Religion News Headlines: Recent Episodes
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Religion News Headlines is the daily rundown of the top headlines in religion from around the globe - representing all faith traditions and belief systems. Religion News Headlines is Secular Coverage of a Non-Secular World.
Need to know: Thursday, April 16, 2020
Fresh Leadership Willow Creek names Michigan pastor David Dummitt as new leader Two years after the fall of Bill Hybels, Willow Creek names David Dummitt as its new pastor. More from Religion News Service
Tap to Pray There's an app for that: Christian mindfulness, meditation apps find their moment Many apps have reported spikes in searches for meditations on fear and anxiety since the pandemic started. More from Religion News Service
Church and State Questions Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore says churches may apply for SBA loans In a Facebook Live interview, SBC ethicist Russell Moore said that’s because banks would be issuing the loans, not the government. He also called a decision by Louisville, Kentucky's mayor to ban a drive-in Easter service ‘stupid.’ More from Religion News Service
Fending Off Furloughs Top Muslim leaders launch grant initiative to protect imams from layoffs With mosques’ biggest fundraisers of the year in jeopardy, a new initiative led by four prominent imams aims to protect the livelihoods of mosque staff around the country. More from Religion News Service
Articles of Faith Fighting anxiety and isolation the Sikh way: service Hundreds of Sikh communities are risking their lives to serve those affected by COVID-19, based on their tradition of seva, writes Simran Jeet Singh. More from Religion News Service
Virus Hot Spot India charges Muslim leader with culpable homicide for coronavirus surge India has brought charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the chief of a Muslim seminary for holding a gathering last month that authorities say led to a big jump in coronavirus infections, police said on Thursday. More from Reuters
Latest news from RNS * Justice Department takes church’s side in 1st Amendment suit * Australian cardinal links corruption to child abuse charges * Opposition to Samaritan’s Purse Central Park field hospital grows
More views from RNS * Don't let COVID 19 kill the synagogue! * It’s time to face the collective grief of COVID-19 * Bending the COVID-19 inequality curve
Need to know: Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Churches Helping Churches Initiative Larger churches urged to help smaller ones survive during pandemic An application process opened Monday (April 6) for small churches to apply for $3,000 grants. More from Religion News Service
Context Considered Faith Not Fear crosses bring cheer, and critics Inspired by a family in Georgia, a Christian movement to erect crosses decorated with Christmas lights during the pandemic has taken off nationally as a symbol of positivity and prayer. But the lighted crosses have also drawn comparisons to the KKK's burning crosses. More from Religion News Service
Questions for Believers A conversation with Father James Martin: 'Why did God let this happen?' We see God best in the loving, merciful and compassionate responses of people around us to the coronavirus, says the Rev. James Martin, SJ. More from Religion News Service
Modern Missionary A new book urges canonization of Fulton Sheen, father of electronic Mass Sheen's niece hopes to restart the New York bishop's journey to canonization after it was abruptly halted last December. More from Religion News Service
Opinion An extra symbol on this year’s seder plate: Chewing gum This year's spatially distant, socially malleable holiday observance is nothing if not an attempt to stretch the bounds of tradition. Let's add something meaningfully elastic, writes Jan Zauzmer. More from Religion News Service
Following Acquittal Pope Francis decries 'unjust sentences' after cardinal George Pell acquitted Pope Francis has recalled the “persecution that Jesus suffered” and has prayed for those who suffer “unjust sentences” hours after Australia’s highest court acquitted cardinal George Pell of child sexual abuse. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * During pandemic, small and aging churches face obstacles to adapt * Pandemic, border crackdown hamper Catholics' aid to migrants * Trump campaign kicks off Catholic voter outreach project
More views from RNS * Elijah at the tele-seder * LDS General Conference to feature a surprise “solemn assembly” and hosanna shout on Sunday * How the war on Christmas became the war on Easter
Need to know: Monday, April 6, 2020
Somber Assistance As coronavirus death rates multiply, these monks are giving away caskets The Trappist monks of New Melleray Abbey have always given away child caskets. Now they're offering adult caskets to people in need. More from Religion News Service
'Essential' Questions With coronavirus infections linked to religious gatherings, debate rages over worship amid pandemic ‘I just think that puts a lot of vulnerable people at risk,’ said Greg Jones, dean of the Duke Divinity School. More from Religion News Service
'Tsunami of Requests' Muslim groups join forces to raise $500,000 for coronavirus relief grants A Muslim-led crowdfunding campaign has raised nearly $500,000 to offer micro-grants to low-income American families whose livelihoods have been hurt by the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. More from Religion News Service
Harassment Online Black churches, synagogues face racially abusive 'Zoombombings' Minority groups are calling for law enforcement and Zoom to crack down on perpetrators of racial abuse on the platform. More from Religion News Service
Opinion How the war on Christmas became the war on Easter As states issue stay-at-home orders and bar gatherings, some evangelical Christians have become convinced that religious freedom is under attack, writes Shane Claiborne. More from Religion News Service
Ordinary Gifts I miss singing at church The coronavirus crisis reminds us that we are bodies, not simply souls trapped in a mortal prison, writes Tish Harrison Warren. More from The New York Times
Latest news from RNS * World Vision US president says ‘all hands on deck’ for pandemic * As pandemic spreads, Italy’s south turns to Pope Francis, saints * Virus lockdown changes how Hindus celebrate holy period
More views from RNS * LDS General Conference to feature a surprise “solemn assembly” and hosanna shout on Sunday * Immigrants in detention don’t deserve a death sentence * The meaning of COVID-19: We can’t all be right
Need to know: Friday, April 3, 2020
Public Devotion As pandemic ensues, Italy’s south turns to Pope Francis, saints Positive coronavirus cases have started to grow in Italy’s very religious south, where high levels of unemployment and organized crime complicate the application of stringent rules to prevent the spread of the pandemic. More from Religion News Service
Interceding and Advocating Asian American Christians denounce anti-Asian racism amid coronavirus The statement already had gathered about 6,800 signatures online as of Thursday (April 2) morning. More from Religion News Service
Celebration Cessation Virus lockdown changes how Hindus celebrate holy period Hindus around the world are in the midst of a nine-day period called Chaitra Navaratri that began with what for many is considered the Hindu New Year. More from Religion News Service
Opinion This won’t be the first ‘social distancing’ Passover Judaism has a long tradition of isolation in times of contagion, but this Passover many Jews are trying to strike a balance between technology and true community, writes David Rosen. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Trusting Jesus in the COVID-19 storm We all know the feeling of the downward spiral of fear, anxiety and worry. We ‘start to sink’ when we forget God’s promises to us. We forget that he is in control of our lives, writes David Laurie. More from Religion News Service
Liturgical Pivoting Religious leaders work to respond to the coronavirus pandemic All across the country, religious and congregational leaders are trying to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of them are trying to recreate physical services on virtual platforms, to improvise with ancient liturgical traditions, and to contact congregants to see how they are doing and connect them with help when needed. More from Religion & Politics
Latest news from RNS * Florida officials: Arrested pastor not exonerated by new order listing religious services as ‘essential’ * Franklin Graham on his Central Park field hospital: ‘We don’t discriminate. Period.’ * Baptist, vegan ex-football player may overturn Alabama’s ban on public school yoga
More views from RNS * Is Trump killing his supporters? * A court win for Standing Rock gives new life to defenders of sacred land * The Seder’s secrets to enduring a pandemic
Need to know: Thursday, April 2, 2020
Shifting Attitudes Baptist, vegan ex-football player may overturn Alabama’s ban on public school yoga For some of the state's residents, 86% of whom identify as Christian, yoga and other non-Christian practices have long been considered satanic. More from Religion News Service
'Not Retroactive' Order Florida officials: Arrested pastor not exonerated by new order listing religious services as ‘essential’ ‘Nothing has changed,’ said a representative for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. More from Religion News Service
Statement of Faith Concerns Franklin Graham on his Central Park field hospital: ‘We don’t discriminate. Period.’ Some New Yorkers have questioned whether the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital would treat LGBTQ patients equally. More from Religion News Service
Opinion A court win for Standing Rock gives new life to defenders of sacred land A federal judge’s call for an environmental study may not stop oil from flowing, but it brings some vindication for indigenous people’s fight to protect the sacred, in the courts and on the ground, writes Michael D. McNally. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The Seder’s secrets to enduring a pandemic Passover is coming this year just in time to remind us to bless what God has given us, the first greens of spring and the maror, the bitter herb. Ellen Bernstein wonders, how will we bless the bitterness this year? More from Religion News Service
Looking for Love Want to hear a frank, funny 'Muslim Love Story'? 'That Can Be Arranged' In her new graphic memoir 'That Can Be Arranged,' cartoonist Huda Fahmy recounts how she met and married her husband. The subtitle is 'A Muslim Love Story' — and Fahmy says it's exactly that. More from NPR
Latest news from RNS * Saudi official urges Muslims to delay hajj plans over virus * Churchgoers flock to hear Louisiana pastor despite virus ban * Hobby Lobby clarifies coronavirus sick leave policy amid accusations
More views from RNS * For Mormons, a General Conference to remember--but let's leave our smugness at the door * Surviving April * Released from quarantine into social distancing
Need to know: Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Criminal Conspiracy HBO’s ‘McMillions’ offers a surprising tale of true crime and redemption ‘McMillions,’ the hit HBO documentary series, offers true crime with a soul. More from Religion News Service
Policies Questioned Hobby Lobby clarifies coronavirus sick leave policy amid accusations ‘Employees in certain states were asked to use personal paid time off and vacation benefits in the early stages of a store closure, with the Company temporarily paying 75% of average wages after,’ read a statement from the company. More from Religion News Service
Unspecified Transgression President of Central Baptist Theological Seminary resigns due to ‘ethical lapse’ The Rev. Molly T. Marshall said she offered her resignation at the beginning of the month ‘because of an ethical lapse that betrayed my stewardship of office.’ More from Religion News Service
'Fight the Pipeline with Prayer' Standing Rock Sioux celebrate ‘significant legal win’ in DAPL fight A federal judge has ordered a new environmental review for the Dakota Access pipeline in what the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is celebrating as a “significant legal win.” More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood For Mormons, a General Conference to remember--but let's leave our smugness at the door Here is what I’m hoping for this weekend: that we focus on a bigger God and a less grandiose church, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Pilgrimage Pause Hajj pilgrimage could be cancelled because of coronavirus Saudi authorities pave way for first closure of annual Islamic event in Mecca since 1798. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * A conversation with ‘McMillions’ creators James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte * Higher attendance, lower giving: New survey shows how churches are responding to COVID-19 * 'Zoombombing' comes for houses of worship
More views from RNS * Surviving April * Released from quarantine into social distancing * Warning: Your piety might be dangerous to your health
Need to know: Tuesday, March 31, 2020
Surge Capacity Samaritan's Purse sets up emergency field hospital in New York's Central Park The field hospital, which is expected to open Tuesday (March 31), will allow Mount Sinai Hospital additional surge capacity as New York City grapples with an overstretched medical system. More from Religion News Service
Toll Taken Higher attendance, lower giving: New survey shows how churches are responding to COVID-19 Giving is down, attendance is up and a good number of pastors still aren’t sure what they’re going to do about Easter. More from Religion News Service
'Flouting Restrictions' Florida pastor arrested for refusing to halt worship amid outbreak ‘I believe there is nothing more important than faith in a time like this,’ the Hillsborough County Sheriff said. ‘But practicing those beliefs has to be done safely.’ More from Religion News Service
Worship Disruptions 'Zoombombing' comes for houses of worship The mass transition of houses of worship to Zoom and other online video conferencing platforms has meant that religious services are more accessible than ever before — including to trolls. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The president, the pandemic and the limits of positive thinking With his false claims and dismissive tweets about COVID-19, President Trump does not (merely) misrepresent reality; he engages positive thinking in hopes of changing it, write Mark Mulder and Gerardo Martí. More from Religion News Service
Nationwide Lockdown Divided Delhi under lockdown: 'If coronavirus doesn't kill me, hunger will' India’s shutdown is catastrophic for Muslims driven from their homes by sectarian carnage and now without food or shelter. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * In new novel, the story of two grieving fathers highlights an old conflict — and the hope of peace * In move likely aimed at Liberty, on-campus teaching halted * How not to get overwhelmed by the pandemic
More views from RNS * A sermon on COVID-19 and climate change * Two strangers just saved my dog's life * Weekend Plug-in: March 27, 2020
Need to know: Monday, March 30, 2020
Anti-Stimulus Tweets Trump is a ‘big egotistical loser’ says Christian finance expert in stimulus Twitter rant Prosperity preacher and financial expert Michael Chitwood launched a profane critique of the stimulus package on Twitter. More from Religion News Service
Advocacy During Crisis Black and Latino startup churches work to stay afloat during pandemic Startup churches in working-class communities of color rally to help their communities in need during the pandemic but worry about their own future. More from Religion News Service
'Challenger of Injustice' Joseph Lowery, minister, civil rights leader, friend of King, dies at 98 ‘He was a champion for civil rights, a challenger of injustice, a dear friend to the King family,’ The King Center tweeted. More from Religion News Service
Theological Reflection As coronavirus keeps parishioners homebound, Christian clergy debate online Communion With churchgoers holed up in their homes for weeks and even months to come, Christian leaders are starting to ask: Is Communion appropriate for cyberspace? More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics A sermon on COVID-19 and Climate Change The pandemic as spur to political action, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Distance Resistance Churchgoers all over world ignore physical distancing advice Millions of people across the world tuned into online church services on Sunday as their usual places of worship were closed, but in some places clerics insisted on their doors remaining open. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Black church leaders push for census participation despite coronavirus * Pope Francis says ‘We are all in the same boat,’ during Urbi et Orbi ceremony * How two poems about the coronavirus went viral by addressing spiritual needs
More views from RNS * Weekend Plug-in: March 27, 2020 * Two strangers just saved my dog's life * COVID-19 could end church as we know it. And I feel fine.
Need to know: Friday, March 27, 2020
Curtailing Communal Worship Holy Land churches, mosques, synagogues close for coronavirus Public religion in the Holy Land has ground to a halt due to the coronavirus. More from Religion News Service
Rituals Restricted As coronavirus death toll mounts, faith leaders the world over grapple with funerals Faith groups are attempting to address the issue of funerals by instituting new policies designed to offer some semblance of comfort for the bereaved while keeping others safe from infection. More from Religion News Service
Advice and Encouragement Surgeon general, disaster experts advise church leaders in COVID-19 online summit Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams advised faith leaders: 'Follow the guidance from your local health department and find ways to partner with them.' More from Religion News Service
Subfreezing Service Snowstorm didn’t stop this Alaska church from hosting drive-in worship service A pastor in Alaska donned a parka, cleaned hymnals with Clorox wipes and held church in the snow this week. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Our moral obligation to health during the COVID-19 pandemic In this national emergency, the government’s program of protecting profits is putting all of us at risk, writes Liz Theoharis. More from Religion News Service
All Wonders Exhibition Want a miracle? Call a Dutch museum's hotline Forced by the coronavirus pandemic to shut up shop, the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht is offering a taste of its latest exhibition on miracles and their depiction in art through a phone line. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Bart Ehrman on why everything you’ve been told about heaven and hell is wrong * Bomb disrupts funeral for 25 Sikhs killed in Afghan capital * ‘Deadly as Dachau’: Activists call for mass decarceration during pandemic
More views from RNS * COVID-19 is one of America’s greatest trials. What can we learn from it? * India’s executions won’t end a pandemic of violence against women * How the coronavirus could change America’s religion of sports
Need to know: Thursday, March 26, 2020
Breeding Grounds for COVID-19 ‘Deadly as Dachau’: Activists call for mass decarceration during pandemic Progressive faith-based activists and religious leaders have mounted a nationwide push to release as many people held in jails, prisons and immigration detention facilities as possible to protect them from a coronavirus outbreak. More from Religion News Service
Inside Perspective Prisoners keeping faith during coronavirus, says former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski Former Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, who was convicted on federal charges in 2018, talks about life on the inside during the COVID-19 pandemic. More from Religion News Service
Stockpile Discovered Washington National Cathedral donates 5,000 medical masks resurrected from crypts The 5,000 N95 respiratory masks had been forgotten until the cathedral’s chief stonemason, Joseph Alonso, stumbled on them in an unfinished area of the crypt level early this month. More from Religion News Service
Convert's Testimony Catholic convert’s book on the Annunciation hopes to help parents inspire faith in Gen Z In her new book about the Annunciation, Catholic convert and poet Sally Read addresses young people’s relationship with social media and its impact on faith, drawing from her personal experience as a mother. More from Religion News Service
Opinion India’s executions won’t end a pandemic of violence against women A gruesome chapter in Indian life closed with the executions of four of the six perpetrators of a horrifying gang-rape of a woman in 2012, but it may only help obscure the real dimensions of violence against women, writes Satpal Singh. More from Religion News Service
NotDying4WallStreet
Should older Americans die to save the economy? Ethicists call it a false choice. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick set off a firestorm of criticism after he suggested Monday that he and other older Americans should be willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the economy, which he said was in mortal jeopardy because of shutdowns related to the coronavirus pandemic. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * ‘We’re all gonna get through this’: Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz on coronavirus diagnosis * In calls with faith leaders, White House focuses on virus as well as election * States differ on exempting worship from coronavirus closures
More views from RNS * How the coronavirus could change America’s religion of sports * Imagine when COVID-19 is over * Caring more for each other could have ameliorated the pandemic. It’s not too late.
