NEWS STORY
RNS-RFRA-Ruling: Federal judge accepts religious liberty defense of immigrant rights activists
(RNS) – An Arizona federal district court has reversed the conviction of four faith-based volunteers who were fined and put on probation for aiding migrants at the border, arguing that the activists were simply exercising their “sincerely held religious beliefs.” By Jack Jenkins. 600 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Barber-BlackCaucus: Activist William Barber II urges blacks in Congress to mobilize poor voters
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The Rev. William Barber II brought his message about supporting the poor to the Capitol, urging an “emergency convening” hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus to mobilize those with low wealth to vote in the upcoming election. By Adelle M. Banks. 500 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Muslim-Hackathon: Muslim hackathon event aims to increase access to Islamic learning
LONDON (RNS) – 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. Organizers say their aim is to use technology to close the gaps in access to traditional Islamic learning, and help local Muslim programmers use their skills to help their community. By Aysha Khan. 1,000 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Reese-Oped: McCarrick report: Questions needing answers
(RNS) — The Vatican is getting ready to release a report on former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was found to have sexually abused minors and slept with seminarians. The report, mandated by Pope Francis, will need to be detailed and comprehensive if it is going to satisfy the public’s demand for more transparency in the church. By Thomas Reese. 1,101 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Schenck-Oped: The four loves (of New York Life)
(RNS) — At one level, I should be grateful that an insurance company with deep enough pockets to afford a Super Bowl ad has added a nuanced definition of love to the public conversation. Yet it was New York Life’s definition of agape that caused my initial excitement to morph into “Stay in your lane, you behemoth, soulless insurance company!” By Tim Schenck. 842 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Sutton-Oped: Kanye, Flame and Augustine: Hip-hop and the conversion narrative
(RNS) — Hip-hop provides a space and community for marginalized individuals to compose and perform their conversion stories. Composing a conversion story through the conventions of hip-hop may be more accessible (and more meaningful) to some individuals than telling the same story through written communication. By A. Trevor Sutton. 973 words. (category: k)
