NEWS STORY
RNS-REFUGEE-CHANGES: Refugee processing system disappears data on religion as fewer persecuted Christians admitted to U.S.
(RNS) — The State Department no longer is making publicly available a number of statistics about refugees admitted into the United States, including their religious affiliations. By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins. 650 words. (categories: a, i)
NEWS STORY
SBC-Names: SBC seminary keeps slaveholder names on buildings, starts Black scholarship fund
(RNS) — The flagship seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention has decided to maintain the names of campus buildings named for founders with connections to slavery and create a multimillion-dollar scholarship fund for African American students. By Adelle M. Banks. 700 words. (category: a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-OSMOND-WEDDING: ‘Give Me My Colored Coat’: Donny Osmond performs wedding in amazing technicolor dreamcoat
(RNS) — For a wedding ceremony performed by “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” star Donny Osmond, not just any robe will do. Osmond posted on Facebook Monday (Oct. 13) he performed a wedding over the weekend for his friends Todd and Rachel Salmon — wearing the “dreamcoat” he donned as Joseph in the popular musical. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 324 words
COMMENTARY
RNS-MERRITT-OPED: How will the post-pandemic church pay the bills?
(RNS) — According to a study by Barna Group, 65% of American churches have seen a decrease in contributions during the pandemic and a staggering 1 in 5 churches may be forced to close their doors in the next 18 months. To survive, one expert believes, churches will need to develop alternative sources of revenue that leverage their buildings in new ways. By Jonathan Merritt. 1,540 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Riess-Oped: 10 years after Elder Packer’s anti-LGBT talk, have Mormons turned the corner on gay rights?
(RNS) — The church has changed a great deal in the decade since apostle Boyd K. Packer ignited a firestorm with his widely criticized General Conference talk, “Cleansing the Inner Vessel.” As I watched General Conference last weekend, I realized that almost no mention was made of LGBT issues. But the evolution has not been a linear process. By Jana Riess. 1,300 words. (category: k)