Need to know: Wednesday, March 25, 2020
'Prayer and the Practical' ‘We’re all gonna get through this’: Hillsong NYC pastor Carl Lentz on coronavirus diagnosis Hillsong Church NYC pastor Carl Lentz is urging people to take the coronavirus pandemic seriously after testing positive for COVID-19 himself. More from Religion News Service
Church and State In calls with faith leaders, White House focuses on virus as well as election ‘It’s a big day, Nov. 3; that’s going to be one of the biggest dates in the history of religion, as far as I’m concerned,’ Trump said. More from Religion News Service
Greear to Remain President Amid coronavirus, Southern Baptists cancel annual meeting Denominational leaders were concerned about the risk of contagion, but finances also played a role. With many churches closed, leaders did not want churches spending stretched resources on travel. More from Religion News Service
Service to Community Univision and Los Angeles Archdiocese partner to offer Mass on local TV channel Parishioners from the largest Catholic archdiocese in the country can now access Spanish-language Mass on local TV in the wake of the novel coronavirus that has led to the cancellation of public services. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Caring more for each other could have ameliorated the pandemic. It’s not too late. A crisis either makes us better or worse people; it never leaves us the same, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Worshippers Targeted Gunmen in Afghanistan kill 25 at Sikh complex, Islamic State claims responsibility Gunmen and suicide bombers raided a Sikh religious complex in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Wednesday, killing 25 people before security forces killed all of the attackers, the government said. More from Reuters
Latest news from RNS * Did an Italian priest really give up his respirator for a younger patient? * States differ on exempting worship from coronavirus closures * Orthodox Jewish leaders unite against the coronavirus
More views from RNS * Imagine when COVID-19 is over * Ration health care? Yes. Abandon our humanity? No. * Location, location, location? How coronavirus is reshaping our sense of place
Need to know: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
'Church Has Left the Building' Churches go back to the future with drive-in services in the time of the coronavirus Congregations from a variety of denominations in Kentucky, Texas, Washington and Minnesota are taking the drive-in approach at their churches, encouraging members to park their cars on church property and tune in to the service on their radios. Pathway Baptist Church did them one better. More from Religion News Service
Trying Times Pope Francis will offer plenary indulgence in response to coronavirus Pope Francis announced he will be delivering an extraordinary Urbi et Orbi blessing and indulgence due to the coronavirus pandemic. More from Religion News Service
Dropping Donations As offerings dwindle, some churches fear for their future As weekly contributions drop as in-person worship services are canceled amid the coronavirus outbreak, some churches are bracing for cutbacks in programs and staff. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Conservative churches need to get the social distancing memo Some churches that are staying open despite the pandemic need to trust that closing our churches is not about fear; it’s about love, writes Colby Martin. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Why some keep believing when Trumpian prophecy fails Empirical evidence to the contrary doesn’t matter to true believers, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Distancing Enforcement Salt Lake City airport tightens rules for greeting missionaries returning from abroad Salt Lake City officials have announced tougher restrictions on families and friends meeting Mormon missionaries returning from abroad after many well wishers flouted official guidelines, thronging an airport parking lot over the weekend with welcome-home signs and balloons. More from NPR
Latest news from RNS * Catholic Cardinal Burke says faithful should attend Mass despite coronavirus * Is St. Corona the patron saint of pandemics? * Virus prompts churches meeting in schools to find new ways to preach, pray
More views from RNS * Please stop meeting Mormon missionaries at the airport * Dear Liberty University board: Please stop Jerry Falwell Jr. before it’s too late * Tom Brady’s leap of faith
Need to know: Monday, March 23, 2020
Resisting Isolation Catholic Cardinal Burke says faithful should attend Mass despite coronavirus Cardinal Raymond Burke said that if supermarkets remain open then so should churches. More from Religion News Service
Digital Church Virus prompts churches meeting in schools to find new ways to preach, pray Pastors of newer churches are faced with the dilemma of figuring out how to reach and keep new members without ‘pressing the flesh,’ one expert said. More from Religion News Service
Mistaken Identity Is St. Corona the patron saint of pandemics? No, St. Corona is not the patron saint of pandemics — yet. More from Religion News Service
Wide-Ranging Responses The coronavirus is upending thousands of years of Jewish tradition It presents particular challenges to Orthodox Jews, especially on Shabbat, a time when many refrain from using any electronic devices. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Dear Liberty University board: Please stop Jerry Falwell Jr. before it’s too late Jerry Falwell Jr. plans to reopen Liberty Univerity to students, faculty and staff. It's time to stop him from making a terrible mistake, writes Marybeth Davis Baggett. More from Religion News Service
'The Problem of Suffering' Where is God in a pandemic? The honest answer is: We don’t know. But even non-Christians may find understanding in the life of Jesus, writes James Martin. More from The New York Times
Latest news from RNS * New York’s Bowery Mission adapts homeless ministry to coronavirus restrictions * In pandemic, health care chaplains address an 'existential and spiritual crisis' * James MacDonald returns to pulpit for first time since ouster from Harvest Bible Chapel
More views from RNS * Tom Brady’s leap of faith * How to really preach truth to power * Meditating on death during a pandemic
Need to know: Friday, March 20, 2020
Mobilization to Assist Houses of worship pitch in to help those left vulnerable by virus outbreak City Road Chapel near Nashville, Tennessee announced a Bar and Restaurant Workers Help Fund this week, one of many faith groups assisting food-service workers impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. More from Religion News Service
Public Preaching James MacDonald returns to pulpit for first time since ouster from Harvest Bible Chapel MacDonald is set to preach Sunday (March 22) at Calvary Chapel South Bay in Gardena, California — albeit via livestream as many churches across the country have moved their services online to slow the spread of COVID-19, or the coronavirus. More from Religion News Service
Ideologically-Driven Responses Politics — not faith — can drive coronavirus response When responding to the coronavirus, Americans seem to rely on politics more than faith. More from Religion News Service
Spreading Cheer Christmas in March? Some people are turning on their lights to brighten a dark time People across the country have had the same idea to turn on the Christmas lights still frozen to their rooftops or to pull their decor back out of storage to bring some light to a dark time. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Candidates should know that evangelicals are looking for nuanced debate on immigration A rich dialogue is developing among conservative evangelical women about how to best help families seeking refuge in America, writes Briana Stensrud. More from Religion News Service
Resisting Distancing The church that won’t close its doors over the coronavirus Life Tabernacle Church was visited by officers from the local Central Police Department Tuesday night, when more than 300 people were worshiping. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Pope Francis and Italian bishops call Italians to recite the rosary to end the pandemic * In this Episcopal church, the co-leader of the Lenten study is a rabbi * Congregations improvise ways to fight COVID-19’s isolation
More views from RNS * How do we weigh a floral designer’s dignity and freedom against state coercion? * While we make the best of a pandemic, coronavirus is making the best of us * There are things the Black Death can teach us today
Need to know: Thursday, March 19, 2020
Legislation Delayed United Methodist Church postpones General Conference amid coronavirus The announcement came Wednesday (March 18) as the Executive Committee of the Commission on the General Conference was notified the Minneapolis Convention Center is restricting all events at the venue through May 10. More from Religion News Service
Innovative Worship Congregations improvise ways to fight COVID-19’s isolation Most of the 100 people filling the pews at Calvary Lutheran Church of Federal Way fit the description of those at high risk for COVID-19, making social distancing a pastoral problem. More from Religion News Service
Hands-Off Approach White House takes low-key approach to churches that ignore coronavirus advice A senior Trump administration House official said faith communities ‘may not be able to physically gather for the foreseeable future.’ More from Religion News Service
Historical Precedents Vatican returns to the past with Easter COVID-19 restrictions The Vatican has a long history of dealing with plagues and other threats. More from Religion News Service
Opinion How do we weigh a floral designer’s dignity and freedom against state coercion? A compassionate response to differences in our beliefs is what our society needs, not government officials more interested in shaming those with whom they disagree, writes Kristen Waggoner. More from Religion News Service
Ministry of Health A megachurch has nearly 1,000 people tested for coronavirus in two days In the span of just two days, doctors in Birmingham tested 977 people from across the state by using the parking lot and volunteers from Church of the Highlands. The drive-through effort at one of America’s largest churches is part of a larger nationwide push for more information about coronavirus as more testing locations began to pop up this week. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Jentezen Franklin: ‘We’re unplugging everything. We’re going back to the raw gospel.’ * What if Easter, Passover and Ramadan get canceled? * As COVID-19 leads to canceled religious gatherings, faith leaders embrace the digital
More views from RNS * While we make the best of a pandemic, coronavirus is making the best of us * There are things the Black Death can teach us today * When a priest and housemate falls ill, the practical becomes spiritual
Need to know: Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Virtual Worship As COVID-19 leads to canceled religious gatherings, faith leaders embrace the digital As in-person worship is banned in many places in the wake of COVID-19, many clergy are scrambling to learn how to shift services online via Zoom, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and other digital platforms. More from Religion News Service
'Go Forward in Faith' What if Easter, Passover and Ramadan get canceled? The coronavirus pandemic may disrupt major religious holidays such as Easter, Passover and Ramadan. More from Religion News Service
Providing Surge Capacity As religious groups weigh virus response, Samaritan’s Purse donates a field hospital The donation of the field hospital in Cremona, in northern Italy’s hardest-hit Lombardy region, represents one of the largest faith-based responses to the COVID-19 outbreak. More from Religion News Service
Shelter from the Storm Interfaith clergy unite for mothers and housing activists who took over vacant LA house Activists and clergy gathered Sunday evening to pray for a group of mothers after they took over a property as a shelter from the coronavirus. More from Religion News Service
Opinion There are things the Black Death can teach us today Historians tend to take seriously the contention that Jewish communities were less affected by the plague itself, if not from the hatred it unleashed, because of their ritual hand-washing, writes Avi Shafran. More from Religion News Service
Prophetic Optimism This is not the end of the world, according to Christians who study the end of the world The worldwide upheaval caused by the fast-spreading novel coronavirus pandemic has many people reaching for their Bibles, and some starting to wonder: Could this be a sign of the apocalypse? More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Despite coronavirus, in Italy communion is stronger than quarantine * ‘Prayer in the Time of Coronavirus’: LA parishioners worship in mostly empty pews * Crystals, chocolate, astral travel and good vibes for the soul
More views from RNS * When a priest and housemate falls ill, the practical becomes spiritual * The problem of ‘social distancing’ for women who already do too much * In a New York minute, everything has changed
Need to know: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Adaptive Observance ‘Prayer in the Time of Coronavirus’: LA parishioners worship in mostly empty pews ‘It feels apocalyptic,’ said parishioner Sal Lopez after the service at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Los Angeles. ‘It was so empty in there.’ More from Religion News Service
Unsettling Resettlement Campus chaplains, religious clubs advocate for students in a moment of anxiety As university campuses around the country shut down and move classes online, chaplains and faith-based campus groups are stepping in to ease the transition. More from Religion News Service
Energy and Explorations Crystals, chocolate, astral travel and good vibes for the soul Crystals aren't just trendy. I AM Academy is using them to build ‘a community of people who are looking to change themselves and change this world’ through astral travel, meditation and other metaphysical means. More from Religion News Service
Opinion What Islamic hygienic practices can teach when coronavirus is spreading Islamic law requires Muslims to ritually purify their body before praying. As a scholar of Islamic studies who researches ritual practices among Muslims, I have found that these practices contain both spiritual and physical benefits, writes Rose Aslan. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Christian love in a time of coronavirus When society is beginning to see panicky behavior, this is the time for the body of Christ to be a voice of faith instead of fear — and a source of practical help, writes Shaunti Feldhahn. More from Religion News Service
'Pastoral and Prophetic' Evangelical leader denounces Trump for calling coronavirus the ‘Chinese virus’ After President Trump called the novel coronavirus “the Chinese Virus” in a tweet Monday, an evangelical leader responded by calling the label “unacceptable,” warning that it “instigates blame, racism, and hatred against Asians.” More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Bishop Barbara Harris, first woman bishop of Anglican Communion, dies at 89 * Coronavirus shutdowns disrupt America’s soul, closing houses of worship * Some Trump evangelical advisers offer tempered response to coronavirus
More views from RNS * Spirituality in a time of quarantine * Why white evangelicals are at odds with America * Six books to get you through a coronavirus shutdown
Need to know: Monday, March 16, 2020
Observing Distance Faithful may be banned from Easter celebrations with Pope, says Vatican Italy's coronavirus shutdown now threatens public Easter celebrations at the Vatican. More from Religion News Service
'Irrepressible Companion' Bishop Barbara Harris, first woman bishop of Anglican Communion, dies at 89 ‘She was larger than life because she lived it fully with her God and with us,’ said Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. More from Religion News Service
Shuttered Houses Coronavirus shutdowns disrupt America’s soul, closing houses of worship The coronavirus crisis has disrupted faith groups from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. — shuttering megachurches and forcing worship online. More from Religion News Service
'Business As Usual' Some Trump evangelical advisers offer tempered response to coronavirus Pastors aligned with Trump seem to have run with the president's once-dismissive attitude toward the spread of COVID-19. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Spirituality in a time of quarantine It is time to put the common good over our personal good; it is time to respect science not partisan spin masters; it is time to be our better selves, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Rethinking Ramadan Coronavirus forces mosques to reassess weekly prayers and Ramadan plans With Ramadan only a month and a half away, Muslim Americans are having to rethink everything from Friday prayers to planning Hajj. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * New website offers resources for churches responding to coronavirus * A gift of photos from a papal coronation opens a path for Jewish-Catholic healing * Pray and wash: Religion joins with science amid virus crisis
More views from RNS * Why white evangelicals are at odds with America * Six books to get you through a coronavirus shutdown * Preparing for COVID-19? Add caring for the vulnerable to your coronavirus checklist
Need to know: Friday, March 13, 2020
Striking Silence A deserted city: Dispatches from Rome in the time of coronavirus Overnight, the state has made itself visible in full force while the Catholic Church is nowhere to be found. More from Religion News Service
Abundance of Caution Religious conference organizers cancel, monitor upcoming events in light of virus With reports of cases in the Washington metropolitan area and the pandemic declaration by the WHO, ‘there was no question anymore,’ one organizer said. More from Religion News Service
Stemming the Spread Orthodox rabbis in Bergen County, NJ, cancel all synagogue services, gatherings The decision by the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County stipulated that all services, classes and celebrations should be canceled and that kosher restaurants under the group's jurisdiction serve only takeout. More from Religion News Service
Protocol Vote United Methodist bishops ask church court to review proposal to split denomination If the court rules the plan is constitutional, delegates could take up the proposal, called 'A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation,' at the United Methodist General Conference May 5-15 in Minneapolis. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Should churches forsake gathering for the sake of the vulnerable? During a pandemic, churches can love their neighbors by closing down worship services, writes Ed Stetzer. More from Religion News Service
Prominent Criticism Influential evangelical calls out Trump’s ‘sloppy & dangerous’ coronavirus lies David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network put the president on notice over his blundering response to the COVID-19 pandemic. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * House Democrats push for No Ban Act, as White House threatens veto over coronavirus * With coronavirus concerns, sales up for prepackaged Communion cups and wafers * Bethel still believes in miracles but discourages hospital visits for healing prayer
More views from RNS * Dear Mormons, please take coronavirus seriously * Coronavirus is a physical and spiritual threat * What happens when a virus forces faith communities to go virtual
Need to know: Thursday, March 12, 2020
Discrimination Concerns House Democrats push for No Ban Act, as White House threatens veto over coronavirus This week the Democrat-controlled House is scheduled to vote on the NO BAN Act, even as the White House argues that the bill could impede the government’s ability to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. More from Religion News Service
Pandemic Adaptation With coronavirus concerns, sales up for prepackaged Communion cups and wafers ‘What we’re trying to do is minimize any kind of unnecessary touch here,’ said the Rev. Justin Coleman, pastor of a North Carolina church. More from Religion News Service
Ministerial Precautions Bethel still believes in miracles but discourages hospital visits for healing prayer The church is discouraging Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry students — who evangelize to strangers as they learn to pray and to heal the sick — from visiting health care settings. More from Religion News Service
Opinion When church hymns don’t grieve with us It’s hard to find solace in church when the hymns are mostly in major keys. In times of grieving, the Psalms can comfort us in the losses we all experience, writes David Taylor. More from Religion News Service
Martini Judaism Democratic party hits control-alt-delete The anti-Israel agenda? It is not a good look, and it is not winning, writes Jeffrey Salkin. More from Religion News Service
