Pope has Good Friday TV chat
Pope Benedict XVI altered his typical Good Friday routine by appearing on a televised special. 
The Associated Press reports that the pontiff fielded questions during a Good Friday broadcast on Italian TV.
According to the report, the questions were pre-selected. One came from a Japanese girl who asked the pope about suffering in the world.
Read the story below.
The Associated Press: Pope on TV: Pontiff answers questions on Good Friday
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Maundy Thursday in the news
It’s Maundy Thursday, the day Christians commemorate Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples, as described in the Bible.
Many people will be attending services tonight at theirlocal churches.
I’ve noticed several stories about the Last Supper on the wire and Internet today. I thought I would share them.
One is featured on the website Delish and it focuses on the food that Jesus and his disciples likely ate for that now famous meal.
Delish: “What did Jesus Eat During the Last Supper?”
The other is a Religion News Service story about a British scientist who thinks the Last Supper didn’t happen on a Thursday as most people think.
That story is below:
Scholar challenges Thursday date of Last Supper
BY AL WEBB
Religion News Service
LONDON (RNS) A top British scientist claims his biblical, historical and astronomical research shows Christians have been observing Jesus’ Last Supper on the wrong day of the week.Cambridge University Professor Colin Humphreys says Jesus’ final meal with his disciples actually was eaten on the Wednesday before the Crucifixion — one day earlier than has been traditionally accepted.
The mix-up, Humphreys concludes in his new book, “The Mystery of the Last Supper,” may be because Jesus and disciples Matthew, Mark and Luke used one calendar, but fellow disciple John used another.
Humphreys notes the Gospels attributed to the first three claimed the last meal coincided with the Jewish Passover, whereas John’s Gospel says the meal took place “before” Passover.
Eminent biblical scholar F.F. Bruce once described that contradiction as “the thorniest problem in the New Testament,” but Humphreys said, “if we use science and the Gospels hand in hand, we can actually prove that there was no contradiction.”
Humphreys theorizes that Jesus employed an age-old Jewish calendar — perhaps dating back to the Exodus from Egypt — rather than the official lunar calendar popular at the time.
That, Humphreys said, would put the Passover and Last Supper meals on the Wednesday rather than Thursday, and means Jesus’ arrest, interrogation and trials were not all crammed into a single night but were instead spread over a longer period of time.
Humphreys based his project on earlier research he conducted with Oxford University astrophysicist Graeme Waddington 28 years ago, which established the date of the Crucifixion as Friday morning, April 3, 33 A.D.
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Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
‘Soul Surfer’ news
I’ve heard a lot of people talk about the faith-themed movie “Soul Surfer” in the last few weeks since the film made it to the big screen. 
The movie tells the true story of young surfer Bethany Hamilton, who lost her arm in a shark attack, and her return to surfing afterwards.
Well, in the middle of everything else going on last week, I got a chance to talk with Sarah Hill, the young woman who was Hamilton’s youth ministry leader and friend at North Shore Christian Church in Kauai, Hawaii.
In “Soul Surfer,” Oklahoma’s own Carrie Underwood portrays Hill.
Hill visited Oklahoma City to speak at the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma’s women’s conference April 15-16 at Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center near Davis. The conference was held the same weekend as the Women of Joy conference at the Jim Norick State Fair Arena.
I covered Sarah Palin’s presentation at the Women of Joy conference and I know there were thousands of women there. I know some of them might not have been able to attend the Baptist conference because of that.
I’m sharing my chat with Hill in Saturday’s Life section of The Oklahoman. I found that she has an interesting story all her own.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
A day in Shawnee
Spent the day in Shawnee today and met some of the nicest people.
It was one of the most interesting Sundays I’ve ever had. With it being Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, the day seemed ripe with expectation.
I’ll be writing several stories from today’s Shawnee visit. Look for them in future editions of The Oklahoman and NewsOK.com.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Palin in OKC
I’m preparing to attend the Women of Joy Conference tonight at State Fair Arena.
The highlight of the evening is keynote speaker Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential candidate.
Most of the time, Palin’s political views are quoted. However, she’s expected to share her faith testimony at tonight’s event.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Group sends governors National Day of Prayer letter
The Alliance Defense Fund has sent letters to governors across the country to encourage them to observe and participate in the 60th annual National Day of Prayer on May 5. 
In a news release this week, defense fund leaders said the letter also encourages governors to resist the demands of activist groups that claim the tradition is unlawful. The release said millions of Americans participate in prayer day activities every year.
