Facing the global economic crisis, Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls on religious leaders to help develop a “shared moral sense” to govern markets and the economy.  He spoke of the need to conquer fear with faith.
In a speech at St Paul’s Cathedral, the Prime Minister drew on religious doctrine in a highly-personal address which warned [...]

New survey shows Americans turning to churches big and small for financial in addition to spiritual support.
The survey, by LifeWay Research, a Christian polling firm based in Nashville, finds that 40% of pastors say they have church members out of work, and 37% say their church has increased spending to help the needy. (The survey [...]

Former Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee this weekend introduces a fundraising network to help churches during these lean times. The Christian Values Network is being touted as a vehicle to help generate funds for churches and faith-based charities.
Christian Values Network is a free service that allows members to shop online at nearly 900 popular internet retailers who in [...]

The Journal of the American Medical Association publishes a study suggesting religious patients are more likely to seek aggressive treatment to prolong their lives in the week before they died than less religious patients. The New York Times reports:
“The patients who were devout were three times as likely as less religious ones to be put [...]

1. Offering a dose of escape and a dash of hope, Christian fiction is selling strong during this time of economic adversity. Christian nonfiction is not doing as well:
Karen Ball, executive editor at Southern Baptist-owned B&H Publishing Group, said that people are looking for a way to escape from the bad news of layoffs and [...]

The UK Mirror reports on the latest salve Britney Spears’ father is implementing to help his daughter.
Britney Spears’ dad has issued strict backstage conditions to keep his daughter on the straight and narrow. Top of the list is that she must read the Bible for one hour a day… Holy Moly!

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach spoke with BiblEconomy about the roots of the financial crisis and how we transcend it.
“The collapse of our economy was caused not by an economic crisis but a spiritual crisis called greed, where you become voracious and insatiable. I believe that the Jewish community, and the Jewish religion has unique values that need [...]

The BBC reports on the Church of England’s “prayer for the current financial situation” published online six months ago and which 40,000 have visited. It begins:
“Lord God, we live in disturbing days: across the world prices rise, debts increase, banks collapse, jobs are taken away, and fragile security is under threat.”
To reduce the decline in [...]

The journal Psychological Science publishes a University of Toronto research that found those who believe in God are less likely to suffer anxiety and stress when asked to perform various mental tasks. The Telegraph says:
The stronger their belief, the calmer they remained even when they made a mistake, said the study by scientists measuring brain reaction during a set [...]

Column worth reading by Kristine Frederickson in the Mormon Times on the perils of conspicuous consumption and how now necessity ”has engendered thrift, industry and charitable impulses and actions” prompting a new recognition of the difference between wants and needs, teaching us “to live well on less.”
She says that in 1869 Brigham Young:
…explained that others looked at the [...]