Anxiety Increases National Cathedral and hundreds of churches in Maryland, D.C., Virginia to close for two weeks Episcopal churches in the District and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs — including Washington National Cathedral — are suspending worship services for two weeks because of the coronavirus. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Biden faces backlash over pro-Modi staffer’s close Hindu nationalist ties * Episcopal diocese suspends Communion wine, drains baptismal fonts due to coronavirus * Beyoncé Mass replaces hymns with ‘Survivor’ and ‘Flaws and All’
More views from RNS * Why mainline Protestants might fear COVID-19 the most * Does giving up social media for Lent deny the flesh? It’s complicated * Why Bernie Sanders brings out the Muslim vote
Need to know: Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Association Accusations Biden faces backlash over pro-Modi staffer’s close Hindu nationalist ties Former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign is facing growing pressure from civil rights advocates over the campaign’s choice of Muslim outreach coordinator. More from Religion News Service
Womanist Worship Service Beyoncé Mass replaces hymns with ‘Survivor’ and ‘Flaws and All’ The Rev. Yolanda Norton, creator of Beyoncé Mass, said ‘this is not your grandma’s church,’ as she wore a 'Won’t SHE do it?!' T-shirt on the Kennedy Center stage. More from Religion News Service
Precautions Implemented Episcopal diocese suspends Communion wine, drains baptismal fonts due to coronavirus ‘We’re to be good citizens, and we’re to be good neighbors,’ said the Rev. Mariann Budde, the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, who distributed a letter outlining new diocesanwide policies meant to curb the spread of the disease. More from Religion News Service
Subdued Atomosphere Virus outbreak disrupts joyous Purim fest, but some improvise Purim is traditionally one of the most joyous Jewish holidays, but some celebrations in Israel and hard-hit parts of the United States are being scaled back or canceled due to the coronavirus threat. More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed Does giving up social media for Lent deny the flesh? It’s complicated If abstention from Instagram or Twitter is going to be more than a 'digital detox,' we need a new and better vocabulary to discuss the characteristic sins of 2020, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Gatherings Restricted Catholic Italy adapts to religion in a time of coronavirus Overwhelmingly Catholic Italy is adapting to religion in a time of coronavirus after a clampdown across the entire country was imposed to slow Europe’s worst outbreak. More from Reuters
Latest news from RNS * The Friars’ Briar — Canada’s clergy curling tournament — puts faith and fellowship on ice * In California, residents may be able to compost their bodies after death * Bread for the World taps Eugene Cho as new president
More views from RNS * Why Bernie Sanders brings out the Muslim vote * In tornado-stricken Nashville, will we rebuild or gentrify? * International Women's Day should celebrate invisible women, too — like my mother
Need to know: Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Incoming Leadership Bread for the World taps Eugene Cho as new president “(Cho) is a powerful voice in a humble package,” said John Carr, chairman of Bread's board. More from Religion News Service
Friendly Competition The Friars’ Briar — Canada’s clergy curling tournament — puts faith and fellowship on ice The Friars’ Briar is clergy’s answer to the Tim Hortons Brier, the annual Canadian men's curling championship, which ended Sunday. More from Religion News Service
Remains Transformed In California, residents may be able to compost their bodies after death California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia, a Democrat, in late February introduced a piece of legislation that would give residents the legal option to have their bodies transformed into soil. More from Religion News Service
Urgent Concern Vatican tightens safety measures after Italy reports second-highest coronavirus death toll The walled city adjusts as Italy's death toll from coronavirus continues to climb. More from Religion News Service
Opinion In tornado-stricken Nashville, will we rebuild or gentrify? A Nashville activist theologian who has been dubbed ‘the tornado chaplain’ is adamant that the city’s most recent disaster doesn't benefit predatory developers. More from Religion News Service
Searching for Support God vs. Coronavirus Religion is supposed to be a source of comfort in times of confusion and suffering. And yet everywhere you look, services are being suspended, writes Mattia Ferraresi. More from The New York Times
Latest news from RNS * Nashville church worships in the rubble after deadly tornado * Kirk Franklin: ‘Kumbaya moments’ are not enough for better race relations * Jewish leaders: Nazi flag at Sanders rally further proof of rise in anti-Semitism
More views from RNS * International Women's Day should celebrate invisible women, too — like my mother * The stories we tell about our country and our faith matter * PMS is not a sin of the flesh
Need to know: Monday, March 9, 2020
Racial Injustice Kirk Franklin: ‘Kumbaya moments’ are not enough for better race relations Franklin said on TBN that 'black and brown people in America are looking for the church to be a safe haven, but at times it isn’t always answering to that call.' More from Religion News Service
SafetyThroughSolidarity
Jewish leaders: Nazi flag at Sanders rally further proof of rise in anti-Semitism ‘Targeting a Jewish candidate with a Nazi flag represents a new level of depravity,’ tweeted Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. ‘There is no place for hate in politics.’ More from Religion News Service
Festival of Colors ‘We are reclaiming Holi’: College students protest Hindu nationalism with a blackout Holi At 21 university campuses across the country, Hindu students have organized a nationwide campaign called Holi Against Hindutva, held in solidarity with anti-government protesters in India. More from Religion News Service
About-Face Report: Rolls-Royce cancels offer for private Mass with Pope Francis According to Catholic News Agency, the organization facilitating the offer, Italian Luxury Living, has rescinded it in the wake of RNS' reporting. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The stories we tell about our country and our faith matter Too many influential people believe and tell the story that either a diverse America is a threat to Christianity or that Christianity is a threat to a diverse America, write Michael Wear and Amy E. Black. More from Religion News Service
Sonic Mediative Practice Meditation and surround sound meet prayer in Brooklyn church Meditation and immersion in soothing sounds meet church liturgy at All Saints Episcopal Church in Brooklyn. The combination takes on stress – and self-examination. Welcome to sound bath Evensong. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Katherine Stewart on Christian nationalism’s push to undermine democratic norms * Under the Vatican dome, shops risk closure due to coronavirus fears * Rolls-Royce promotes exclusive Mass with pope — for $155,000
More views from RNS * PMS is not a sin of the flesh * Purell is Jewish * Prepping for the coronavirus the Mormon way
Need to know: Friday, March 6, 2020
Private Audience Rolls-Royce promotes exclusive Mass with pope — for $155,000 Buyers are also encouraged to donate at least $112,000 to the Catholic Church. More from Religion News Service
Redoubt Movement Doomsday preppers put faith in God and plan for the end of all things Faith-based preppers say they'll be ready when the end of the world comes — whether by coronavirus, nuclear weapons or some other catastrophe. More from Religion News Service
'Bridging Divides' New NAE president calls for evangelicals to address ‘identity crisis’ without fear Evangelicals are ‘compelled to transform by God’s grace our national narrative of racism into the gospel narrative of reconciliation,’ said the Rev. Walter Kim in his inaugural address. More from Religion News Service
Rights Concerns Citizenship laws threaten India’s Muslims, hurt minorities elsewhere, panel says ‘The fear of losing citizenship is genuine,’ said Aman Wadud, who defends accused illegal migrants and detainees in the northeastern state of Assam. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Prepping for the coronavirus the Mormon way I love my church’s consistent, and decidedly unglamorous, emphasis on preparing for emergencies. Mormons are famous for this stuff, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Cease-and-Desist Letter N.Y. attorney general to televangelist Jim Bakker: Stop peddling unproven coronavirus cures The Rev. Jim Bakker, televangelist and salesman, has long promoted “Silver Solution” — a scientifically dubious medication made from the precious metal — to cure all sorts of ailments. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Worries over virus prompt changes in many worship services * Civil rights: The road to Bloody Sunday began 30 miles away * Albany becomes third city to condemn India’s citizenship laws
More views from RNS * Pope Francis in the jungle * How we respond to coronavirus outbreaks may depend on what we want from religion * Democrats ignore Catholic voters at their own peril
Need to know: Thursday, March 5, 2020
Abundance of Caution Craig Groeschel, Life.Church pastor, quarantined at home after coronavirus exposure Craig Groeschel, pastor at one of the largest churches in the U.S., is in isolation after exposure to the coronavirus while at a conference in Germany. More from Religion News Service
Urging Repeal Albany becomes third city to condemn India’s citizenship laws The capital of New York state has passed the United States' third resolution denouncing the far-right Indian government’s changes to citizenship laws that allege anti-Muslim bias. More from Religion News Service
Online Support Group How Reddit is helping ex-La Luz del Mundo members cope with life after the church The subreddit appears to include commentary from former and current members of the church who may be nonbelievers but who remain in La Luz del Mundo for their families and loved ones. More from Religion News Service
'Radical Pacifist' Dorothy Day defied definition. Now the potential saint is the subject of a new film. The former journalist who founded the Catholic Worker movement was a committed Catholic who gave her life to the cause of the poor, yet also disdained government assistance. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Pope Francis in the jungle When it comes to the Amazon, he's got a plan for dealing with capitalism, but not for addressing the priest shortage, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Barrier Broken Buttigieg’s candidacy made being gay and openly Christian normal, LGBT activists say Pete Buttigieg made history as the first openly gay presidential candidate to win primary delegates before ending his campaign on Sunday. But LGBT advocates say he broke another, equally important barrier: He spoke openly of his Christian faith in a country where religion and gay rights are often seen at odds with each other. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * 2012 Wisconsin Sikh temple shooting survivor dies of wounds * JD Greear, Omar Suleiman to discuss Christian-Muslim relations at NC college * On Super Tuesday, new book encourages Christian voters ‘Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk’
More views from RNS * How we respond to coronavirus outbreaks may depend on what we want from religion * Democrats ignore Catholic voters at their own peril * Fleeing coronavirus and finding our mortality
Need to know: Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Blunt Lessons On Super Tuesday, new book encourages Christian voters ‘Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk’ Pastor and author Eugene Cho talked to Religion News Service about a better way for Christians to engage politics in a contentious election year and discussed his new book, 'Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk.' More from Religion News Service
Transforming Attitudes JD Greear, Omar Suleiman to discuss Christian-Muslim relations at NC college Evangelical students will hear the Southern Baptist Convention president and prominent imam discuss how evangelicals and Muslims can find a way forward ‘in a time of unprecedented division and distrust.’ More from Religion News Service
Storm Cleanup Faith groups gear up disaster relief after deadly tornadoes in Tennessee Faith groups are preparing to respond after killer tornadoes hit Tennessee. More from Religion News Service
Immediate Dismissal Oklahoma Christian Univ. leader apologizes after racially charged recruiting incident An admissions counselor representing the university at an area public school asked students to arrange themselves by skin tone and hair texture. The counselor has been fired. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Catholic voters ignore Democrats at their own peril With Catholics almost evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, they may be the key to those prized swing states that can determine the outcome in November, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
'Inclusive' Eucharist Lesbian priests to lead church service on eve of Anglican summit LGBT+ campaigners will hold a church service led by two high-profile married lesbian priests on the eve of the Lambeth conference, a once-a-decade assembly of Anglican bishops from around the world that is expected to be dominated by conflicts over sexuality and marriage. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * After slight cold, Pope Francis reportedly tests negative for coronavirus * God and goal: Catholic priests and seminarians compete in 13th annual Vatican soccer tournament * 'Lent-ish' gives up traditional practices for Lent
More views from RNS * Fleeing coronavirus and finding our mortality * Frank Gaffney is wrong. Religious liberty is good for everyone, not a 'takeover' * Bernie Sanders is poised to carry Utah, where Democrats are an energized minority
Need to know: Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Clericus Cup God and goal: Catholic priests and seminarians compete in 13th annual Vatican soccer tournament Pope Francis is the honorary captain of the 13th annual Clericus Cup in Rome this weekend, where Catholic priests and seminarians will toss their cassocks aside and give their all on the soccer field. More from Religion News Service
Creative Practices 'Lent-ish' gives up traditional practices for Lent 'Some years,' Megan Westra tweeted, 'wandering through the desert needs to look different.' More from Religion News Service
Inclusion and Justice Human Rights Campaign starts election-season focus on LGBTQ, religious relations The national tour is tied to HRC’s voter mobilization efforts, in which volunteers plan to urge congregants and others to join them in voting. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Frank Gaffney is wrong. Religious liberty is good for everyone, not a 'takeover' If we cede power to the government to choose what it considers a religion and what it does not, who is to say what is allowed today won’t be prohibited tomorrow, writes Asma T. Uddin. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Bernie Sanders is poised to carry Utah, where Democrats are an energized minority Bernie Sanders has a commanding lead in Utah polling, where Democrats are energized in the mostly red, majority-Mormon state, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Violence Not Addressed Amid an anti-Muslim pogrom in India, a search for any concern at CPAC The same week Trump refused to address horrifying anti-Muslim violence in India, a conservative conference honoring him is awash in Islamophobia. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Wheaton College rescinds title from Gilbert Bilezikian amid new allegations * ‘We’re going beyond identity’: Shiite students head to Harvard for first national conference * Jehovah’s Witnesses complete entire Bible in American Sign Language
More views from RNS * Health care for all but the most vulnerable * Trump poses a challenge for the US religious freedom commission * Remembering Roy Larson, legendary religion journalist and teacher
Need to know: Monday, March 2, 2020
Cultivating Conversation ‘We’re going beyond identity’: Shiite students head to Harvard for first national conference More than 270 Shiite undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni are gathering at Harvard this weekend to discuss spirituality, sectarianism, activism and more at the sold-out Ma’rifa Conference. More from Religion News Service
'Thought for Thought' Translation Jehovah’s Witnesses complete entire Bible in American Sign Language On Feb. 15, the last of the Bible's 66 books — the story of Job — was released in video on the Jehovah's Witnesses website, completing what a church spokesman said is the only complete Bible in ASL. More from Religion News Service
Community Support Federal court protects woman who took sanctuary in a church from deportation A woman who fled Honduras after her partner stabbed her multiple times and has lived in church sanctuary for nearly two years is entitled to stay in the United States, a panel of federal judges ruled. More from Religion News Service
'Credible Allegations' Wheaton College rescinds title from Gilbert Bilezikian amid new allegations Wheaton College has rescinded the title of professor emeritus from Gilbert Bilezikian after an investigation into the longtime professor of New Testament turned up new allegations of “inappropriate and unprofessional conduct.” More from Religion News Service
Purple Catholicism Health care for all but the most vulnerable In the latest example of our political incoherence, the party of ‘government staying out of health care decisions’ was blocked in its attempt to pass the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act by the party of ‘health care for all’, writes Charles Camosy. More from Religion News Service
Riots and Religion Inside Delhi: beaten, lynched and burnt alive Violence in India’s capital has left more than 40 dead and hundreds injured after a Hindu nationalist rampage, stoked by the rhetoric of Narendra Modi’s populist government. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * In South Carolina, secular activists rival political might of black church * Bernie Sanders makes his pitch at prominent NC black church ahead of Super Tuesday * Russia’s human and religious rights record criticized at House hearing
More views from RNS * Trump poses a challenge for the US religious freedom commission * Remembering Roy Larson, legendary religion journalist and teacher * The left-handed Mormon’s dilemma
Need to know: Friday, February 28, 2020
Preventing Contagion Coronavirus outbreak in Italy challenges Lenten celebrations As parts of northern Italy are under curfew and quarantined amid growing coronavirus concerns, Catholic priests in the region look for new and creative ways to administer Mass in the days leading up to Lent. More from Religion News Service
Addressing Poverty Bernie Sanders makes his pitch at prominent NC black church ahead of Super Tuesday The Democratic candidate spoke about how he would help the nation’s poor. But on the critical issue of race, Sanders offered few targeted solutions. More from Religion News Service
'Let Noor Run' Muslim runner’s disqualification inspires Ohio bill to end hijab waiver requirements A bill introduced in the Ohio Senate to allow student athletes to wear religious apparel without obtaining waivers was inspired by a Muslim teen who was disqualified from a track meet due to her hijab. More from Religion News Service
Religion Restricted Russia’s human and religious rights record criticized at House hearing Russia’s violations are spreading through the country and even across its borders, said a U.S. religious freedom policy expert. More from Religion News Service
Articles of Faith Why I joined Elizabeth Warren’s interfaith advisory council My involvement began, ironically, with my decision not to publicly flame the senator online for the initial composition of her council, as others did, noting in particular the lack of Muslims or Catholics, writes Simran Jeet Singh. More from Religion News Service
Emergent Judiciary The Supreme Court nears the moment of truth on religion The majority’s view of the Constitution’s free-exercise clause poses a threat to civil society, writes Linda Greenhouse. More from The New York Times
Latest news from RNS * What religious left? Few Americans see Democratic presidential field as very religious * London’s new Faith hub is building young Muslims a bridge back to the mosque * Meet the pastor who prays over Elizabeth Warren before every debate
More views from RNS * Remembering Roy Larson, legendary religion journalist and teacher * The left-handed Mormon’s dilemma * Jean Vanier and the corrupting power of sexual sin
Need to know: Thursday, February 27, 2020
'Burden' Film South Carolina minister who fought Klan shop and preaches love now depicted in movie ‘When racism raises its ugly head, we must fight,’ the Rev. David Kennedy said in an interview. ‘As we fight, we must love.’ More from Religion News Service