The Alliance Defense Fund describes itself as a legal alliance of Christian attorneys and like-minded organizations defending the right of people to freely live out their faith.
Remember last year, National Day of Prayer activities went on as planned in Oklahoma and around the country, despite a federal judge’s ruling which challenged the observance.
On April 15, 2010, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb, from Wisconsin’s Western District Court, ruled the National Day of Prayer unconstitutional. She wrote that the government cannot enact laws supporting a day of prayer, saying that government may not use its authority to influence an individual’s decision “whether and when to pray.”
At the time, the U.S. Justice Department vowed to appeal the ruling. I’ve heard no word about whether or not the ruling will keep people from participating in the designated prayer day this year.
It will be interesting to see how things unfold as we get closer to the 2011 prayer day.
(Photo above: Jim Beckel/The Oklahoman) In this 2011 photo, a group of men from Gallian Masonry join with other men to form a circle of prayer before the start of the official National Day of Prayer ceremony at the state Capitol.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Brooks Douglass on ‘The View’
Former Sen. Brooks Douglass and his sister Leslie were recently featured on the daytime talk show “The View.” 
Douglass (pictured at right) co-wrote and produced the film “Heaven’s Rain” about the 1979 night his parents were murdered and he and his sister were shot.
Here’s a story from the Associated Baptist Press about his appearance on “The View” with his sister: “Filmmaker discusses faith, forgiveness on ‘The View.’”
Many Oklahomans already know that Brooks Douglass’ parents Richard and Marilyn Douglass served as Christian missionaries in Brazil. The Rev. Richard Douglass was pastor of Putnam City Baptist Church at the time of his death.
The former state legislator’s movie about that night and its aftermath seems to be reaching a wide audience. I know that was his hope: To reach people with a message about grace and forgiveness triumphing over evil.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Talking Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell are always hot topics.
So it comes as no surprise that two books on the subjects — one about Heaven and one about Hell — are getting a lot of attention these days. 
The Today Show interviewed a young boy today who claims to have gone to heaven during a near-death experience.
I’ve included the video excerpt of the interview here: Boy Goes to Heaven.
And Colton Burpo, the son of a Nebraska pastor, has written a new book about his experience called “Heaven is For Real.”
As for Hell, there’s a book just released on March 15 called ”Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Lived.”
Written by Rob Bell, “Love Wins” has been causing quite a stir even before its release, largely due to a pre-release video featuring Bell, who is pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church 
in Michigan. Critics of Bell say the book expouses a universalist message rather than an evangelical Christian message.
Recently, three theologians and scholars, including Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., had a public discussion of the book due to the ideas shared in the book.
Christianpost.com shared a story about the public discussion on its website: “Rob Bell’s Velvet Hell?”
On a website about “Love Wins” the book is described in this way:
“Rob Bell addresses one of the most controversial issues of faith—the afterlife—arguing, would a loving God send people to eternal torment forever…? With searing insight, Bell puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly hopeful—eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.”
I need to get the book and read it for myself. A local pastor has contacted me and said he read the book and, at the very least, it has Christians talking about their beliefs.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
Countdown to PJP sainthood begins
The countdown to sainthood for Pope John Paul II probably began as soon as the 
faithful at his funeral Mass began enthusiastically calling for the new pope to bestow the honor on the beloved pontiff.
It seems the Vatican has initiated a more formal countdown of sorts. It has launched a new Facebook page focusing on the upcoming beatification of Pope John Paul II (pictured in AP Photo):
Also clips of Pope John Paul II may be seen on the Vatican’s YouTube channel for beatification: www.youtube.com/johnpaul2
The beatification ceremony is slated for May 1 and is expected to draw many, many of the faithful to Rome.
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
A Lenten tidbit
I read an interesting commentary piece recently and thought I would share it. 
It seems that an ESPN college basketball analyst appeared on the air last Wednesday with a sign of his faith smudged across his forehead.
Folks in the Christian faith community know that it Ash Wednesday, which marks the season of Lent. The ESPN commentator and former coach, Digger Phelps (pictured), still wore the ashes that a priest had smeared on his forehead in the shape of a cross.
To read the commentary about Phelps’ public display of his faith, written by David Wilkinson, executive director of Associated Baptist Press, click here: “Digger’s Forehead Smudge.”
Carla Hinton
Religion Editor
