This is an incredible story.

General Motors says it’s new Volt hybrid car, set for release in 2010, can get 230-miles-per-gallon in the city. And, GM predicts, it will get triple-digit mileage on the highway, as well.

If true, this is, potentially, a really, really, really big deal.
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I’ve recommended that you check out Slate’s article on whether the Mormon Church could save (or outlast) U.S. civilization. But there’s one paragraph that’s way off base. It sounds like it was written by somebody in Berkeley or Cambridge or New Haven or The Village.

“[A well-regarded scholar] says the allure of yesteryear means Mormonism is always 25 to 30 years behind the rest of America. The church’s strong stances against the Equal Rights Amendment and gay marriage, she argues, show that the Latter-day Saints lag behind the country’s mores.”

That’s right. Latter-day Saints [and a majority of Californians and Oregonians and Hawaiians] “lag behind the country’s mores” by 25 or 30 years because they oppose gay marriage.

An absolutely fascinating write-up from Slateabout the Mormon Church and its ability (perhaps) to save Western (or at least U.S.) civilization. (Read it here.)

As I’ve said previously, I think the Mormon Church is going to be bigger and increasingly important in the U.S. in coming decades. Sometime in the next two decades, it will surpass the United Methodist Church in size, becoming the nation’s third largest religious body. (Behind the Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Convention).

It’s entirely possible that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will also surpass the Southern Baptist Convention, perhaps before the nation’s 300th birthday.

And that’s if things continue to go more or less smoothly. If there is a cataclysm, a catastrophe, I think it’s possible that the growth of the Mormon Church could rapidly accelerate. Why? Because they’re one of the few religious bodies that is actually preparing for tribulation, stockpiling food and water, for example.

The Mormon model of religion is also drastically different — and arguably far more efficient — than competing models. Why? Because it’s based, largely, on volunteer labor. It doesn’t spend billions of dollars annually on preacher and missionary salaries.

As mainline Protestant Christianity declines and as evangelical Christianity stagnates, the Mormon church continues to grow.

The Rev. Bradley Barber made headlines two years ago when he moved from Texas to Arkansas. And, sadly, he’s making headlines again.

Here’s the top of the story from 2007:

Catholic priest is married, ex-Episcopalian with kids
BY CHRISTIE STORM
ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
FAYETTEVILLE — St. Joseph Catholic Church’s new priest is not just a father: He’s a daddy, too.
The Rev. Bradley Barber has three sons and a daughter and a wife — and the pope’s approval.
Barber is a convert to the church, and as such is part of a small group of married priests welcomed through a unique pastoral provision approved by the Vatican.
Barber doesn’t want to be the “poster child” for the married priesthood and isn’t pushing for an end to the celibacy requirements for traditional priests.
“I just want to be a faithful Catholic,” he said.

Now, here’s the lead from today’s story:

Sex allegation leads to removal of Catholic leader
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The Diocese of Little Rock has removed the Rev. Bradley Barber from pastoral duties at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Fayetteville after he was accused of sexual assault.
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Yep, massive Pentecostal crowds have flocked to Orlando. Of course, since there’s almost no secular reporters covering the convention, the gathering is flying under the radar.

So kudos to Cary McMullen of the Lakeland, Fla. Ledger, who is on top of the story. And he’s doing a great job.

And there’s news. The Assemblies of God just appointed a woman to its top governing board — the first time this has happened in 95 years, McMullen reports.

Check out his blog notes here.

Here’s a sample:

“I’ve now covered the national leadership assemblies of six different churches, and I have to say, the Assemblies General Council meeting was the most docile I’ve ever seen, at least on Wednesday. It was kind of a surprise, because with the reputation Pentecostals have for lively worship, I figured their meeting might be the same way. But there were no fireworks, delegates mostly sat quietly while votes were counted and compared to other such meetings it could be said to be a little dull. Considering the divisions in some of those other meetings, maybe dullness is a good thing.”

The Springfield, Mo. News-Leader is also writing stories about the convention, though it’s reporter apparently didn’t make the journey to central Florida.

Gallup has polled 178,543 Americans about their religious affiliation this year, and the numbers are now posted on the pollster’s website. (Click here to see them.)

This is a great poll because 1.) the sample size is so big, 2.) it offers statistics for all 50 states and 3.) it’s Gallup, so these guys know what they’re doing.

Another massive poll, released earlier this year, was heavily flawed because it lumped Mormons and Protestants into the same category. Gallup understands that Mormons don’t consider themselves Protestants and that Protestants don’t consider Mormons Protestants. They’ve made them separate categories.
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The Houston Chronicle’s religion Web log has the details.

Episcopalians didn’t focus much on sex during their General Convention in Anaheim. Only the headline writers “back home” did. At least that’s what the bishop of Lexington, the Rev. Stacy Sauls, is telling his diocese. He’s also telling them that General Convention maintained the status quo, more or less, on hot-button sexuality issues.
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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has bought ads on HuffingtonPost.com offering free Bibles.

“Remember when you knew who God was? Remember again,” the ad states.

If you click on the ad, it takes you to this page.

Days after the Episcopal Church lifted its moratorium on the election of gay bishops, the Dioceses of Minnesota and Los Angeles announced that they are considering gay and lesbian nominees.

For more, click here.

The standing committee of the Diocese of Northern Michigan has posted a new, revised statement on the diocesan Web site responding to the nullification of its election for bishop. Among other things, it says:

“We in this diocese have been called to be faithful to what we know to be true, to what we know to be right for us. We have been through much sorrow and disappointment. We will proceed prayerfully and thoughtfully as we plan together for the future of this diocese.”

To read the entire statement, click here.