Dec. 26 -- 1998: A year of reflection on moral values: President Clinton's own attorneys called his extramarital relationship with Monica Lewinsky "sinful."

Dec. 26 -- National stories touched home as well: Many of the same stories that topped the national religion scene played close to home, too.

Dec. 26 -- Watchnight a time for celebration and thanksgiving: The Rev. Andrew Penns remembers that as a child Watchnight services weren't high on his list of things to do on New Year's Eve.

Dec. 26 -- Fledgling churches are religious nomads: FORT WORTH, Texas -- For most of the week, United Artist Fossil Creek 11 is a temple where film-lovers can worship the art of moviemaking in stadium seating, with popcorn, candy and a choice of Hollywood's latest offerings.

Dec. 26 -- India's Christians say intolerance rising under Hindu nationalists: RAJKOT, India (AP) -- They stormed in without warning, 300 men who burned Bibles and told Hindu students that their Christian school was trying to subvert their religion.

Dec. 26 -- Hark the herald and all that jazz: LONDON -- The Church of England has mortified traditionalists by using TV and jazz in its effort to entice people back to church this Christmas.

Dec. 26 -- African-Americans determined to keep Kwanzaa on course: DETROIT -- The first time Dyrene and Douglas Saulsberry celebrated Kwanzaa, there were just three of them: the couple and a niece.

Dec. 26 -- Churches have a way with the manger that's more spectacular than ever: DALLAS -- As the lights dimmed over the stage, Jessica Stribble gripped her microphone, ready to launch into a song for her church's holiday pageant.

Dec. 26 -- Where Christmas still means Christ: PHAT DIEM, Vietnam -- The rock version of "Jingle Bells" comes as something of a surprise as it echoes through the dank air inside the great cathedral. I had been expecting something a little different.

Dec. 26 -- Star of wonder still keeps a scientific secret (Jim Jones): One of my favorite Christmas songs has a verse that begins, "Do you see what I see -- a star, a star, shining in the night with a tail as big as a kite, with a tail as big as a kite."

Dec. 26 -- Religious writers choose top stories of the year (Terry Mattingly): There were only two people in the office, so historians may never know the truth about some of the most important meetings in William Jefferson Clinton's life.

Dec. 26 -- Christmas should offer young people chance to find God's grace (Clark Morphew): My daughter, Michelle, is traveling all the way from Brussels, Belgium, to spend Christmas with me.

Dec. 26 -- Christmas an anchor in trying times (Lauren R. Stanley): ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The past few weeks have brought about extraordinary events in our lives, events that have left our heads spinning and our hearts aching, no matter on what side of the aisle we stand.

Dec. 26 -- A season of dark and light for major religions (David Waters): This is the season of darkness and light.

Dec. 19 -- Churches plan Christmas Eve services: The soft glow of candlelight will illuminate the city and the hearts of its residents Thursday night as numerous churches host traditional Christmas Eve candlelight services.

Dec. 19 -- Collection of small churches full of lessons for pastor: Each miniature church in the Rev. David Edwards' office is a story, even a parable.

Dec. 19 -- Muslims prepare for holy month: Dr. Mohammad Maher Al-Sayyad's gentle face breaks into a smile, with the hint of a chuckle popping forth, when recalling the first time he fasted throughout the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Dec. 19 -- Church reaches out to people in the grip of addiction: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The holidays often are a time of overindulging in food, drink, partying and spending. The season can be especially tough for those who struggle with addictions.

Dec. 19 -- Christian denominations have diverse views on creeds, acceptable behavior, salvation: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Don't bother to look up Christianity in the dictionary. Whatever it says, it won't be enough.

Dec. 19 -- Quality of Christian fiction maturing as market thrives: It's not your mama's Christian fiction anymore.

Dec. 19 -- Writer becomes 'sister' to monks of Gethsemani: TRAPPIST, Ky. -- As a rule, there are no sisters at the Monastery of Gethsemani, only brothers.

Dec. 19 -- Why does a 3,500-year-old prophet stir souls?: Virtually every day for the past 21 years, Rabbi Levi Meier has comforted people who have lost faith in life.

Dec. 19 -- DreamWorks gets it right in Moses film: A headline on a story about "The Prince of Egypt" in the December issue of Focus on the Family's December magazine reads, "Hollywood Gets One Right," and it appears that, at least as far as some religious groups are concerned, this time they did.

Dec. 19 -- We're always looking for God (Ken Garfield): In another lifetime, Sharon and I couldn't decide whether to move from Shelby, N.C., to small-town South Carolina, so we asked our pastor to come and counsel us.

Dec. 19 -- Holiday is about universal tolerance (Dave Bach): On Sunday both the fourth Advent candle and the eight candles of Hanukkah will be kindled to welcome the holiday spirit.

Dec. 19 -- Seek inner comfort and joy to combat holiday blues (Jim Jones): "God Can Heal Your Wounded Heart" is the holiday message outside a church in Arlington, Texas. Why display such a sad message in the holiday season? Curiously, it's a message that is entirely appropriate.

Dec. 19 -- Odd offerings of the season (Terry Mattingly): Undertakers bury people, tax collectors collect taxes and Mannheim Steamroller makes Christmas albums that bore into shoppers' psyches like the whine of a dentist's drill.

