WASHINGTON (AP) – Most Roman Catholics say church teachings shape their views of marriage, yet they also get some tenets wrong and are largely accepting of divorce, a new survey found.

A majority of Catholics – 55 percent – said their opinions about marriage have been at least “somewhat” informed by church teaching.

However, 76 percent of adult Catholics also said divorce is acceptable in some cases.

Misconceptions also were discovered. The survey found six in 10 Catholics have heard that a non-Catholic spouse must promise to raise the couple’s children Catholic, which has not been the case since a change in canon law in 1983.

Episcopalians lean toward break

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Nearly 100 lay leaders in the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh signed an open letter supporting their bishop’s plan to split the diocese from the national church.

The letter was in response to another letter written last month to Bishop Robert Duncan by 12 clergy outlining their opposition to the diocese’s plan to break away from the national Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the U.S.

But lay leaders said in their letter that the diocese “can no longer travel with a national Episcopal body that is departing from its foundations.” In 2003, Episcopalians caused an uproar in the 77 million-member Anglican Communion by consecrating the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

Omaha rejects O’Hair proposal

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – Citing community opposition, the City Council unanimously rejected a request to erect a commemorative street sign for noted atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

The only person to speak in support of the proposal was the man who proposed it – atheist Raymond Zbylut, who said the gesture would honor the civil rights work of Murray O’Hair, who was not from Omaha.

Council members voted 6-0 to deny the request without discussing it. Councilman Garry Gernandt said afterward that nearly 200 constituents contacted him opposing the sign.

Evangelicals support Iraq War

WASHINGTON (AP) – A survey of evangelical Christian leaders this month found a majority support the U.S.-led war in Iraq, but almost as many expressed serious reservations.

Most of those who responded to the National Association of Evangelicals’ survey back the war and want the United States to “stay until the job is done.”

Some who considered the Iraq invasion “a mistake based on faulty intelligence” said leaving now is wrong.