NEWS STORY
RNS-David-French: David French on Christian nationalism and evangelicals’ existential angst
(RNS) — David French, the conservative evangelical writer and Never-Trumper said he was shocked by the Capitol insurrection on Jan. 6. In the days afterward, he penned a series of commentaries for the conservative outlet, The Dispatch, where is senior editor, reflecting on Christian nationalism, patriotism and the roots of Christian rage. He talked to RNS about what he sees as the biggest danger to American public life. By Yonat Shimron. 1,500 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS- Breakfast-Preview: National Prayer Breakfast organizers hope prayer can unify nation in divided times
(RNS) — Despite controversy and a pandemic, the National Prayer Breakfast will be held Thursday. Rather than a large scale, in person gathering, the breakfast will be streamed online, with a series of prerecorded segments. Organizers say the event promotes the common power of faith, not Christian nationalism. By Bob Smietana. 640 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Church-Vaccines: Churches in working class Los Angeles neighborhoods urge leaders to ‘bring the vaccine to the people’
(RNS) — After months of performing funerals for parishioners in hard-hit areas of the pandemic, a group of religious leaders and organizers in the Los Angeles area are urging county officials to focus on vaccinating residents in neighborhoods that need it the most — areas like El Monte, South Central L.A., Boyle Heights and Pacoima — where Latino and Black residents, many who are essential workers, have been hard hit by the virus. And they have a plan to do it. By Alejandra Molina. 877 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Ancient-Cloth: ‘Royal’ purple fabric found in Israel dates to days of David and Solomon
JERUSALEM (RNS) –Researchers from the Israel Antiquities Authority, Bar Ilan University and Tel Aviv University said they had identified pieces of fabric dyed “true purple” dating to the 10th century BCE, when David and Solomon ruled in Jerusalem, according to the Hebrew Bible. Direct carbon dating revealed that the fabrics harken back to about 1,000 BCE. By Michele Chabin. 839 words. (category: i)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Schenck-Oped: How evangelicals’ fundraising by demonization fed Capitol violence
(RNS) — Too many fellow preachers, jacked up on their cultural spite, aren’t producing the peacemakers Jesus blessed in his Sermon on the Mount. Instead, they’ve spawned a new breed of sanctimonious warriors, and we saw their fruits on the Capitol steps last month. By Rob Schenck. 525 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Silk-Oped: Jewish leaders need to step up on climate change
(RNS) — Environmentalism was put on the Jewish communal agenda three decades ago, but local community relations committees have never found a model for advocating for the natural world as they have for human needs. The leaders of the Jewish establishment need to step in to provide a way to move forward. By Mark Silk. 760 words. (category: k)