Texas
State Rep. James Talarico: Christian nationalism in Texas is an ‘oxymoron’
By Jack Jenkins — May 10, 2023
(RNS) — ‘I think my fellow Christians and I have a moral obligation to speak out against this growing Christo-fascist movement,’ Talarico said.
Breakaway Texas UMC megachurch reveals plans for new Methodist denomination
By BeLynn Hollers and Emily McFarlan Miller — May 9, 2023
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (RNS) — White’s Chapel plans to invite others to join the Methodist Collegiate Church once its disaffiliation is approved by Central Texas United Methodists next month.
In rural Texas, spending taxpayer money on private schools is a hard sell
By BeLynn Hollers — April 25, 2023
TYLER, Texas (RNS) — Gov. Greg Abbott has been barnstorming his state, trying to convince parents in rural areas to support his education savings accounts, a form of school vouchers.
In Texas, Republicans push bills aimed at enhancing faith’s role in school
By Jack Jenkins — April 24, 2023
(RNS) — Cantor Sheri Allen, co-founder of the Jewish congregation Makom Shelanu, called the bills a “blatant violation of the separation of church and state.”
Minaret Foundation improves the lives of Texas Muslims by looking outward
By Kyle Desrosiers — March 31, 2023
(RNS) — Shariq Abdul Ghani founded the organization with the idea that the best way to serve Houston's Muslim community was to collaborate with leaders of other faiths and find partners in both political parties to find common ground.
Our moral imagination continues to be put to death in the execution chamber
By Jeff Hood — March 9, 2023
(RNS) — Today, I am scheduled to watch Arthur Brown Jr. die. I mourn for more than him.
When they came for the books …
By Jeffrey Salkin — February 10, 2023
(RNS) — Florida lately has become more known for book bannings than its sunlight.
Faith-based groups on border unswayed after lawmakers’ call to investigate them
By Alejandra Molina — December 22, 2022
(RNS) — ‘The gospel compels us to do so. If that’s unpopular with certain members of Congress, so be it,’ said Anthony Granado with Catholic Charities USA.
Religious liberty concerns raised as Texas governor seeks to investigate groups helping migrants
By Alejandra Molina — December 15, 2022
(RNS) — ‘The reality is that the majority of the work that is done on the border, the humanitarian work, the reception of refugees and migrants, is done by faith-based organizations,’ said Dylan Corbett, executive director of Hope Border Institute.
Texas megachurch White’s Chapel departs UMC to anchor new Methodist ‘college’
By BeLynn Hollers and Emily McFarlan Miller — November 18, 2022
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (RNS) — 'We want to work together, and we want to be a healing agent between all of Methodism,' said the Rev. John McKellar, co-pastor of White’s Chapel.
Ahead of midterms, faith plays central role in Republican efforts to win Latino votes
By Alejandra Molina — October 31, 2022
(RNS) — Pew Research Center data looking at 2022 midterm election preferences of Latinos shows that some of the sharpest differences in candidate choice are by religion.
Man convicted in death of Texas agency’s 1st Sikh deputy
By Associated Press — October 18, 2022
HOUSTON (AP) — A jury took less than 30 minutes before finding Robert Solis, 50, guilty.
Texas executes inmate who fought prayer, touch rules
By Juan A. Lozano and Michael Graczyk — October 5, 2022
(RNS) — John Henry Ramirez challenged state prison rules that prevented his pastor from touching him and praying aloud during his execution, saying his religious freedom was being violated.
Her own trauma showed Yolonda Blue Horse how Indigenous Americans can overcome history
By Benjamin Spratt and Joshua Stanton — September 27, 2022
(RNS) — Discriminated against after the death of her child, the Lakota Sioux leader realized that Native Americans have to stand up and be counted.
For the lockdown generation, prayer is merely code for inaction
By Bekah McNeel — September 20, 2022
(RNS) — Gun violence is in the air Americans breathe, and like air, I knew Texas’ response to what happened in Uvalde would be neither solid nor substantial.