'Third Spaces' London’s new Faith hub is building young Muslims a bridge back to the mosque Faith is a gathering space for those who have felt neglected by traditional Islamic spaces — especially women. More from Religion News Service
'Power of Prayer' Meet the pastor who prays over Elizabeth Warren before every debate 'I will let you in on a little secret: If you think I do all right in the debates, it’s because Rev. Culpepper prays over me before I go out,’ Warren, a Methodist, told a group of faith leaders. More from Religion News Service
Recent Report Study: Trump’s support among GOP, white evangelicals 'remarkably stable’ Among the groups that viewed the president unfavorably were African Americans, Hispanics, non-Christian religious Americans and religiously unaffiliated Americans. More from Religion News Service
Purple Catholicism Jean Vanier and the corrupting power of sexual sin If Jean Vanier is not good — indeed, far from it — who can be good? Charles C. Camosy asks. More from Religion News Service
Precautionary Measures Sip from the common cup? On Ash Wednesday, coronavirus and the flu have religious leaders tweaking rituals. Ash Wednesday is a chance for clergy to remind Christians of their mortality, often with a swipe of thumb-to-forehead ashes. But this year, the holy day came one day after federal health officials said the country should brace for an “inevitable” spread of coronavirus. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * In SC, Buttigieg faces black voters wary of a gay candidate * Death toll rises to 22 from Delhi riots during Trump trip * Iranian clerics keep shrines open, even as virus spreads
More views from RNS * AIPAC is a metaphor * I am giving up Trump for Lent * What Trump should have told India's Modi this week
Need to know: Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Sweet Treats Paczki Day brings Chicagoans together for one last indulgence before Lent By 7 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 25), 17 people stood in line at Kolatek’s Bakery ready to buy paczek - fried dough stuffed with a myriad of jams and custards. A signal that Lent is a day away. More from Religion News Service
Pledging Unity Hundreds welcome new bishop to San Bernardino Diocese with special Mass Several hundred people gathered Monday at St. Paul the Apostle Church for a Mass that welcomed Bishop Alberto Rojas — who was named to lead the Diocese of San Bernardino, one of the nation's largest Roman Catholic dioceses. More from Religion News Service
Widespread Impact US Chinese churches on the front lines of coronavirus vigilance Churches have taken it upon themselves to self-quarantine, in keeping with Centers for Disease Control guidance. More from Religion News Service
Religious Rights Test Justices to hear Philly dispute over same-sex foster parents The Supreme Court will review an appeals court ruling that upheld Philadelphia's decision to stop placing children with a Catholic agency because it would not permit same-sex couples to serve as foster parents. More from Religion News Service
Opinion What Trump should have told India's Modi this week President Trump has made freedom of religion a focus of his administration. In his India visit, he may find that India’s religious minorities have their own stories to tell about an increasingly hostile environment, if he will only listen, writes Ellis Heasley. More from Religion News Service
'Deathly Clashes' Delhi protests: death toll climbs amid worst religious violence for decades The death toll from the worst religious violence in Delhi in decades has risen to 21, as Muslims fled from their homes and several mosques in the capital smouldered after being attacked by Hindu mobs. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * New violence erupts in Indian capital over citizenship law * In Bari, Pope Francis calls Mediterranean region to unity * Son of pastor John MacArthur charged in $16 million investment scheme
More views from RNS * AIPAC is a metaphor * Once the excess before a Lenten fast, today's Carnevale is rite for many traditions * When saints fall
Need to know: Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Collaborations Across Identities Solidarity over segregation: Faith-based coalitions organize across races, religions Author and minister Adam R. Taylor cited interracial Christian work on voter protection and multifaith efforts to combat white nationalism. More from Religion News Service
'Frontier of Peace' In Bari, Pope Francis calls Mediterranean region to unity In a city that once launched the Crusades, Francis urged, unite the forces that once nearly destroyed the known world to bear witness to peace. More from Religion News Service
Conflicts of Interest Son of pastor John MacArthur charged in $16 million investment scheme The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Criterion Wealth Management Insurance Services and its co-owners Mark MacArthur and Robert Gravette of failing to reveal financial conflicts of interest when recommending certain investments to their clients. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The hand of Iran can be seen in the persecution of 24 Yemeni Baha’is Since the Houthis came to power in 2013, they have begun a program of systematic persecution against the Baha’is that is suspiciously reminiscent of Iran’s historical enmity, writes Nabil Elias. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Polygamy, politics and frontier justice: Why Nauvoo still matters "In the end you get both the Mormons and those who oppose them giving up on the democratic system and taking justice in their own hands," says historian Benjamin E. Park, whose new book on Nauvoo is out this week, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Systematic Surveillance Fact check: Bloomberg falsely claims NYPD only entered mosques when invited in Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg was challenged late last year about the New York Police Department's widespread surveillance of Muslims when he was mayor of New York City. He responded dishonestly. More from CNN
Latest news from RNS * Religious vaccine exemption bill stokes controversy in Connecticut * Muslim advocates demand Bloomberg apologize for NYPD spying program * Aging Shiite cleric a powerhouse in Iraq. What comes after?
More views from RNS * How the fight for racial justice pushed Charleston beyond the segregated hour * Trump or no Trump, US evangelicals aren't custodians of the world's gospel witness * Why Christ wouldn't aspire to ‘Christic Manhood’
Need to know: Monday, February 24, 2020
'Secret Surveillance' Muslim advocates demand Bloomberg apologize for NYPD spying program A coalition of leading Muslim advocacy organizations sent a letter to Bloomberg this week demanding he apologize for the blanket surveillance in the decade after 9/11. More from Religion News Service
Clash of Beliefs Religious vaccine exemption bill stokes controversy in Connecticut Some demonstrators wore stickers that read ‘My Faith says Do No Harm.’ More from Religion News Service
Power Vacuum Aging Shiite cleric a powerhouse in Iraq. What comes after? When Iraq's top Shiite cleric underwent surgery for a fractured bone last month, it sent shivers around the country and beyond. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Trump or no Trump, US evangelicals aren't custodians of the world's gospel witness When President Donald Trump touches down in India this week for a state visit, he'll find himself in a nation that is only 2.3% Christian, writes Joseph D'Souza. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Why Christ wouldn't aspire to ‘Christic Manhood’ We live in a moment when the cultural ideals surrounding manhood are changing. Those who have benefited are pushing back against the change — often using religion to make their case, writes Nate Pyle. More from Religion News Service
Shattering Report Jean Vanier, once talked about as a Nobel or sainthood candidate, is accused of abusive sexual relationships with six women Vanier, who died in May at age 90, had coercive sexual relationships with six women during his lifetime, which left the women hurt and in need of psychological therapy for years, L’Arche’s report said. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Bible college and former Newsweek and Christian Post publishers plead guilty in $35 million fraud probe * One year after Vatican abuse summit, survivors grade Pope Francis with 'D minus' * Potawatomi Christian chapel speaker Kaitlin Curtice draws ire of Baylor student group
More views from RNS * Secular vaccination foes defend a needless religious exemption * Lent's countercultural call is as old as the church—and more necessary than ever * Why is Bernie Sanders proud to be Jewish?
Need to know: Thursday, February 20, 2020
Commission Questioned Dispute over Russell Moore, politics, Trump and money for missions behind ERLC review Among many older Southern Baptists who have been overwhelmingly supportive of President Trump, the views of Russell Moore, who has called Trump ‘an arrogant huckster’ back in 2016, are divisive. More from Religion News Service
Fraudulent Financing Bible college and former Newsweek and Christian Post publishers plead guilty in $35 million fraud probe A California-based Christian college and the former publishers of The Christian Post and Newsweek have been convicted in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $35 million from lenders. More from Religion News Service
Asking for Accountability One year after Vatican abuse summit, survivors grade Pope Francis with 'D minus' One year after Pope Francis called for a summit of Catholic bishops at the Vatican, abuse survivors flocked to the Eternal City in the fight against clergy sex abuse. More from Religion News Service
Challenging Systems Potawatomi Christian chapel speaker Kaitlin Curtice draws ire of Baylor student group Curtice’s chapel message about the journey of 'decolonizing' her faith drew pushback from a student group, which posted a statement on Twitter disavowing the service as part of 'the liberal agenda.' More from Religion News Service
Purple Catholicism Lent's countercultural call is as old as the church—and more necessary than ever Lent can help us turn away from politics and focus on how our participation in a consumerist, throwaway culture contributes to inequality, write Charles C. Camosy and Sherif K. Moussa. More from Religion News Service
Vehicular Divinity Kentucky atheist awarded $150,000 in fight over vanity license plates A federal court previously granted his "IM GOD" license plate request as a matter of free speech. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Play about first African American priest in the US highlights current issues * Democrats lost white Christians. Can they win them back? * Fear remains a barrier for minority participation in US census, say faith leaders
More views from RNS * Why is Bernie Sanders proud to be Jewish? * Netflix’s 'Messiah' is not my Jesus * New LDS Handbook softens stance on sexuality, doubles down on transgender rules
Need to know: Thursday, February 20, 2020
Moderate Protestant Decline Democrats lost white Christians. Can they win them back? “Race matters more than religion right now,” said Ryan Burge, political science professor at Eastern Illinois University. More from Religion News Service
Persevering through Difficulties Play about first African American priest in the US highlights current issues Churches in the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles hosted performances of the play, 'Tolton: From Slave to Priest' during Black History Month. More from Religion News Service
Counting Constituencies Fear remains a barrier for minority participation in US census, say faith leaders Some religious leaders are supporting the count that officially starts April 1, but issues of trust and safety remain. More from Religion News Service
Common Ground Democrats diverge on outreach to anti-abortion swing voters Democratic presidential hopefuls are offering different approaches to a central challenge: how to talk to voters without a clear home in the polarizing debate over the government's role in the decision to end a pregnancy. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Netflix’s 'Messiah' is not my Jesus Netflix’s 'Messiah' is intriguing, but in the end, good television makes for bad theology, write Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Seeking Protection Pennsylvania Catholic diocese, facing new sexual abuse lawsuits, files for bankruptcy The Diocese of Harrisburg on Wednesday became the first Catholic diocese to seek bankruptcy protection in Pennsylvania, a state that led the nation in investigating sexual abuse by priests when it published a landmark report almost two years ago. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Texas church expelled from Southern Baptist Convention for hiring sex offender as pastor * Stresses multiply for many US clergy: 'We need help too' * Utah lawmakers get tough on porn, ease up on polygamy
More views from RNS * New LDS Handbook softens some stances on sexuality, doubles down on transgender members * Who rescued whom? * The problem with the 'reluctant Trump' vote
Need to know: Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Request for Inquiry Trump critic Russell Moore, ERLC to face scrutiny by Southern Baptists The inquiry into the SBC's policy arm, headed by Moore, a vocal critic of President Trump since his first campaign for the White House, comes after complaints from members to the SBC's Executive Committee. More from Religion News Service
Significant Candidates Pride and peril as Democrats inch toward first Jewish nominee Even if Sen. Bernie Sanders fails to capture the Democratic nomination, the insurgent campaign of former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is also Jewish, is not far behind. More from Religion News Service
Investment Investigations Vatican police raid home, office of influential church official in investment inquiry The latest development in the church's financial scandal is apparently tied to interrogations of five officials who were suspended in October of last year. More from Religion News Service
Spirit of Innovation How to fund ministry amid mainline decline? Get creative, say campus ministry leaders When it came to the future of the historic Presbyterian campus ministry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, its co-pastors innovated by looking to the past. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The problem with the 'reluctant Trump' vote The reluctant evangelical Trump voter and the enthusiastic evangelical Trump voter are guided by a political playbook forged in the late 1970s and 1980s by the Christian right, writes John Fea. More from Religion News Service
Swift Passage Utah senate unanimously moves to decriminalize polygamy Sponsor says bill would help otherwise law-abiding polygamists gain access to critical services, but critics say polygamy is harmful. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Pres House provides spiritual home away from home for Madison students * Cathedral light show is drawing those who normally don’t darken church doors * German theologian spearheads transition to a ‘gender appropriate’ Catholic Church
More views from RNS * Who rescued whom? * Memo to Democrats: forget the purity game! * Jordan Peterson’s perfectly Petersonian health scare
Need to know: Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Challenging Evangelical Norms Evangelical pastor has a simple mission: Get Trump out A long-shot effort to sway evangelicals away from Trump is the logical next step in Doug Pagitt's long trajectory as a Christian leader. More from Religion News Service
'Seeing Deeper Week' Cathedral light show is drawing those who normally don’t darken church doors Cathedrals around the world are welcoming people in new ways with meditative light and sound shows. More from Religion News Service
'Newly Assessing' Beliefs German theologian spearheads transition to a ‘gender appropriate’ Catholic Church Agnes Wuckelt has her say about Germany's Catholic bishops' two-year summit studying the Church's beliefs on sexuality, love and priestly life. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Born of a Muslim who overcame an immigration ban, a community celebrates its centennial Arriving in 1920, Mufti Muhammad Sadiq, one of the earliest missionaries of Islam in the United States, established a lasting example for Muslim American relations, writes Amjad Mahmood Khan. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Apologizing after a Mormon faith transition "If you’re someone who has realized that you’ve made mistakes on either side of this messy post-Mormon world, I recommend apologies," writes Mette Harrison. More from Religion News Service
Science and Religion George Coyne, 87, Vatican astronomer and Galileo defender, dies While seeking to reconcile science and religion, Father Coyne also vigorously supported Darwin and challenged believers in intelligent design. More from The New York Times
Latest news from RNS * Meet Father Josh: a happily married Catholic priest in a celibate world * La Luz del Mundo minister says abuse allegations are false * Ahmadi Muslims mark 100 years in US with day of service
More views from RNS * Will the real pro-life political party please stand up? * How Romney and Pelosi used their faith to resist Trump * Pope Francis punts on married priests
Need to know: Monday, February 17, 2020
Trial Pending La Luz del Mundo minister says abuse allegations are false At a news conference last Friday, church leaders addressed the allegations made against the church and its leaders. More from Religion News Service
Centennial Devotions Ahmadi Muslims mark 100 years in US with day of service Formally established in the US in 1920, the sect is the oldest organized Muslim movement in the country. More from Religion News Service
Polarizing Performance For now, Southern Baptists stick by Hosanna Wong, spoken word artist and pastor Critics say Hosanna Wong should be dropped from the program at a major Southern Baptist pastor’s conference because the denomination bans women pastors. More from Religion News Service
Suspicious Conservationists Amish farmers have a ‘complicated relationship’ with nature, are skeptical of climate change Amish farmers may embrace a simple, back to the earth lifestyle, but they may not embrace the ‘creation care’ theology of Christian environmentalists. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Will the real pro-life political party please stand up? The presidential election is shaping up to be a tough one for those who see it literally as a matter of life and death, writes Shane Claiborne. More from Religion News Service
'An Ecclesiastical Zoo Exhibit' Father Josh: A married Catholic priest in a celibate world In a Catholic world where debates over clerical celibacy have flared from Brazil to the Vatican, Joshua Whitfield is that rarest of things: A married Catholic priest. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * La Luz Del Mundo ex-member sues, alleging decades of trafficking, sexual abuse * A daughter’s duty: From Boston, a Uighur woman champions her father’s release in China * Trump’s California funding threat over abortion puts nuns in unexpected spot
More views from RNS * Born of a Muslim who overcame an immigration ban, a community celebrates its centennial * Apologizing after a Mormon faith transition * How Romney and Pelosi used their faith to resist Trump
Need to know: Friday, February 7, 2020
'An Unusual Appearance' Trump takes jabs at political opponents during National Prayer Breakfast 'I don’t like people who use faith for justification for doing that they know is wrong, nor do I like people who say 'I pray for you' when they know that is not so,' Trump said. More from Religion News Service
Public Disruption CAIR-LA calls for hate crime investigation into anti-Muslim remarks at public forum The disruption began as the candidates discussed the Trump administration’s widening of the travel ban. More from Religion News Service
Successful Petitions Franklin Graham vows UK tour will go on, after all planned venues back out The tour is scheduled for late May through early June and was to feature eight venues in eight cities across the U.K. Thousands signed petitions objecting to his visit. More from Religion News Service
'Night to Shine' Tim Tebow and the Vatican join forces to give disabled an epic prom night 'I don’t think God gives us strength so we can lift things, I think he gives us strength so we can lift other people,' said the former NFL quarterback in an interview with Religion News Service. More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed Canceling authors: The debate over who owns our stories In the age of fan fiction, the age of memes, the age of mashups and YouTube compilations, we no longer take for granted that there is a single, fixed narrative — one that belongs to the author, by virtue of him or her having invented it, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Conflicting Values Mormon women press BYU to allow breastfeeding babies at women’s conference A women’s conference hosted by Brigham Young University does not allow mothers to nurse their babies at the event, a policy that is drawing criticism from Mormon women who say they have faced gossip and official reprimands for openly breastfeeding in spaces run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Loving your enemies is not easy, say National Prayer Breakfast speakers * More than two dozen countries launch new religious freedom alliance * In this LA neighborhood, residents unite to bless one of its most sacred murals
