NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Buddhist-Fundraiser: More than $50,000 raised for vandalized Los Angeles Buddhist temple
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — More than $50,000 has been raised in the time span of a day for a Buddhist temple in the Little Tokyo area of downtown Los Angeles that was vandalized late last week. By Alejandra Molina. 455 words. (category: a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Sermon-WivesWeight: Pastor resigns as moderator of General Baptist meeting after sermon on wives’ weight
(RNS) — Stewart-Allen Clark, pastor of the First General Baptist Church in Malden, Missouri, is seen in video clips of a Feb. 21 sermon questioning the appearance of women after they marry their husbands. General Baptist officials stated in a Monday (March 1) Facebook post that Clark had been scheduled to be the moderator of the General Association of General Baptists meeting in July 2022. “He has resigned from that position,” the post reads. By Adelle M. Banks. 400 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Israel-NonOrthodox: Israel’s high court broadens acceptance of non-Orthodox Jews, setting up political battle
JERUSALEM (RNS) — An order by Israel’s high court requiring the government to allow those who converted to non-Orthodox Judaism in Israel to become citizens has elicited strong support from Reform and Conservative Jews and condemnation from Orthodox rabbis and lawmakers. By Michele Chabin. 471 words. (category: i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Catholic-Education: Catholic schools’ push for in-person learning counters record enrollment drop
(RNS) — In the midst of a health crisis that has led many public school systems around the country to go completely virtual or offer sometimes rocky in-person and online hybrids, Catholic educators speculate cautiously about their success in opening and staying open as a potential lifeline after years of decline. By Elizabeth E. Evans. 833 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-16thStreet-Photographers: Dozens of houses of worship on one DC street featured in 9-year photo project
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A decade ago, photographer pals Joel Hoffman and Roy Sewall made a pact to start a project capturing images along 16th Street, the iconic boulevard that stretches from the White House to the Maryland border. Little did they know, back in 2011, that it would turn into a nine-year adventure that features dozens of houses of worship as well as homes, embassies and other buildings. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,150 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Pope-Iraq: Pope Francis to visit Iraq despite safety, Covid concerns
(RNS) – Despite safety concerns tied to recent terrorist attacks and Covid-19, plans for Pope Francis’ historic visit to Iraq this weekend push ahead, with the hope of promoting peaceful coexistence and fraternity in the struggling Mideastern country. By Claire Giangravè. 1000 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-USCCB-Vaccine: Bishops discourage Catholics from using Johnson & Johnson vaccine if given a choice
(RNS) — Leaders at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are discouraging Catholics from using the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine if given a choice, citing the use of cells with a distant link to abortion in the development of the vaccine. By Jack Jenkins. 609 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Conservative-Methodists: Conservative United Methodists announce new name, logo, website for planned denomination
(RNS) — Conservative United Methodists have chosen a name for the denomination they plan to form if a proposal to split the United Methodist Church is successful: The Global Methodist Church. They unveiled the new name, logo and website days after it was once again postponing the May 2020 meeting that was set to consider that proposal. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 600 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Reese-Oped: Workers deserve a living wage, not just a minimum wage
(RNS) — For over a century, Catholic social teaching has advocated not for a minimum wage but for a living wage for workers, but sadly, the U.S. Congress cannot even increase the minimum wage because of parliamentary rules and Republican opposition. By Thomas Reese. 698 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Burton-Oped: Mr. Potato Head becomes woke capitalism’s hot potato
(RNS) — The toy company Hasbro’s minor rebranding of Mr. Potato Head to the more gender-neutral Potato Head was swiftly greeted by Twittering conservatives as another Horseman of the Cultural Apocalypse: woke progressives so intent on abolishing the gender construct that not even a beloved children’s toy could be allowed to retain his title. The drama over Potato Head’s gender is a reminder that the ‘culture wars’ are now profitable. By Tara Isabella Burton. 641 words. (category: k)