EDS: RNS-Vischer-Profile will not be transmitted today.
NEWS STORY
RNS-Niequist-Apology: Author Shauna Niequist apologizes for her silence following allegations against father, Bill Hybels
(RNS) — Popular Christian author Shauna Niequist has apologized for her silence following the allegations against her father, Bill Hybels, the founding pastor of suburban Chicago megachurch Willow Creek Community Church. Niequist spoke out about the allegations for the first time in a long Instagram caption posted Monday (Feb. 22) accompanying a simple image with the words “An apology.” By Emily McFarlan Miller. 850 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Palestinian-Council: Palestinian President Abbas gives Christians outsize voice in new legislature
(RNS) — Palestinian Christians are ambivalent about the quota, which would allow at least seven Christians with the most votes to sit on the council — a 5% representation for a group that comprises just 1% of the population of the occupied territories. By Daoud Kuttab. 530 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Rihanna-Ganesh: Rihanna’s Instagram pose with Ganesh earns criticism from Hindus
(RNS) — Having offended Muslims last fall with a lingerie fashion show that played sacred Islamic texts while models danced, the singer and CEO of Savage X Fenty posted topless Instagram photo wearing a pendant of a silver elephant representing the Hindu god Ganesh. Hindus in the U.S. and India took exception. By Paul O’Donell. 353 words. (category: a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Joker-Jesus: Why is a photo of Jared Leto dressed like the Joker and Jesus floating around?
(RNS) — An image of comic book villain the Joker dressed as Jesus Christ is making waves on social media, prompting questions about its origins and meaning. By Jack Jenkins. 404 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Sarah-Vatican: Pope Francis accepts resignation of conservative African cardinal
(RNS) – Pope Francis on Saturday accepted the resignation of Cardinal Robert Sarah, head of the Vatican department charged with overseeing worship and sacraments. He was among the last outspoken conservative prelates holding a position of influence at the Vatican. By Claire Giangravè. 550 words. (category: i)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Ali-Oped: End of religious headwear rule says athletes are more than their uniforms
(RNS) — It sometimes feels as if the only time we discuss Muslim women is when we are talking about objections to hijab, when that is just one part of multiple narratives. In the athletic world, this is what activist and journalist Shireen Ahmed called, in a 2016 article for The Daily Beast, reducing “an athlete to her outfit.” Hijab-wearing women are just stand-in, however, for women who suffer discrimination for Muslim dress. By Dilshad Ali. 988 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Salkin-Oped: Are you glad that Rush Limbaugh is dead?
(RNS) — When we participate in the politics of vitriol, we give tacit permission to our enemies to continue slinging their own verbal manure. If we feed crap into the system, let us not be surprised when it comes back at us. There is such a thing as civility, and as Americans, human beings, and religious people, it is our duty to embody it. By Jeffrey Salkin. 803 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Silk-Oped: Biden needs to restore Obama rule for faith-based organizations
(RNS) — Given what’s at stake for families, a federally funded faith-based provider should at minimum be required to notify and refer to an alternative provider anyone who has a religious objection to receiving its services. What else is the constitutional guarantee of religious liberty for? By Mark Silk. 684 words (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Henry-Oped: The impeachment trial that Black Americans saw
(RNS) — The verdict on Donald Trump’s impeachment is infuriating, but not surprising. Our republic is founded on white supremacy. If the Capitol is the citadel of democracy, as was often said last week, broken Black bodies are its mortar. It’s a fact of American life many Americans refuse to confess, and white supremacists’ wrongdoing has long been illegible in U.S. history. By Andre Henry. 788 words. (category: k)