NEWS STORY
RNS-George-Fox: A student’s coming-out video goes viral, reigniting LGBTQ debate at Quaker school
(RNS) — Viral videos of a student coming out as gay at George Fox University have sparked a wave of LGBTQ activism at the Quaker school, but students and alumni warn the college has a long history of clashing with LGBTQ students while navigating a simmering theological debate among Quakers in the Pacific Northwest. By Jack Jenkins. 2,274 words. (category: k)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Unclaimed-Dead: Los Angeles honors the unclaimed with interfaith burial service
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Dozens of people gathered under blue tents 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. The ceremony was held in remembrance of those 1,457 who died in 2016 and whose cremated remains have stayed in the county’s possession for three years. By Alejandra Molina. 605 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-VATICAN-CHRISTMAS: Pope Francis wants you to set up a Nativity scene to fight banal consumer Christmas
VATICAN CITY (RNS) — On Thursday (Dec. 5), the Vatican hosted a Christmas tree lighting ceremony ahead of the holidays, but it was the Nativity scene that stole the show. 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. By Claire Giangravé. 724 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Coptic-Activist: Egypt arrests Coptic community rights activist amid heightened surveillance measures
CAIRO (RNS) — 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. By Mina Nader and Jacob Wirtschafter. 1,448 words. (category: i)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Silk-Oped: Let the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom expire
(RNS) — On December 21, USCIRF will run out of funding. Originally devised to show up the Clinton administration, it now only serves to furnish Trump court evangelicals with a bully pulpit. By Mark Silk. 670 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Salkin-Oped: Anti-Semitism is a public health crisis
(RNS) — Let’s start treating Jew hatred the way we treated cigarette smoking. Make it taboo, through public service campaigns and celebrity example. By Jeffrey Salkin. 1,100 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Camosy-Oped: Peter Singer on why we don’t help the global poor and why we should
(RNS) — ‘To live an ethical life it’s not enough to refrain from lying, stealing or killing,’ says the renowned bioethicist in a Q&A. ‘We have to assist people who lack the necessities they need to survive.’ By Charles C. Camosy. 1,300 words. (category: k)