More views from RNS * When religious conviction trumps politics: The case of Mitt Romney * Trump, prayer and the faithful voter’s gut check * From young evangelicals to National Prayer Breakfast: An urgent call on climate change
Need to know: Thursday, February 6, 2020
'The Wall That Talks' In this LA neighborhood, residents unite to bless one of its most sacred murals On a recent Sunday afternoon, more than 100 people gathered at a northeast Los Angeles intersection to honor what some refer to as the neighborhood’s most sacred mural. More from Religion News Service
Special Consideration Given Christian university says it is open to hiring non-Christian art faculty in merger A Christian university says it is open to hiring non-Christian faculty from an art school it recently acquired. Belmont University's provost had made headlines for saying the school would not hire non-Christians. More from Religion News Service
'Divinely Inspired' Romney cites faith as inspiring his vote to convict Trump 'I am profoundly religious. My faith is at the heart of who I am,' he said, taking a long pause to collect himself. 'I take an oath before God as enormously consequential.' More from Religion News Service
Direct Appeals Breaking down Trump’s religion-heavy State of the Union The president made several appeals to faith throughout his annual speech to the nation and the U.S. Congress, some of which appear to be targeted at certain demographics. More from Religion News Service
Opinion From young evangelicals to National Prayer Breakfast: An urgent call on climate change 'It is in this spirit of gratitude that we write you today, as young Christians, to implore you to engage the climate crisis with the full and faithful urgency that it requires,' the signers proclaim, writes Kyle Meyaard-Schaap. More from Religion News Service
Following Senate Vote Hours after Trump’s impeachment acquittal, Pelosi and Trump will address the National Prayer Breakfast Hours after a deeply divided Senate voted to acquit President Trump of two impeachment charges, he is scheduled to address a huge gathering Thursday morning of Christian lawmakers and others founded to display reconciliation and bridge-building. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Vatican seeks to explain absence of aide after book scandal * Activist William Barber II urges blacks in Congress to mobilize poor voters * Federal judge accepts religious liberty defense of immigrant rights activists
More views from RNS * McCarrick report: Questions needing answers * Donald Trump's Mormon problem continues, new study shows * The four loves (of New York Life)
Need to know: Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Technology for Community At Muslim hackathon, techies build community and tools to access Islamic learning Led by local groups Muslamic Makers and Deen Developers, around 50 young British Muslims joined a two-day hackathon in the city to help build the future of Islamic education. More from Religion News Service
'Emergency Convening' Activist William Barber II urges blacks in Congress to mobilize poor voters 'If you organize 2 to 10 percent of the poor around an agenda, you can fundamentally shift every election,' Barber predicted. More from Religion News Service
Sincerely Held Beliefs Federal judge accepts religious liberty defense of immigrant rights activists U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez argued that not only are the activists' beliefs sincerely held, but also that prosecuting them amounts to a substantial burden on their faith. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times McCarrick report: Questions needing answers Thomas Reese writes, the McCarrick report needs to respond to simple questions that may require complex answers: Who knew what, when and where about McCarrick’s activities? More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Donald Trump's Mormon problem continues, new study shows A new study shows that Trump is having a hard time generating enthusiasm among Mormon voters, especially women and young adults, even though Mormons remain supporters of the GOP, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
'Weighty Gesture' Catholic priest pledges to deny communion, church roles to pro-choice lawmakers The Rev. Richard Bucci declares that Rhode Island lawmakers who backed an abortion rights bill can’t serve as godparents. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * J. Dana Trent is on a mission to discuss death with the post-Millennial generation * Sanders wins endorsement from Muslim group, Iowa's only Muslim state legislator * Pastor John Ortberg allowed volunteer who was attracted to minors to work with children
More views from RNS * The four loves (of New York Life) * Why do they hate the Jews? * Kanye, Flame and Augustine: Hip-hop and the conversion narrative
Need to know: Tuesday, February 4, 2020
'Death Positive Movement' J. Dana Trent is on a mission to discuss death with the post-Millennial generation Her fascination with death is part of a growing movement whose adherents believe in wresting control of death from the funeral industry and breaking the silence around death through frank discussions. More from Religion News Service
Primary Support Sanders wins endorsement from Muslim group, Iowa's only Muslim state legislator The Vermont senator received an endorsement from Muslim Caucus in America and its advisory committee member Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, a Des Moines native. More from Religion News Service
Decisions Questioned Pastor John Ortberg allowed volunteer who was attracted to minors to work with children John Ortberg, megachurch pastor and author, apologized for not banning a volunteer who confessed to being attracted to children. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Learning trust in the sharing economy The sharing economy is removing traditional social barriers and engendering trust. What can we learn from this as Christians, writes Christina Crook. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Mormons (and everyone else) will soon have access to the Church's Handbook The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is going to make one single policy handbook publicly available, ending decades of secrecy and, frankly, confusion, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Emerging Faith Mark Zuckerberg tells tech conference he has ‘become more religious’ He attributed his religious evolution to the issues his company has faced over the last few years and the birth of his two daughters. More from The Jerusalem Post
Latest news from RNS * Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Steyer on faith, climate change and who goes to heaven * Tom Steyer and preaching the environmental gospel on the campaign trail * Sekulow-run Christian charities steered $65M to the Trump lawyer and his family
More views from RNS * Impeachment and the decline of constitutional faith * The Focolare have two words for our broken political dialogue: Jesus forsaken * Jack Van Impe: Prophet of doom who gave true believers hope
Need to know: Monday, February 3, 2020
Finding Faith Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Steyer on faith, climate change and who goes to heaven Known for his environmental advocacy, Tom Steyer, like other candidates, has made a point of referencing his faith often while on the campaign trail. He spoke with RNS to discuss his faith, how it intersects with his policy agenda, and the overlap between religion and politics in the United States. More from Religion News Service
Supporting Survivors Rachael Denhollander: Christian colleges key in declaring sex abuse is ‘evil’ ‘You are the most equipped to help survivors to understand and teach your students to understand this is wrong,’ Denhollander said. More from Religion News Service
'Relaunching Lifecycles' Minnesota Methodists say rebooting churches can be helpful but comes with peril While painful for many longtime church members, advocates say a “restart” can help reverse shrinking numbers and breathe new life into congregations. More from Religion News Service
Acquitted by Appeals Court French cardinal is acquitted of sex abuse coverup as country faces its own legacy of pedophilia The emergence of cases of sexual abuse by clergy led the French bishops to create a commission in June 2019 to study current and historic abuse cases involving clergy in the country. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Impeachment and the decline of constitutional faith In the language of both Democrats and Republicans, the Constitution is not the sacred document it used to be, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Ultra-Loyal Base Evangelicals see Trump as a way to get what they want after decades of defeat Trump has handed his ultra-loyal evangelical base policy victories and in return they turn a blind eye to his scandals. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Tom Steyer and preaching the environmental gospel on the campaign trail * Sekulow-run Christian charities steered $65M to the Trump lawyer and his family * Trump curbs immigration for 6 nations in election-year push
More views from RNS * Mormons (and everyone else) will soon have access to the Church's Handbook * The Focolare have two words for our broken political dialogue: Jesus forsaken * Jack Van Impe: Prophet of doom who gave true believers hope
Need to know: Friday, January 31, 2020
Grief Counseling After Kobe Bryant’s death, Lakers’ chaplain seeks Scripture to help cope with tragic loss Los Angeles Lakers chaplain Romell Witherspoon said he will pray and reflect as he prepares for Friday night’s game at Staples Center between the Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers. More from Religion News Service
Search Continues Senior pastor candidates, interim pastor out at Willow Creek Elders have released the final two senior pastor candidates they were considering to replace founding pastor Bill Hybels, who retired early in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power. More from Religion News Service
Black Heritage Stamp Journalist Gwen Ifill remembered with stamp at her Washington church Known for moderating election-season debates, Ifill was the daughter of parents who were from the Caribbean and became deeply involved in the AME Church. More from Religion News Service
'Bringing Faith onto the Court' A Muslim women’s netball team brings competition — and a sense of inclusion Two years ago, Muslim students founded a netball club for women in their university’s Islamic society. Since then, the team has grown to an interuniversity club, with Muslims at over a dozen U.K. institutions involved. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Jack Van Impe: Prophet of doom who gave true believers hope Many Christians will dearly miss Jack Van Impe’s preaching on the apocalypse, but they can be comforted that his death will certainly not mean an end to his message of hope, and warning, writes John E. "Jay" Phelan Jr. More from Religion News Service
Faith Considerations Catholics consider presidential candidates ahead of Iowa caucuses In Dubuque, a majority of working-class Catholic voters flipped from Democrat to Republican in 2016 — for the first time since Dwight Eisenhower. Will Democrats draw them back in 2020? More from NPR
Latest news from RNS * Ebenezer pastor Raphael Warnock enters US Senate race * Can a bestselling Christian marriage book about love and respect lead to abuse? * A young woman's suicide puts focus on church's counseling for LGBT Catholics
More views from RNS * Can any of the Democratic candidates appeal to evangelicals? * Giving victims of religious trauma a voice * The best way to remember Mormon business leader Clayton Christensen? With small moral choices.
Need to know: Thursday, January 30, 2020
Secrets and Pain A young woman's suicide puts focus on church's counseling for LGBT Catholics After Colorado barred gay conversion therapy for minors, the death of a once-devout college student has spurred debate about how religious counselors handle homosexuality. More from Religion News Service
Polarizing Advice Can a bestselling Christian marriage book about love and respect lead to abuse? A Christian marriage and sex blogger says a bestselling book called 'Love and Respect' has a toxic message. The book's author rejects that claim and says he's spent decades trying to prevent abuse. More from Religion News Service
'Biblical Ideal' Evangelicals embrace Trump's peace plan, saying it recognizes the Bible 'as legal' Evangelical leaders said the plan was close to biblical, mindful that even Abraham divided his property with Lot, his nephew, after a quarrel. More from Religion News Service
Supreme Faith Often-reticent Justice Clarence Thomas speaks about his faith in new documentary Documentarian Michael Pack says of Thomas: ‘when you have a faith, lose your faith and come back to your faith, in some ways it's stronger then.’ More from Religion News Service
Opinion Giving victims of religious trauma a voice A recent tweetstorm about how to teach kids about faith was a testament to how little we hear in our national conversation from those who have experienced religious trauma, writes Chrissy Stroop. More from Religion News Service
'Intrinsically Jewish Values' Sanders defines a Jewish identity his way on the 2020 trail Bernie Sanders is approaching next week’s Iowa caucuses in a position to become the first major-party Jewish presidential nominee in the nation’s history. And at a time of resurgent anti-Semitism, he’s talking in more depth about how his faith shapes his broader worldview. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Willow Creek confirms abuse allegations against Hybels' mentor Gilbert Bilezikian * For some Latinos, grappling with their Christian identity can be complicated * Liberty University's Falwell throws support behind 'Vexit'
More views from RNS * The best way to remember Mormon business leader Clayton Christensen? With small moral choices. * Pope Francis remakes the American hierarchy, one bishop at a time * Making sense of Mr. Peanut's senseless death
Need to know: Wednesday, January 29, 2020
'Spiritual Borderlands' For some Latinos, grappling with their Christian identity can be complicated In his upcoming book, 'Brown Church,' UCLA professor Robert Chao Romero highlights a 500-year history of Latino Christian social justice activism in Latin America and the United States. More from Religion News Service
Allegations Emerge Willow Creek confirms abuse allegations against Hybels' mentor Gilbert Bilezikian Willow Community Church confirmed that a former mentor of former pastor Bill Hybels has been accused of sexual misconduct. More from Religion News Service
Secession Support Liberty University's Falwell throws support behind 'Vexit' 'We have a rare opportunity to make history in our time,' Jerry Falwell Jr. said. More from Religion News Service
Debate Reconsidered Liberty University's debate between religious liberals and conservatives hits a snag 'I think it’s telling that Falwell Jr. wants to talk about the dangers of social Christianity without talking to us,' said the Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Pope Francis remakes the American hierarchy, one bishop at a time In the appointment of a new archbishop for Philadelphia, the U.S. church has traded a longtime conservative intellectual leader for a pastoral bishop who is most comfortable being with his people, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
British Backlash Venue boots Franklin Graham event after protests from LGBTQ community A U.K. conference center says U.S. evangelist Franklin Graham is no longer welcome to preach at the arena, citing statements the Christian leader has made that its staff deemed “incompatible with our values.” More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Amid rising anti-Semitism, Orthodox Jews weigh safety with being conspicuously Jewish * Steadfast in his calling, a Chabad rabbi remains committed to serving fellow Jews * Bolivia religious debate: The Bible vs. Andean earth deity
More views from RNS * Making sense of Mr. Peanut's senseless death * Why Jews like Mike * Expanded travel ban gives world's democracies more cover for anti-Muslim measures
Need to know: Tuesday, January 28, 2020
Identity Markers Amid rising anti-Semitism, Orthodox Jews weigh safety with being conspicuously Jewish For Orthodox Jews, the current wave of anti-Semitic attacks raises questions about how to keep safe while remaining identifiably Jewish. More from Religion News Service
Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries Steadfast in his calling, a Chabad rabbi remains committed to serving fellow Jews As the world marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which this year coincides with the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, Rabbi Zalman Bluming puts forward a hopeful narrative about America. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Auschwitz at 75: From sorrow to song As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the time has come to turn our sorrow into song — in a sense, to embrace Auschwitz, writes Joshua Hammerman. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Why Christians should audit their words, worship and practices for anti-Semitism Christians can faithfully proclaim our faith as rooted in the witness of biblical Israel without using Jews and Judaism as foils for our own purposes. One place to start is by doing an audit for anti-Semitism, write Laura Everett and Dan Joslyn-Siemiatkoski. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Second thoughts about the Mormon curriculum I want to apologize for last week's "dumpster fire" column. While I stand by much of the content, I can now see problems with the tone and the way I approached it, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Disappointment at Statement 'Laughing stock': letter from clergy attacks C of E's guidance on sex Almost 3,000 people, including nearly 800 members of the clergy, have signed an open letter to the archbishops of Canterbury and York, saying guidance issued by bishops last week saying sex is only for married heterosexuals has made the Church of England a “laughing stock”. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Paula White’s sermon comment about ‘satanic pregnancies’ goes viral * Trump addresses March for Life, where religion and politics mix * Controversial comedy ‘Faith Based’ pokes fun at Christian films — to a point
More views from RNS * The new wall of separation between church and state * A survival guide to the 2020 Book of Mormon "Come Follow Me" curriculum * Trump woos Catholics on abortion but may lose them on life
Need to know: Monday, January 27, 2020
Incendiary Rhetoric Paula White's sermon comment about 'Satanic pregnancies' goes viral After a sermon clip about "satanic pregnancies" went viral on social media, presidential advisor Paula White tweeted that she was simply referencing a Bible verse. She said her words were taken out of context. More from Religion News Service
Presidential In-Person Address Trump addresses March for Life, where religion and politics mix ‘When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God’s creation,’ Trump said. More from Religion News Service
Satire on Screen Controversial comedy ‘Faith Based’ pokes fun at Christian films — to a point ‘Faith Based’ is a new satirical film about the Christian film industry that premiered this past weekend at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. More from Religion News Service
Exploring Liberty Melissa Rogers, Christianity Today’s Ted Olsen hope for common ground in divided US Author Melissa Rogers said ‘being opponents on one issue does not make us enemies; it makes us potential collaborators on something else.’ More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics The new wall of separation between church and state It has to do with religious liberty, and the Supreme Court is building it, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Seeking Permanent Stay Catholic church attempts to stop one of its own priests from suing it for child abuse The Catholic church is attempting to stop one of its own priests from suing it for child abuse because he took too long to come forward, prompting criticism that it has learned nothing from the royal commission. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * At the Vatican, Pope Francis and US VP discuss pathways for world peace * Warren announces new campaign interfaith advisory council * La Luz del Mundo will continue to host US ceremony while leader remains in jail
More views from RNS * The thinking Mormon's survival guide to the dumpster fire that is this year's curriculum * Trump woos Catholics on abortion but may lose them on life * God save the boomers!
