dismissed that suit. Others remain outstanding.

Fuel-efficient vehicles: Three cars share $10 million prize

Fuel-efficient vehicles are focus of X Prize. One winner is an ultralight car that gets 102 miles per gallon.

Chinese explorers stand by claim of Noah's Ark find in Turkey

The Hong Kong-based team rebutted skepticism over their claims of finding Noah's Ark in Turkey, though they said further research is needed to prove beyond doubt that they have located the fabled biblical boat.

Doubt cast on Noah's ark found in Turkey

A group of Chinese and Turkish explorers announced this week they are '99.9 percent' sure of their discovery on Mt. Ararat. While Noah's ark found in Turkey would bolster Bible literalists, an American ark-hunter says the latest discovery could be a hoax.

Healthcare reform law challenged on religious grounds, too

The Thomas More Law Center in Michigan and Liberty University in Virginia, abortion foes, each filed suit challenging the new healthcare reform law. The law treats religions unequally, they say, and forces adherents to be part of a healthcare system that violates their religious beliefs on abortion.

Virginia shooting suspect surrenders after all-night police chase

The Virginia gunman allegedly killed eight in Appomattox before fleeing to the woods and later turning himself in. It's the region's deadliest shooting since the 2007 Virginia Tech rampage.

The Unlikely Disciple

An Ivy Leaguer spends a semester undercover at a fundamentalist Christian university – and is surprised by what he discovers.

USA

Amid peanut scandal, Georgia moves to tighten its food-safety net

On Wednesday, the state legislature began work on measures to tighten food inspections, while in Washington, the CEO of Peanut Corp. refused to testify before Congress.