NEWS STORY
RNS-Koch-Petition: Over 10,000 Christians petition Boston College to reject Koch grant
BOSTON (RNS) – More than 10,000 Christians have signed a petition urging officials at Boston College to reject a major donation from the Koch Foundation toward the Jesuit university’s political science department. By Aysha Khan. 668 words. (category: a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Socialism-Debate: Charlie Kirk, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove float debate on Jesus and socialism at Liberty University
(RNS) – Conservative Christian Charlie Kirk and progressive pastor Rev. Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove may square off soon at a proposed debate to be hosted by the new Falkirk Center for Faith and Liberty at Liberty University. The topic: Is Jesus a socialist? By Jack Jenkins. 434 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Political-Nativities: ’You’ve got to call out evil,’ says pastor of church of Nativity scene separated in cages
CLAREMONT, Calif. (RNS) — Claremont United Methodist Church on Saturday erected a life-size Nativity scene showing the Holy Family as refugees separated in cages. The church has received a slew of negative emails, and for safety purposes, a local police car has been stationed outside the church. People are also stopping by to reflect at the site. This Nativity is one of many others that have taken a stand on social justice. By Alejandra Molina and Aysha Khan. 1007 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Hebrew-Israelites: Who are Black Hebrew Israelites?
(RNS) – Law enforcement officials have tied a suspect in a recent mass shooting at a kosher supermarket in Jersey City, New Jersey to the Black Hebrew Israelite movement. But who exactly are Black Hebrew Israelites? By Jack Jenkins. 950 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-URJ-Reparations: Reform Jews call for reparations for slavery
(RNS) — Delegates to the Union for Reform Judaism’s biennial meeting in Chicago on Friday (Dec. 13), voted overwhelmingly to advocate for the creation of a federal commission to study and develop proposals for reparations to African Americans for slavery. By Yonat Shimron. 500 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Mehta-Oped: Dear Democrats: four religious requests from non-religious Americans
(RNS) — While by no means our only matter of concern, toning down talk of faith in politics would show some respect to what is rapidly becoming the largest “religious” group in the country. By Hemant Mehta. 820 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Smietana-Oped: Keeping the mystic, messianic faith of Star Wars’ Skywalkers
(RNS) — 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. Jesus? No: Anakin Skywalker. By Bob Smietana. 1,045 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Riess-Oped: The stubborn faithfulness of liberal Mormons
(RNS) — Liberal Mormons aren’t clamoring for women’s rights or LGBTQ equality because we oppose the church; we do so because we took the church at its word. By Jana Riess. 800 words. (category: k)