Need to know: Thursday, January 23, 2020
'Fuzzy on the Details' Poll: What do Americans know about the Holocaust? Some, not much A new Pew Research Center poll shows Americans generally know what the Holocaust was, but fewer than half can correctly cite the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust — 6 million. More from Religion News Service
Promoting Inclusivity 'Let Noor Run' initiative aims to end discrimination in sports, starting with hijab bans A new effort by Noor Alexandria Abukaram, the high school junior who was disqualified from a cross-country meet because she ran a 5K while wearing her hijab, reminds the world that her case was no anomaly. More from Religion News Service
Educational Funding Supreme Court hears oral arguments on major religious school choice case Several religious groups have voiced opposition to any ruling that would grant wide latitude for the government to fund religious education. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood It's time for me to fast. It may be time for you, too. I started out this year by overindulging at an all-you-can-eat cruise buffet. And now, according to a new book on Christian fasting, it's time for me to pull back, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Opinion How Jay Sekulow got to the floor of the US Senate Jay Sekulow, a lawyer with an outsized reputation for First Amendment defenses, may have another high-profile slam-dunk on his hands, writes Mark Pinsky. More from Religion News Service
Rally on the Mall Trump to become the first president to speak in person at March for Life President Trump announced Wednesday that he will attend Friday’s March for Life, the annual gathering of antiabortion protesters to commemorate the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court’s landmark abortion decision. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Iowa pastor says running for office is a test of faith * Pope Francis tells the powerful at Davos to focus on humanity, not power, profit * Multiracial churches growing, but challenging for clergy of color
More views from RNS * God save the boomers! * Latest research on vegetative state calls for new civil rights movement * Why Roe v. Wade is a First Amendment fight
Need to know: Wednesday, January 22, 2020
'One Human Family' Pope Francis tells the powerful at Davos to focus on humanity, not power, profit 'The overriding consideration, never to be forgotten, is that we are all members of the one human family,' the pope said in a message read to participants at the World Economic Forum. More from Religion News Service
Political and Pastoral Iowa pastor says running for office is a test of faith 'It's just a really good experience to know what it's like to be an outsider, to be a stranger, to be asking for people's welcome,' the Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott said. More from Religion News Service
Opinion 'Hymn for the 81%': A conversation with Daniel Deitrich A lot of contemporary worship music doesn’t offer the best theology, but 'Hymn for the 81%,' by a South Bend, Indiana, worship leader, has gone viral with a cocktail of prophetic fire and Christ-like grace, writes Shane Claiborne. More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed Gwyneth Paltrow trolls the wellness industry Unlike other companies that commodify our spiritual yearnings, Goop exists apart from the question of whether anyone has ever actually bought any of its products, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Opinion United Methodist Schism and the ‘Protocol’ of 2020 One wonders if United Methodists, including those who signed the “protocol,” increasingly understand that “breaking up [really] is hard to do," writes William B. Lawrence. More from Religion News Service
Interfaith Protests Protesting women in India are uniting Muslims, Hindus and religious minorities The Citizenship Amendment Act, passed on Dec. 12, grants citizenship to refugees from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan but excludes Muslims. The law has triggered massive demonstrations across the country, many of them led by university students, but the protest in Shaheen Bagh has caught everyone’s attention because it has become a unifying rally led by women in a fragmented society. More from The Hill
Latest news from RNS * Multiracial churches growing, but challenging for clergy of color * Jack Van Impe, end-times preacher and televangelist, dies at 88 * Precarious US-Iran relations have Muslim voters eyeing candidates’ records on war
More views from RNS * We can protect prayer in schools without blessing Christian nationalism * Trump v. Jefferson on National Religious Freedom Day * The Mormons' $100 billion fortune is not about the money, stupid
Need to know: Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Records Considered Precarious US-Iran relations have Muslim voters eyeing candidates’ records on war Muslim voters who sit in the anti-war camp seem most drawn toward Sen. Bernie Sanders, the candidate who has long been a favorite among Muslim voters. More from Religion News Service
'The Walking Bible' Jack Van Impe, end-times preacher and televangelist, dies at 88 Jack Van Impe, a televangelist who for decades warned viewers about the end of the world, died at 88. More from Religion News Service
'Love, Suffering, Deliverance & Justice' Book: How Martin Luther King Jr. used the pulpit to 'redeem' America's soul He believed there were transcendent truths that had the power to change hearts and move them away from the political and social policies of segregation. More from Religion News Service
Public Demonstrations South Asian Americans protest Modi's crackdown from afar A 'National Day of Action' aims to call out the slice of the Indian American community that is sympathetic to India’s right-wing politics. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Trump v. Jefferson on National Religious Freedom Day A proposed Trump rule change would undermine religious freedom, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Public Fund Dispute Supreme Court religious rights case has big implications for U.S. schools A 2015 Montana law provided people a tax credit of up to $150 for donations to groups that fund scholarships for private school tuition. State tax officials limited the program to non-religious schools in order to comport with the state constitution, which forbids public aid to any “church, sect or denomination.” Thirty-eight states have such constitutional provisions. More from Reuters
Latest news from RNS * Panama: 7 killed, 14 tortured in exorcism terror rituals * 50 years later, Chicano Catholic activists recall their midnight Mass clash with police * Trump pledges to prevent ‘unacceptable’ repression of school prayer
More views from RNS * The $100 billion Mormon fortune is not about the money, stupid * Dr. King in today's America * LDS Church to make changes to temple clothing
Need to know: Friday, January 17, 2020
Activist Reunion 50 years later, Chicano Catholic activists recall their midnight Mass clash with police Chicanos in Los Angeles commemorate a 1969 confrontation with the Catholic Church that urged religious leaders to stand with the Mexican American community. More from Religion News Service
Integrating Services Multiracial churches growing, but challenging for clergy of color 'Pain is a part of the growth,' said the black pastor of a multiethnic Southern Baptist church in Utah. More from Religion News Service
'Activating Noble Potential' Religions can be part of the solution for peace, not the problem, faith leaders say The Abrahamic Faiths Initiative group united 25 religious leaders representing Christian, Muslim and Jewish faithful to discuss practical ways of promoting peace and fraternity at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome this week. More from Religion News Service
Progressive Engagement Faith in Action gears up for 2020 election season, with a focus on local offices 'The progressive community has to get it straight: Faith matters,' the Rev. Alvin Herring said. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood 3 'glass-half-full' news items about Mormon growth The LDS church's growth may be slowing, but research shows that 2019 saw more missionaries, more temples and more reactivating of lapsed members around the world, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Strategic Designations Major evangelical nonprofits are trying a new strategy with the IRS that allows them to hide their salaries Several major evangelical organizations have in recent years moved to a new strategy where they shift from a nonprofit status to a “church” status with the IRS, allowing them to keep private exactly how their money is being spent and the salaries of their most highly paid employees. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Trump pledges to prevent ‘unacceptable’ repression of school prayer * Multiracial Ohio church turns conversations on race into political action * Federal judge blocks executive order on refugees in lawsuit by three faith-based organizations
More views from RNS * Texas' misguided decision on refugees is state-sponsored Islamophobia * Baptism for mission, not only the remission of sins * We need these "Jewish" movies now
Need to know: Thursday, January 16, 2020
Clergy Malpractice ‘A long time coming’: These Muslims are bringing sex abuse by sheikhs out of the shadows Over the past two to three years, scholars and advocates say, North American Muslims have risen up in an unprecedented movement to openly confront sexual and spiritual abuse perpetrated by Muslim religious leaders. More from Religion News Service
Refusal Refused Federal judge blocks executive order on refugees in lawsuit by three faith-based organizations The preliminary injunction is part of HIAS v. Trump, a lawsuit by three faith-based organizations against the US government over the order. More from Religion News Service
Highlighting Persecution Open Doors warns of 'rise of the surveillance state' as North Korea tops watch list again This year, Christian watchdog organization Open Doors USA is highlighting the ‘rise of the surveillance state’ and its impact on Christians and Muslims in China in its 2019 World Watch List, released Wednesday (Jan. 15). More from Religion News Service
Promoting Women Pope names 1st woman manager in Vatican Secretariat of State Francis has called for women to be given greater decision-making roles in the Vatican often reserved for priests, bishops or cardinals. More from AP
Opinion Texas' misguided decision on refugees is state-sponsored Islamophobia Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decision rests in part on the lie that Muslims from war-torn countries are dangerous, which is itself the most dangerous view out there, writes Omar Suleiman. More from Religion News Service
Prayer Guidance Trump to reinforce protections for prayer in schools President Trump will use the power of his office to empower students who want to pray in their schools — and remind public schools they risk losing federal funds if they violate their students' rights to religious expression. More from NPR
Latest news from RNS * Teach your children well: Viral tweet sparks debate over passing on faith * Cyntoia Brown-Long to speak at Catholic church anti-abortion rally * Benedict XVI steps back from book that put him at odds with pope
More views from RNS * Baptism for mission, not only the remission of sins * 3 "glass-half-full" news items about Mormon growth * We need these "Jewish" movies now
Need to know: Wednesday, January 15, 2020
'Religious Parenting' Teach your children well: Viral tweet sparks debate over passing on faith A viral tweet sparked a conversation among Christians about the morality of parents passing on the faith to their children. More from Religion News Service
Keynote Speaker Cyntoia Brown-Long to speak at anti-abortion rally held by Archdiocese of Los Angeles Cyntoia Brown-Long will be the keynote speaker at OneLife LA, an anti-abortion event hosted by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. More from Religion News Service
Reversing Course Ex-Pope Benedict XVI steps back from a book that put him at odds with Pope Francis Former Pope Benedict XVI asked Tuesday (Jan. 14) not to be mentioned as co-author of a book scheduled for release in February, according to a close aide. Excerpts from the book published on Monday appeared to place the pope emeritus at odds with Pope Francis on priestly celibacy. More from Religion News Service
Second Coming Concerns Survey: Protestant pastors don’t think geopolitical events hasten the Second Coming Only 12% of Protestant pastors say that they strongly or somewhat agreed with the idea that Christians can speed up the return of Christ by supporting geopolitical changes mentioned in the Bible. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The age of nones may favor churches that welcome doubters Ryan Burge asks, can people who are plagued with doubt feel welcomed by a church that is filled with those who are certain about what they believe? More from Religion News Service
What's in a Name? Who is an Evangelical? An interview with Thomas Kidd A new book from Thomas S. Kidd, "Who Is an Evangelical? The History of a Movement in Crisis," challenges the popular impression that evangelicals are only white and Republican. More from Religion & Politics
Latest news from RNS * Why schism? United Methodist leaders explain proposal to split the denomination * First woman Muslim chaplain commissioned in the US military * New Benedict book promotes priestly celibacy, suggesting rift with Francis
More views from RNS * Fairness for All: Caught between gender equality and religious liberty * Why 'Cats' is a musical for our time * Two popes are one too many
Need to know: Tuesday, January 14, 2020
'Amicable Separation' Why schism? United Methodist leaders explain proposal to split the denomination Participants offered a behind-the-scenes look at how they arrived at a proposal, announced earlier this month, that would allow conservative United Methodist churches and conferences to split from the denomination over their beliefs barring LGBTQ United Methodists from ordination and marriage. More from Religion News Service
Groundbreaking Commission First woman Muslim chaplain commissioned in the US military Saleha Jabeen became a second lieutenant in a December ceremony at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. More from Religion News Service
Conflicting Views New Benedict book promotes priestly celibacy, suggesting rift with Francis In a new book he co-authored, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI defends clerical celibacy at a time when Pope Francis in considering allowing more married men to become Catholic priests. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Fairness for All: Caught between gender equality and religious liberty The Fairness for All Act, designed to sort out the right to provide services or not based on one's faith, works as sentiment, but falls short as policy, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed Why 'Cats' is a musical for our time The earnest shlock and high camp of 'Cats' — what else can we call Taylor Swift playing a feline in a pastiche of Eliot's Anglo-Catholic mysticism? — captures our current state of dread, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Broad Condemnation Trump condemned for retweeting fake Islamophobic image featuring Pelosi Muslim groups in the US have condemned Donald Trump for retweeting a fake image showing leading Democrats Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi wearing an approximation of traditional Islamic clothing and standing in front of the Iranian flag. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Students expelled over same-sex marriages sue Fuller for discrimination * Marianne Williamson ends presidential bid, says campaign tried her faith * Why Jewish mediator Kenneth Feinberg wants to save the United Methodist Church
More views from RNS * Two popes are one too many * Why United Methodist Church's plan for separation is good for everyone * An open letter from black church leaders and allies to Christianity Today
Need to know: Monday, January 13, 2020
Title IX Dispute Students expelled over same-sex marriages sue Fuller for discrimination In an amended complaint filed this week, two former students allege Fuller Theological Seminary violated anti-discrimination laws when it expelled them after learning they were married to people of the same sex. More from Religion News Service
Campaign Concluded Marianne Williamson ends presidential bid, says campaign tried her faith “When people have an image of you that's been deliberately manufactured, moving through that takes spiritual fortitude,” Marianne Williamson said. More from Religion News Service
Cautious Optimism Why Jewish mediator Kenneth Feinberg wants to save the United Methodist Church 'I thought that the church and what it stands for and its impact on the day-to-day lives of people was important and that we should step up and try and preserve that, which hopefully we've done,' says Feinberg. More from Religion News Service
Educational Strides In Jerusalem, thousands of Israeli women mark the end of 7 years of daily Talmud study This past week, a group of women gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the completion of a Daf Yomi cycle — more than seven years of daily Talmud study. More from Religion News Service
Opinion An open letter from black church leaders and allies to Christianity Today "We support the magazine's recent call to remove Trump, and offer a rebuke to those pastors and leaders outraged by its support of the president's impeachment." More from Religion News Service
Never Forget The gates of hell: Auschwitz 75 years on The Nazi death camp where more than one million people perished was liberated on 27 January 1945. As one survivor, now aged 90, prepares to commemorate the date, she explains why the Holocaust must never be forgotten… especially in an age of rising antisemitism and nationalism. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * White House considering dramatic expansion of travel ban * Brazil judge orders Netflix to remove film with gay Jesus * New documents show government targeted NYC pastor for officiating immigrant weddings
More views from RNS * Johnny Cash's gospel versus the temptations of nationalism * Four Catholic solutions to toxic politics * White evangelicals' attacks on James Cone are about power, not truth
Need to know: Friday, January 10, 2020
Vision Outlined 'Don't lose hope,' Pope Francis tells diplomats amid war, climate change concerns Pope Francis laid out his international agenda for the new year by addressing mounting concerns about the situation in Iran, the impact of climate change in Australia and the necessary steps to ensure peace. More from Religion News Service
Surveillance Program New documents show government targeted NYC pastor for officiating immigrant weddings "My faith and belief in ministering to the vulnerable brought me to the border,” the Rev. Kaji Douša said. “It's now undeniably clear that the government targeted me for this very calling." More from Religion News Service
Reporting Laws Mormon lawsuit could change how houses of worship report abuse At least one legal expert said this lawsuit could have serious implications for the way houses of faith report abuse. More from Religion News Service
'The First Temptation of Christ' Film Brazil judge orders Netflix to remove film with gay Jesus A Brazilian judge on Wednesday ordered Netflix to stop showing a Christmas special that some called blasphemous for depicting Jesus as a gay man and which prompted a gasoline bomb attack on the satirists behind the program. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Four Catholic solutions to toxic politics As the largest church with an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, Catholics have a special obligation to try something before it is too late, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Faith and Power Evangelicals using religion for political gain is nothing new. It is a US tradition. No one who has read US history can be surprised by the hypocrisy of Evangelicals for Trump but it also tells us how their undoing will inevitably come, writes William Barber. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Pete Buttigieg attended private meeting with black theologians, thought leaders * Most states agree to admit refugees as judge hears lawsuit to stop resettlement order * Tech company CEO faces backlash over participation in Hindu nationalist event
More views from RNS * White evangelicals' attacks on James Cone are about power, not truth * 'Muslims in my house': A tribute to a beloved centenarian * Courtiers and kings, evangelicals, prophets and Trump
Need to know: Thursday, January 9, 2020
'Eternal Optimist' Woman Sufi saint inspires Badr Baabou, an LGBTQ activist in Tunisia Badr Baabou, a Muslim LGBT activist and head of the Tunisian Association for Justice and Equality, draws inspiration from the 13th century Sufi saint Aisha Al-Manoubya. More from Religion News Service
'Non-Transactional Conversation' Pete Buttigieg attended private meeting with black theologians, thought leaders 'It was an opportunity for Mayor Pete to learn, to listen, and to hear,' said Kelly Brown Douglas. More from Religion News Service
Welcoming the Stranger Most states agree to admit refugees as judge hears lawsuit to stop resettlement order A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday (Jan. 8) in the lawsuit by three faith-based organizations against the federal government over a recent executive order allowing state and local officials to block refugee resettlement. More from Religion News Service
Controversial Attendance Tech company CEO faces backlash over participation in Hindu nationalist event Facing online backlash, the California-based CEO of enterprise software company Zoho has doubled down on plans to attend an event hosted by India's RSS paramilitary group. More from Religion News Service
Opinion 'Muslims in my house': A tribute to a beloved centenarian A small-town hero, she said yes to our fledgling Islamic school during a time of uncertainty for Muslims, delving deep into what it means to be American, writes Afeefa Syeed. More from Religion News Service
Realistic Hope Pope Francis lists the world crises from the obscure to the existential, saying 2020 is off to a rough start The pope spent 45 minutes talking about wars and could-be wars, exploitation, sexual abuse, Internet hate speech, international indifference to humanitarian crises, and the depressing state of the world’s fight against climate change. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Ethical vegans in UK win court protection for their creed * Dale Partridge, Christian 'influencer' and church planter, haunted by plagiarism claims * Iranian cultural sites include landmarks important to Jews and Christians, too
More views from RNS * Courtiers and kings, evangelicals, prophets and Trump * Atheists prefer cats, Christians love dogs, study shows * We are all Jews here
Need to know: Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Questions of Authenticity Dale Partridge, Christian 'influencer' and church planter, haunted by plagiarism claims Partridge says that house churches — small, intimate communities of faith — can restore hope to those who have lost faith in organized religion. The social media guru and serial entrepreneur has reinvented himself as pastor for the digital age in recent years. But he has struggled to overcome a history of plagiarism. More from Religion News Service
World Heritage Threatened Iranian cultural sites include landmarks important to Jews and Christians, too Among Iran's important religious sites are the tombs of Esther and Mordecai, Daniel and King Cyrus. More from Religion News Service
'Fan the Flame of Dialogue' Amid US-Iran escalation, Pope Francis and Catholic leaders call for restraint, dialogue Concern about the growing tensions between the United States and Iran has been bubbling within the Vatican, as Pope Francis and high-ranking prelates urge global leaders to seek peace. More from Religion News Service
Ongoing Tensions Future of Sikh worship site in Southern California remains unclear A Sikh temple thought it was safe from being replaced by condominiums. Then it received a notice to move out. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Atheists prefer cats, Christians love dogs, study shows New questions on the General Social Survey reveal some interesting connections between faith and pets, writes Ryan Burge. More from Religion News Service
Demystifying Mindfulness The ‘ex-closeted gay jihadist' bringing meditation to Jakarta Once a campus fundamentalist who hid his sexuality, today Bagia Arif Saputra helps others find harmony in Indonesia’s capital. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Muslims in fear as police crack down in India's heartland * Orthodox women seek bigger role as Jews end Talmud cycle * As Iowa caucus nears, candidates ramp up God-talk
More views from RNS * We are all Jews here * Two popes and three kings * God rested. Why can't clergy take a break?