Dec. 19 -- Stocking stuffers to brighten the holidays (Tom Schaefer): If you've ever wondered whether secular forces can have a positive effect on religious attitudes, read on.

Dec. 19 -- Christmas symbolizes holiness of child's life (David Waters): On the night before Christmas, Donna Mathis will help her three sons bake chocolate chip cookies for Santa.

Dec. 12 -- 'Prince of Egypt' tells religious story: If the story of Moses battling Pharoah to lead the Israelites from the house of bondage isn't already one of the Bible's best-known and most beloved stories, it will be after Friday.

Dec. 12 -- Hanukkah celebration is rich with tradition: Timothy MacArthur and Rabbi Sherman Stein both know the significance of Hanukkah, even if they express it a little differently.

Dec. 12 -- Ministry helps families of inmates: The Angel Tree Ministry of Prison Fellowship is growing rapidly in Abilene as families of prisoners in the two local units are moving into the area.

Dec. 12 -- Interest grows in Celtic spirituality: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- When Colorado Springs author Steve Rabey was traveling through Ireland, he was struck by the ancient beauty of the Celtic cross.

Dec. 12 -- Readers respond to proposal for chapels in malls: CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- So maybe it's not such a crazy idea after all, this dream to make room in our shopping malls for ministry.

Dec. 12 -- 30 years after his death, noted monk Thomas Merton is remembered: TRAPPIST, Ky. -- On Dec. 10, 1968, at 10 a.m., a telegram reached the abbot of the Trappist monastery south of Bardstown, its terse message bearing the most alarming news.

Dec. 12 -- Black women hear call to ministry: Mary E. Moore swayed as she lifted the microphone and sang in deep alto the final chorus of the hymn "Keep Me Everyday."

Dec. 12 -- How Jewish families deal with 'the December dilemma' (Terry Mattingly): It happens about the time shopping malls hire their Santas, schools schedule "Winter Concerts" and televisions start radiating even more images of children clutching trendy gadgets.

Dec. 12 -- Generous gift joyfully given helps both donor, recipient (Clark Morphew): This time of year, I get all kinds of solicitations for donations.

Dec. 12 -- What would your church do with lottery winnings? (Michael O'Connor): You're a church leader with decision-making responsibility. Long ago, when Texas first began considering lotteries, your church was part of the coalition that took a stand against any form of gambling in the state.

Dec. 12 -- Test your knowledge of the month's major religious observances (Tom Schaefer): Think you know all about the major religious observances in the month of December?

Dec. 12 -- Acts of kindness should be practiced year round (Lauren R. Stanley): ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The voice on the radio is nice, soft and sonorous. It's the holiday season, it says, when people are a little bit nicer, a little bit friendlier, a little more helpful.

Dec. 5 -- Popular gift items have a religious message: Larry the Cucumber, The Prince of Egypt, Max Lucado, or the FROG.

Dec. 5 -- Hospitality house to be named for founder: As soon as Abilene's first prison opened in 1992, Eunice Chambliss knew what she had to do.

Dec. 5 -- Living Nativity begins this week: The little angels aren't likely to be shivering next week when they take part in the Living Nativity at Our Savior Lutheran Church, but they might need to hold onto their halos.

Dec. 5 -- Chaplain enjoys challenge of ministering to the mentally disabled: DENTON, Texas -- It is a crisp, cool Sunday morning at the Denton State School.

Dec. 5 -- Discord over sexuality, gender roles runs like a fault line through America's religious denominations: Is American religion facing a Sexual Reformation -- one as divisive as the Protestant Reformation that split Christianity in the 16th century?

Dec. 5 -- Pastors change their pitch for stewardship money: ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Not so long ago, pastors would get awfully crabby on stewardship Sunday.

Dec. 5 -- A lesbian goes undercover with the religious right and finds several surprises: NEW YORK -- The writer wore a disguise: a wig, flowered hat, long flowered dress and pearls.

Dec. 5 -- Evangelical publisher takes 'the Word' to Russians: When Bill Greig Jr. visited Moscow in 1987, the Soviet Union was a communist, atheist nation. Bibles were banned.

Dec. 5 -- Malls could use chapels, chaplains (Ken Garfield): CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Here's a thought on a weekend when the malls are filled with millions of people in need of more than a gift for Grandma.

Dec. 5 -- Essay on Clinton prompts angry response from Baptists (Jim Jones): Do President Clinton's sexual sins have a connection with his Baptist upbringing?

Dec. 5 -- Faith like a Child (Andrew Kelly): The greatest lessons in my life were not taught by professors at a university or my teachers in high school. They weren't even taught by Sunday school teachers or my parents. They were taught by children.

Dec. 5 -- Squabbling Baptists (Terry Mattingly): For two decades, Southern Baptists have been so busy fighting about the Bible that they've been some of the only church folks who weren't fighting about sex.

Dec. 5 -- League should fight religious persecution, not TV shows or jeans company (Clark Morphew): The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights sent out a press release protesting a clothing manufacturer's plan to display a Christmas tree in a New York City park and decorate it with condoms.

Dec. 5 -- 'Answerizing' threatens to debase our relationship with God (Tom Schaefer): A minister calls the children to the front of the church and begins his mini-sermon by asking them: "What gathers nuts in the fall, has a bushy tail and climbs trees?"