The Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary was my home for two weeks this summer. I lived, ate and studied at the seminary in Pittsburgh with 22 other high-schoolers who were selected to participate in the Theological Foundations for Youth summer program. This program was created in 1998 through a Lilly Endowment grant to help churches and seminaries reach young people hoping to be future past

Larry and John were spinning downward until Jesus came into their lives. At first sight, you wouldn't guess that Larry Mitchell and John D. Baker are evangelists. With their long hair and leather vests, they don't fit the description of a stereotypical preacher in a three-piece suit. Mitchell and Baker, a two-man team called Frontline Ministries, give presentations on Satanism, drugs and rock

Of all the questions people wrestle with in their lives, few are more difficult to answer than religion. Should you believe in God? How should you worship? When should you worship? Should you impose your views on others? These are questions people have tried to answer for ages. A few months ago, some Children's Express staffers interviewed believers of various faiths, as well as agnostics - peo

"The recent bombing in a Detroit bar has an estimated death toll of nine. ... The rebels in Wisconsin have reportedly claimed responsibility." Imagine Wisconsin and Michigan at war over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Every day you would hear reports of the religious and political war being waged between two neighboring states. For kids in Northern Ireland, this is their daily reality.

Life as a kid in Northern Ireland differs in many ways from a kid's life in the United States. For one thing, in Northern Ireland, hearing an occasional bomb blast isn't unusual. From 1969 to 1993, 3,824 people have died in the conflict in Northern Ireland. However, a cease-fire was called last fall as peace talks between the Irish and British factions got under way.

Summer camp usually includes swimming, horseback riding, canoeing and other physical activities. But Camp Quest, a "secular humanist" camp for atheist youths in Overpeck, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati, offers something more. Every year, Camp Quest's director issues a challenge to campers: Find the unicorns. He tells campers "unicorns" are invisible. They are silent, leave no tracks or traces, and

When Mark Mecker got married, he gave little thought to the fact that his wife, Cathy, was a member of another religion. Larry Dorfman and Roger Lenke felt the same way about their wives. But raising children in an interfaith family did require some forethought. Y-Press interviewed the three interfaith families about the issues and difficulties they faced: Mark and Cathy Mecker are Episcopalian an

In last week's Y-Press story, three couples reflected on their decision to raise their children in interfaith households. Today, their children discuss their family life and religious preferences. Alex Dorfman From the beginning, Alex Dorfman's parents exposed him to the two religions they practiced -- Episcopalianism from his mother, Karen, and Judaism from his father, Larry. "They don't really f

Hinduism? That's practiced only in India. Greek Orthodox? Sounds like it's only for people in Greece. Buddhism? They practice that in China or some other Asian country -- I don't know. Catholicism? The pope's in charge there. Reconstructionist Judaism? How many types are there? Unitarianism? Never heard of it. Although some of these religions are unknown to most of us, they are powerful forces in

Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan and first woman ever elected to head an Islamic state, once said, "The ethos of Islam is equality, equality between the sexes. There is no religion on earth that, in its writings and teachings, is more respectful of the role of women in society than Islam." Evidence of fair treatment of women in Muslim countries, however, is rarely seen in the West

Despite the recent media coverage of some priests' prurient behaviors, many young Catholics remain dedicated to their faith and unwavering in their support of their clergy. Y-Press talked with four members of the Indianapolis Archdiocesan Youth Council to find out how young Catholics respond to charges and admissions by some priests that they have sexually abused parishioners. Joshua Davis, 15, an

"I was going to the mosque once, and I usually . . . wear a scarf when I go to the mosque. I was at a stoplight, and there was this man in a truck, and he got out and came up to my window and gave me the finger, and just stood there for like two minutes. "And I didn't know what to do because I was all alone in my car, and there's this big guy and I'm this little girl. And so I just sat there and d

Allison, 17, is a typical Indianapolis teenager in many ways -- she goes to school, works a summer job and hangs out with friends. But she lives in fear that her secret may be uncovered. Allison, who asked that her name be changed to protect her privacy, is not concerned about her race, ethnicity, gender or sexual preference. However, she is Wiccan, and she has seen the hardships suffered by her f

F or some students, the decision of which college to attend is based on more than just academics and extracurricular activities; it's centered on faith. Y-Press interviewed students from Indiana Bible College, Brigham Young University and Taylor University. All had attended a public high school; they discussed their experiences at a religious college and the differences between it and a secular sc

What do you think of when you think of Muslims? For a lot of people, the Islamic religion brings to mind terrorists and fundamentalist maniacs. In truth, though, American Muslims are regular people. To talk to young Muslims about the stereotypes, Children's Express' Indianapolis bureau visited the North American Islamic Center in Plainfield and the Masjid Al-Fajr mosque in Indianapolis. In ad

B arefoot 'n' Sandals is a rock group from New Palestine with Christian values. Though band members -- Megan Stiffler, 17, Mike McCall, 17, Forrest Craig, 18, Adam Speicher, 17, and Chris Ballard, 17 -- don't fit the stereotypical rocker image, the musical influences are sound. "Just because (we) don't fall into the temptations that most rockers do, that doesn't make it any less rock," Stiffler sa

B road Ripple on a Saturday night is a busy place: Laughing people make their way to various gatherings, cars cruise the streets looking for places to park, scary-looking teens hang out on the bridge over the canal. If you were to visit the basement of the Broad Ripple United Methodist Church, you would see about 50 or so of these youth sitting around, eating pizza and talking with friends. These

Jessica and Chelsea Berryman are living in Maputo, Mozambique, with their parents, Glenn and Kris, who are setting up an English as a Second Language program with the help of OMS International, an evangelical, interdenominational faith mission based in Greenwood. In October, the girls shared their first impressions of Mozambique and the adjustments they have made since moving from Greenwood in Aug

Chris Woods used to be a below-average student; now he makes the honor roll. He says he used to have a "ghetto mentality," but now he's sympathetic and compassionate. The 18-year-old once fought in the streets for neighborhood pride; now he mentors younger kids. How was Woods, once a struggling student and now a sophomore at Herron High School, able to turn his life around? He credits the Christian youth organization Young Life.