Need to know: Tuesday, January 7, 2020
Breaking Down Barriers Faith leaders try to combat stigma of mental illness, suicide Historically, faith traditions have been reluctant to talk about mental health and categorized suicide as a sin, often leaving survivors and family feeling neglected and hurt. That's starting to change. More from Religion News Service
'Faith-Fueled Weekend' As Iowa caucus nears, candidates ramp up God-talk Democratic presidential hopefuls ramped up the God-talk while criss-crossing Iowa over the weekend, invoking the Bible and meeting with religious leaders while their Republican opponent President Trump worked to bolster support among evangelical Christians. More from Religion News Service
Increased Border Stops Caught in crossfire: After US strike, border stops leave Iranian Americans feeling vulnerable Iranians in America have been caught in the crossfire of US-Iran tensions for decades. Advocates say things are likely about to get a whole lot worse. More from Religion News Service
In Memoriam Funeral of Lois Evans, wife of Tony Evans, set for their Dallas church Though she was known mostly as the woman behind Evans, his church and ‘The Alternative with Dr. Tony Evans’ broadcast, Lois Evans also served on the National Religious Broadcasters board. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Two popes and three kings The story of the three kings, like the film of the two popes, is not factual, but it still teaches us deep truths, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
The 'Million March' India citizenship law: 100,000 attend Hyderabad protest More than 100,000 protesters have taken part in a peaceful march in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, chanting slogans against Narendra Modi’s new citizenship law. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Seeking the cross: Icy dips mark the feast of Epiphany * Memorial for Reinhard Bonnke, 'the Billy Graham of Africa,' draws thousands * In speech to evangelicals, Trump says God is ‘on our side’
More views from RNS * God rested. Why can't clergy take a break? * Four steps clergy can take to avoid burnout * How war bypasses morality
Need to know: Friday, January 3, 2020
Faithful Critic Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove wants white evangelicals to reckon with the Bible He holds out hope he can show them how he believes they’ve misread the Bible and help them discover, as he has, the black Southern freedom movement's focus on justice and freedom. More from Religion News Service
Guided by Belief Quitting job over 666 was ‘a blessing,’ says Christian worker In 2012, Walter Slonopas quit his job as a maintenance worker after '666' showed up on his official tax forms. In the years since, things have turned out well for Slonopas — he found a new job with better pay, while his former company closed down. More from Religion News Service
Papal Apology Pope Francis is not the first pontiff to cause controversy with a slap This week, Pope Francis apologized for slapping a woman who had grabbed his arm on New Year's Eve. The 83-year old pontiff said he had set a bad example. He's not the first pope to be involved with a controversial slap. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The hero of the film 'Just Mercy' could be you The biopic about the work of Bryan Stevenson isn't about a man, but a social justice movement that any one of us can join, writes Shane Claiborne. More from Religion News Service
Opinion When retail and reverence collide Yoga's ubiquity has put Hindu imagery in the mainstream, but until HIndus are seen as equals in the U.S., mocking our faith's images defines us as colonialist caricatures, write Indu Viswanathan and Parth Parihar. More from Religion News Service
Suspect Charged Orthodox Jew allegedly beaten on New York street in anti-Semitic attack The 22-year-old man was chased down and punched by two women who hurled hateful epithets at him on New Year’s Day, police said. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * RNS 2019 in Review: A year full of grief, scandals, fire and the perseverance of faith * Pastor pledges safety for immigrants at Miami Trump event * They made a mark on the religious scene this decade; some rose, others fell
More views from RNS * McCarrick gifts for bosses expose flaws of Vatican practice * 7 top Mormon news stories from 2019 * Trump's tweets and actions aren't good fruit — or moral
Need to know: Thursday, January 2, 2020
Looking Forward RNS reporters look ahead at 2020 As we enter the new year, we asked Religion News Service's reporters to give us a glimpse into the stories they'll be following in 2020. More from Religion News Service
Faith and Grief Texas church grieves, prays, sings after deadly shooting 'There is evil in this world, and evil took two of my dear friends yesterday,' minister Britt Farmer told congregants Monday. 'Not a bullet from a gun — evil. Not ideology — evil.' More from Religion News Service
Endowed Wealth Examined 50 years after ‘Black Manifesto,’ religious groups take up reparations again Five decades later, the reparations debate has reentered the national spotlight, with some religious institutions leading the way. More from Religion News Service
Silent Worship At Gallaudet University, deaf culture and faith mix to create something new Religious students say the language shift is but a small window into the subtle ways their communities intertwine deaf culture with theology to produce uncommon expressions of faith and activism. More from Religion News Service
'Fueled by Intolerance' 5 stabbed at rabbi's house on Hanukkah; suspect in custody Grafton E. Thomas, 37, of Greenwood Lake, New York, will face five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary, according to Police Chief Brad Weidel. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood 7 top Mormon news stories from 2019 From vaping (and green tea!) restrictions to a $100 billion nest egg, 2019 was a big year in Mormon news, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Violence and Forgiveness Texas church shooting victim’s daughter says she forgives killer Tiffany Wallace’s father, Anton “Tony” Wallace, died when a gunman opened fire at West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement on Sunday. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Pope: Sorry I lost patience with hand-shaker who yanked me * They made a mark on the religious scene this decade; some rose, others fell * RNS 2019 in Review: A year full of grief, scandals, fire and the perseverance of faith
More views from RNS * Trump's tweets and actions aren't good fruit — or moral * Stop blaming “them” for antisemitism * McCarrick gifts for bosses expose flaws of Vatican practice
Need to know: Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Faith and Politics Impeachment debate suggests shifting religious and political winds Spiritual discourse has pockmarked what has become an atypically religious — and particularly Christian — impeachment process. More from Religion News Service
Loss of an Icon Ram Dass, who introduced a generation to Hindu meditation, dies at 88 Pioneering the use of psychedelic drugs as spiritual practice, he also explored Buddhism and Hinduism, which took him to India and resulted in his 1971 best-selling book ‘Be Here Now.’ More from Religion News Service
Celebrating Values Do humanists celebrate Christmas? Ethical humanist Anne Klaeysen on holiday spirit Ethical humanist leader Anne Klaeysen talked to Religion News Service about how humanists celebrate the holidays, what humanistic meanings people of any faith or no faith can take from the Christmas story and how the holidays can unite, rather than further divide, the country. More from Religion News Service
Celebration of Life Church that prayed to resurrect girl from the dead is moving on with memorial service Bethel Church announced Friday (Dec. 20) that the two-year-old child it prayed to resurrect from the dead, "hasn't been raised." More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood What do Mormons do with the Book of Revelation? What the LDS curriculum attempts to do with Revelation reflects our own me-centered, therapeutic era: The Bible’s most controversial book becomes a road map for each person’s very own spiritual growth, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
'Raining Blessings' Louisiana church filled a plane with holy water and blessed a whole community A Roman Catholic church in rural Louisiana hoping to maximize its blessings has come up with a way to do it: filling up a crop-duster plane with holy water and letting the sanctified liquid mist an entire community. More from NPR
Latest news from RNS * In Christmas message, Pope Francis calls on Vatican officials to embrace change * Religious freedom agency reauthorized with Trump’s signature * State Department cites religious freedom violators
More views from RNS * A spiritual icon to the Boomers, Ram Dass was godfather to the 'nones' * Goodbye, Baba Ram Dass * Christianity Today roils the evangelical waters
Need to know: Monday, December 23, 2019
'Epochal Changes' In Christmas message, Pope Francis calls on Vatican officials to embrace change The pope began his speech with the acceptance of the resignation of the 92-year-old Cardinal Angelo Sodano as dean of the College of Cardinals. More from Religion News Service
Funded Through 2022 Religious freedom agency reauthorized with Trump’s signature The agency, created in 1998, had faced a range of controversies in the months leading up to the reauthorization. More from Religion News Service
Celebration and Worship Service A Dallas United Methodist church will end 2019 affirming all marriage vows Ahead of a denominational clampdown on ordination and marriage beginning Jan. 1, First United Methodist Church of Dallas will take the bold step of closing 2019 with a service reaffirming marriage vows — both heterosexual and same-sex. More from Religion News Service
Latest Designations State Department cites religious freedom violators The department redesignated on Wednesday the nine other countries that had been categorized as ‘countries of particular concern’. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Christianity Today roils the evangelical waters Whatever its effect on the impeachment debate, CT's editorial calling for Trump's removal started a fight over Billy Graham's legacy, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Past Comments Surfaced 25 Jewish lawmakers call on Donald Trump to fire Stephen Miller in scathing open letter "His documented support for white nationalist and virulently anti-immigrant tropes is wholly unacceptable," the House members wrote. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Reform US rabbi in Dresden explains ultra-Orthodox traditions to German Jews * Christianity Today editor argues morally compromised Trump should be removed from office * Northern California church makes headlines as it prays to resurrect girl from the dead
More views from RNS * Christianity Today's anti-Trump editorial misrepresents the evangelical masses * How we all became Jedis * What is the miracle of Hanukkah's first night?
Need to know: Friday, December 20, 2019
'Profoundly Immoral' Christianity Today editor argues morally compromised Trump should be removed from office 'It's just an unambiguous moment in which it is absolutely clear that there's just no question what (Trump) was trying to do,' Mark Galli said. More from Religion News Service
Call for Prayer Northern California church makes headlines as it prays to resurrect girl from the dead Bethel Church in Northern California is praying for the resurrection of a 2-year-old who was recently pronounced dead. The girl's mother is a ministry leader at the church. More from Religion News Service
From Secrecy to Transparency What lifting pontifical secrecy for clergy abuse cases will change for victims 'This is a tremendous step forward in transparency' and for the rights of victims and the accused, said a veteran canon lawyer. More from Religion News Service
Endowment Questioned Despite whistleblower complaint, experts say IRS backlash to Mormon group unlikely Legal experts are skeptical the complaint will trigger an investigation from the IRS, and they note that the LDS church’s tradition of aggressive saving dates back decades. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Amy Grant was the soundtrack to our home-schooled teenage lives In my house, growing up, Amy Grant wasn’t a Christmas queen. She was just a queen, writes Tyler Huckabee. More from Religion News Service
Ecclesial Justice `Tsunami of cases’: Clergy abuse strains secretive tribunal The Vatican office responsible for processing clergy sex abuse complaints has seen a record 1,000 cases reported from around the world this year, including from countries it had not heard from before — suggesting that the worst may be yet to come in a crisis that has plagued the Catholic Church. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * As impeachment looms, evangelicals defend Trump but pass on debating the issues * Religious freedom watchdog, facing recent controversy, awaits reauthorization * Federal Bureau of Prisons loosens limits on Muslim inmates’ prayer
More views from RNS * When pastors were spies * Evangelism and religious supremacy * The SBC's same-sex abuse problem
Need to know: Thursday, December 19, 2019
Ethics Considered As impeachment looms, evangelicals defend Trump but pass on debating the issues Twenty-one years ago, when President Bill Clinton was impeached, evangelicals debated the substance of allegations against him. Far fewer evangelicals are speaking to the issues at the heart of the Trump impeachment. More from Religion News Service
Funding in Jeopardy Religious freedom watchdog, facing recent controversy, awaits reauthorization USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins told Religion News Service that the commissioners are satisfied with the current proposed language but all of them considered the earlier proposal to be 'very problematic.' More from Religion News Service
Prayer Request Accommodation Federal Bureau of Prisons loosens limits on Muslim inmates’ prayer The agency has issued new national guidelines recommending accommodation of group prayer for Muslim prisoners after a Muslim inmate’s lawsuit challenging restrictions at a Kentucky prison. More from Religion News Service
End of Long-Term Alliance Mormons pulling 400,000 youths out of struggling Boy Scouts On Jan. 1, the Utah-based faith will deliver the latest blow to the struggling organization when it pulls out more than 400,000 young people and moves them into a new global program of its own. More from Religion News Service
Opinion The SBC's same-sex abuse problem If our zeal for a biblical view of sexuality outshines our desire to protect the people in our churches, something has gone very, very wrong, writes Russell L. Meek. More from Religion News Service
Protests & Demonstrations What are the Indian protests about and how significant are they? The government has just passed a long-mooted law to fast-track citizenship applications for refugees from surrounding countries who are Hindu, Christian, Parsi, Jain or Buddhist – but not Muslim. More from The Guardian
Latest news from RNS * Pope Francis removes pontifical secrecy for sexual abuse cases * In this art gallery, conversations about religion and spirituality are welcome * Beatles music, Christmas story come together at suburban Chicago church
More views from RNS * Trump made us ask, again: Who are the Jews, anyway? * How persuasive is whistleblower's claim the LDS church is hiding wealth from the IRS? * A last-minute gift for the spiritual reader in your life
Need to know: Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Sacred Art In this art gallery, conversations about religion and spirituality are welcome Bridge Projects is a new gallery space that seeks to link art with spiritual and religious traditions. More from Religion News Service
Historic Shift Pope Francis removes pontifical secrecy for sexual abuse cases Pope Francis ushered in a new era of transparency and accountability for the Catholic Church by removing pontifical secrecy for cases of sexual abuse and cover-up, allowing lawful authorities to have access to reports, testimonies and documents. More from Religion News Service
'A Magical Mystery Tour' Beatles music, Christmas story come together at suburban Chicago church 'Let It Be Christmas: The Gospel according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, George and Ringo' sets the story of Jesus’ birth, which Christians celebrate at Christmas, to the music of the Beatles. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood How persuasive is whistleblower's claim the LDS church is hiding wealth from the IRS? It’s easy for me to believe that the LDS church is guilty of hoarding its wealth; it's harder to believe that it has been intentionally defrauding its members and the federal government, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Greta Thunberg, a prophet for Advent Thunberg has suffered the same scorn and attacks heaped on other prophets of hope by the powerful and rich, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Stockpiling Donations Mormon Church has misled members on $100 billion tax-exempt investment fund, whistleblower alleges A former investment manager alleges in a whistleblower complaint to the Internal Revenue Service that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has amassed about $100 billion in accounts intended for charitable purposes, according to a copy of the complaint obtained by The Washington Post. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Across India, opposition building against citizenship law * Former Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald sues radio host 'Mancow' * ‘The Two Popes’ promotes dialogue in a polarized Catholic Church and society
More views from RNS * Trump made us ask, again: Who are the Jews, anyway? * Congress must reauthorize religious freedom agency for prisoners of faith * A last-minute gift for the spiritual reader in your life
Need to know: Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Tolerance and Understanding ‘The Two Popes’ promotes dialogue in a polarized Catholic Church and society Held together by engaging writing and artful acting, the movie ‘The Two Popes’ offers an intimate look at the relationship between Pope Francis and Benedict XVI, delivering a powerful message about dialogue and mercy along the way. More from Religion News Service
Defamation Claims Former Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald sues radio host 'Mancow' Former Harvest Bible Chapel pastor James MacDonald is suing Chicago radio personality Erich ‘Mancow’ Muller for defamation after Muller used his radio show to — in the host’s words — ‘bring down the cult of MacDonald.’ More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed Keeping the longing for Christ in Christmas Advent, with its carols and holiday parties, may be the last vestige of a liturgical life lived in common. But even those who want to keep the Christ in Christmas forget that the season is about the hunger that we feel for the redeemed world, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood A last-minute gift for the spiritual reader in your life If you find yourself wondering, just days before Christmas, what gift to offer the Christian book-lover on your list . . . problem solved! I’ve got the perfect idea. You’re welcome, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Will young white evangelicals turn their backs on Trump? On social issues, younger evangelicals are drifting toward the center. But the data is mixed on whether they can stomach voting for anyone but the GOP, writes Ryan Burge. More from Religion News Service
Pontifical Secrecy Abolished Pope Francis issues sweeping sexual abuse reforms The pope has vowed zero tolerance for offenders, but victims of abuse want him to do more and make bishops who allegedly covered up the abuse accountable. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Who are Black Hebrew Israelites? * ‘You’ve got to call out evil,’ says pastor of church with Nativity scene separated in cages * Reform Jews call for reparations for slavery
More views from RNS * The stubborn faithfulness of liberal Mormons * Keeping the mystic, messianic faith of Star Wars' Skywalkers * Dear Democrats: Four religion requests from non-religious Americans
Need to know: Monday, December 16, 2019
Struggle and Hope The original ‘Blue Christmas’: New Advent resources focus on grief, justice before celebration A number of new Advent resources available this year admit a bleak midwinter spirit, drawing attention to grief and injustice. More from Religion News Service
Commitment to Justice Reform Jews call for reparations for slavery The resolution is the first such effort on the part of an American Jewish organization but has precedent among some Protestant groups. More from Religion News Service
'Faithful to Its Calling' ‘You’ve got to call out evil,’ says pastor of church with Nativity scene separated in cages Claremont United Methodist Church is taking security measures after its Nativity scene showing Jesus, Mary and Joseph as refugees in cages has garnered widespread attention. More from Religion News Service
Antithetical to Ideals Over 10,000 Christians petition Boston College to reject Koch grant More than 10,080 Christians have signed a petition urging officials at the Jesuit university to reject a potential donation from the Koch Foundation toward the school's political science department. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Keeping the mystic, messianic faith of Star Wars' Skywalkers It’s time once more to tell the old familiar story, set on the outskirts of an ancient and powerful empire, of a child born of a virgin and destined to save the world, writes Bob Smietana. More from Religion News Service
Close-Knit Community Hasidic Jews moved to Jersey City for a nicer life. They became targets. A deadly anti-Semitic attack on a Hasidic Jewish grocery store in New Jersey has pushed a tight-knit, deeply religious community into the national spotlight. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Who are Black Hebrew Israelites? * Charlie Kirk, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove float debate on Jesus and socialism at Liberty University think tank * China accuses US of double standards on anti-Muslim bigotry, counterterrorism
More views from RNS * The stubborn faithfulness of liberal Mormons * Dear Democrats: Four religion requests from non-religious Americans * How Christians of color in Colonial Virginia became 'black'
Need to know: Friday, December 13, 2019
Living Situations Study: Christians, Jews have smaller families, solo living and parenting styles The Pew Research Center study found that Muslims across the globe live in the biggest households. Christians fall in the middle. One in 10 Jews worldwide live alone. More from Religion News Service
Hypocrisy Accusations China accuses US of double standards on anti-Muslim bigotry, counterterrorism Chinese officials are seeking to turn the tables on the White House, accusing the U.S. of hypocrisy due to its own long history of anti-Muslim discrimination. More from Religion News Service
21st Century Pontiff Seven years in, pope's Twitter account garners success, criticism and comic mishaps Seven years ago, with a tap on an iPad, the pontificate was ushered into the world of social media, creating a new space for evangelization and papal communication. More from Religion News Service
Acts of Hate Official: Jersey City attack was 'fueled' by anti-Semitism "I can confirm that we're investigating this matter as potential acts of domestic terrorism fueled both by anti-Semitism and anti-law enforcement beliefs," said New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. More from Religion News Service
Opinion How Christians of color in Colonial Virginia became 'black' Although the British settlers imported Africans from the first as slaves, the earliest Virginians had yet to establish many of the basic rules regarding slavery, write Alejandro de la Fuente and Ariela Gross. More from Religion News Service
Gulf Widens Millennials are leaving religion and not coming back Millennials have earned a reputation for reshaping industries and institutions — shaking up the workplace, transforming dating culture, and rethinking parenthood. They’ve also had a dramatic impact on American religious life. More from FiveThirtyEight
Latest news from RNS * As the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe approaches, the Virgin Mary inspires community * Newseum closing but Religious Freedom Center programs to continue elsewhere * American Jews split over Trump executive order on combating anti-Semitism
More views from RNS * The stubborn faithfulness of liberal Mormons * Reforming USCIRF to death * Trump's anti-Semitism order is much ado about not much
Need to know: Thursday, December 12, 2019
Liberal and Conservative Lines American Jews split over Trump executive order on combating anti-Semitism Left-leaning Jews said the underlying purpose of the executive order was to stifle legitimate criticism of Israel and its policies toward Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. More from Religion News Service
Operations Continue Newseum closing but Religious Freedom Center programs to continue elsewhere The Freedom Forum Institute’s religious liberty programming dates to the 1990s, when the Newseum was housed in Rosslyn, Virginia. More from Religion News Service
Hope Through Hardship Luke Putney testifies to the healing power of music, helping others Aspiring musician Luke Putney hopes to help others while recovering from a brain tumor and stroke that left him unable to walk and play his guitar or bass. Earlier this fall, he walked a modified marathon — a mile a day for 26 days — to raise money for his charity, which helps provide funds for music therapy. More from Religion News Service
Annual Celebrations As the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe approaches, the Virgin Mary inspires community The Virgin of Guadalupe's feast day — according to Catholic teaching — marks the appearance of Mary to St. Juan Diego, an indigenous man, on a hill near Mexico City in 1531. More from Religion News Service
Opinion Reforming USCIRF to death Turning the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom into a federal bureaucracy will curtail its proven ability to act boldly and independently, writes Kristina Arriaga. More from Religion News Service
History of Hateful Comments Pastor who says Jews are going to hell speaks at Trump’s Hanukkah party President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at tackling anti-Semitism on college campuses on Wednesday ― but one of the speakers at the event has said that Jews are going to hell. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * In 'Hidden Life', Terrence Malick says freedom is won in standing up for beliefs * Official: Black nationalist link to Jersey shooting probed * Actor Mark Ruffalo blends film and faith-fueled activism in ‘Dark Waters’
More views from RNS * Trump's anti-Semitism order is much ado about not much * Postcards from the Protestant decline in America * To the Jews who applauded Trump
Need to know: Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Activism and Storytelling Actor Mark Ruffalo blends film and faith-fueled activism in ‘Dark Waters’ The actor said his own diverse faith background, not only motivated him to take on the starring role in "Dark Waters" and to produce the film, but it has also grounded his activism over the years. More from Religion News Service
Community Devotion ‘Mission accomplished’: How one woman built the mosque of her dreams in Vegas Four years after becoming the first woman to build a U.S. mosque, Masjid Ibrahim’s 74-year-old founder says she’s still amazed by the community she has created. More from Religion News Service
Extensive Crime Scene 6 people killed, including a police officer, in Jersey City shooting One officer was pronounced dead at a hospital, and three civilians and two gunmen died at a kosher supermarket, Police Chief Mike Kelly said at a news conference. More from Religion News Service
3-2 Vote North Dakota county votes to take limited number of refugees A North Dakota county on Monday voted to accept no more than 25 refugees next year, after initially signaling it would be the first to ban them since President Donald Trump ordered that states and counties should have the power to do so. More from Religion News Service
Flunking Sainthood Postcards from the Protestant decline in America A weekend trip to my hometown makes the statistics more personal (and painful): Only about one in five young adults were Protestant in 2018, compared to twice that when I was in high school, writes Jana Riess. More from Religion News Service
Divisive Order Trump to sign order aimed at combating anti-semitism on college campuses: report The order, which has already sparked backlash online, will effectively interpret Judaism as a race or national identity, The New York Times reported. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Pope Francis taps Filipino Cardinal to Vatican's evangelization powerhouse * For one Afghan activist, her burqa is the shield allowing her to denounce corruption, Trump * Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism
More views from RNS * To the Jews who applauded Trump * How the purity movement created a sense of shame in evangelical women * The new science of spiritual fortitude: The key to enduring faith
Need to know: Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Overseeing Catholic Missions Pope Francis taps Filipino Cardinal to Vatican's evangelization powerhouse In a surprise move, Pope Francis appointed Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines, as the head of Propaganda Fide, the major Vatican department for evangelization, and signaling a possible papal successor. More from Religion News Service
Condemning Injustice For one Afghan activist, her burqa is the shield allowing her to denounce corruption, Trump In a school in downtown Rome on Friday (Dec. 6), the “bravest woman in Afghanistan” spoke to students about her faith, the Trump administration and the difficult legacy of four decades of war in her home country. More from Religion News Service
Collapse During Ministry Head of Founders Ministries hospitalized The prominent Baptist conservative is said to be in stable condition after collapsing in front of his congregation on Sunday. More from Religion News Service
New Forms of Tourism Palestinians in Bethlehem look beyond religious tourism For decades, people in Bethlehem have watched as tour groups spend a few hours at the Church of the Nativity, the traditional birthplace of Jesus, and then return to Israel. More from Religion News Service
Religion Remixed The sin and self-care of Peloton Peloton isn’t to blame if our culture is obsessed with self-improvement or for the quasi-eroticization of ‘decadent’ self-care. It's just riding alongside, writes Tara Isabella Burton. More from Religion News Service
Citizenship Amendment Bill Concerns Protests erupt as India pushes for religion-based citizenship bill Hundreds of protesters took to the streets in India on Monday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government offered a controversial bill in parliament that would give citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from three neighboring countries. More from Reuters
Latest news from RNS * SMU sued as it moves to cut ties with United Methodist Church * Muhammad breaks into top 10 US baby names list in 2019 * Wheaton mental health summit remembers Jarrid Wilson's 'legacy of hope'
More views from RNS * The future of adoption is in a child's own community * Pelosi prays for Trump * The Great American Slumbering?
Need to know: Monday, December 9, 2019
Articles of Incorporation Change SMU sued as it moves to cut ties with United Methodist Church Southern Methodist University has moved to cut ties with the United Methodist Church after the denomination voted to strengthen rules barring LGBTQ members from marriage and ordination earlier this year. More from Religion News Service
U.S. Top Ten Muhammad breaks into top 10 US baby names list in 2019 The name, popular among Muslims as an act of devotion to honor Islam’s founder, has long been climbing parenting website BabyCenter’s annual list. This year, it made the cut. More from Religion News Service
GC2 Summit Wheaton mental health summit remembers Jarrid Wilson's 'legacy of hope' About 400 ministry leaders filled a sold-out auditorium at the Billy Graham Center for GC2: Facing Hard Truths and Challenges of Pastoral Ministry, focused on the topics of leadership, burnout and mental health. More from Religion News Service
'Fairness for All' Bill Republicans introduce bill to protect LGBTQ rights and religious freedom The ‘Fairness for All’ bill, introduced by Rep. Chris Stewart and eight other Republican legislators, is the culmination of a three-year effort to bridge the divide between LGBTQ people and religious conservatives. More from Religion News Service
Spiritual Politics Pelosi prays for Trump The question is not 'Why?,' but why the president would not grasp the well-known Christian concept, writes Mark Silk. More from Religion News Service
Protest Display Church nativity displays Jesus, Mary and Joseph in cages, separated at the border The nativity display from Claremont United Methodist Church, a suburban congregation east of Los Angeles, is raising both praise and ire for its depiction of the biblical story of Jesus’s family fleeing to Egypt in the context of controversial U.S. immigration policies. More from The Washington Post🔒
Latest news from RNS * Wheaton summit examines mental health and wellbeing for clergy * In Brazil, historic black lay Catholic 'brotherhoods' fight to survive * Pope Francis wants you to set up a Nativity scene to fight banal consumer Christmas
More views from RNS * The Great American Slumbering? * Why Nancy Pelosi doesn't hate the president and prays for him instead * Peter Singer on why we don't help the global poor and why we should
Need to know: Friday, December 6, 2019
Long-standing Tensions A student’s coming-out video goes viral, reigniting LGBTQ debate at Quaker school A viral video reveals longstanding clashes between George Fox University students and administrators regarding LGBTQ identities and relationships that intersect with bitter schisms among local Quakers. More from Religion News Service
Creche Creation Pope Francis wants you to set up a Nativity scene to fight banal consumer Christmas This year’s Christmas display incorporates fallen trees collected from more than 100,000 acres of land ravaged by a severe storm that hit northern Italy last year. More from Religion News Service
Advocate Arrested Egypt arrests Coptic community rights activist amid heightened surveillance measures Early on Nov. 23, plainclothes police arrived at the home of Ramy Kamel, a tailor and advocate for the Coptic community. Human rights groups have expressed alarm over Kamel's arrest and a renewed crackdown on activists and journalists in Egypt. More from Religion News Service
Annual Ceremony Los Angeles honors the unclaimed with an interfaith burial service Dozens of people gathered under blue tarps in the pouring rain Wednesday (Dec. 4) for an interfaith service honoring the unclaimed dead who were buried at the Los Angeles County Crematorium Cemetery. More from Religion News Service
Signs of the Times Why Nancy Pelosi doesn't hate the president and prays for him instead Even when she wants to impeach President Donald Trump, Pelosi says she doesn't hate him. Instead, she says, her Catholic faith teaches her to pray for him even if they disagree, writes Thomas Reese. More from Religion News Service
Public Warning Published Texas judge says Christian beliefs prevent her from conducting same-sex weddings A state judicial commission has reprimanded McLennan County’s Dianne Hensley for her stance. More from Huffpost
Latest news from RNS * Buffalo bishop resigns under fire for handling of misconduct * China blasts passage of US bill ordering sanctions over Uighur detention * Pope Francis welcomes refugees to a new life in Italy
More views from RNS * Peter Singer on why we don't help the global poor and why we should * Let the US Commission on International Religious Freedom expire * We honor the victims of mass killings equally. Why can't politicians and the press?