NEWS STORY
RNS-Mormon-Huntsman: Mormon leaders accused of fraud and misusing tithes in lawsuit
(RNS) — A former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is suing the church, claiming that LDS leaders diverted millions of dollars in donations to commercial projects rather than charitable work. By Bob Smietana. 400 words. (categories: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Colorado-Shooting: Colorado shooting suspect had worried about being targeted for his Muslim faith, acquaintances say
(RNS) — Interviews with Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa’s siblings and former classmates, and previous statements Alissa appeared to make on Facebook, paint a man who had violent confrontations with his wrestling teammates and who worried about being targeted due to his Muslim faith. His family also said he suffered from mental health issues. By Alejandra Molina. 600 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Vaccine-Moore: Faith and the COVID-19 vaccine: ‘Don’t throw away your shot’
(RNS) — To explore what American clergy are doing to support the vaccine effort, Rabbi Julie Schonfeld, the former CEO of the Conservative Jewish movement’s Rabbinical Assembly and now a master’s candidate at the City University of New York’s School of Public Health, is interviewing a series of faith leaders. Schonfeld talked recently with Pastor Clarence C. Moore, senior pastor of the New Era Church in Indianapolis. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. By Julie Schonfeld. 1,334 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Black-Nones: Black ‘nones’: most believe in God or higher power; fewer attend religious services
(RNS) — The vast majority of African Americans who are religiously unaffiliated say they believe in God or some other kind of higher power, the Pew Research Center reports. About half of Black “nones” say they pray at least monthly but far fewer attend religious services. By Adelle M. Banks. 500 words. (category: a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Session-Canceled: United Methodist bishops cancel virtual special session of General Conference
(RNS) — The special session in May was meant to allow delegates to suspend the rules to allow the use of mail-in ballots to keep the denomination running through its postponed General Conference meeting in 2022. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 500 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Hatmaker-QA: Progressive Christian author Jen Hatmaker cancels cancel culture in new book ‘Simple & Free’
(RNS) — “Simple & Free: 7 Experiments Against Excess,” releases March 23, and Jen Hatmaker hopes it will not only show how she has changed, but also free readers to do the same. The book is a re-release of her most popular title “7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess,” which was put out of print after she announced she was LGBTQ-affirming. The new edition includes not only a new title, but new notes throughout sharing new research and how Hatmaker has changed her mind on other issues since the book first released 10 years ago. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 1,500 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-PRRI-LGBTQ: Study: Americans overwhelmingly support LGBTQ nondiscrimination laws
(RNS) — The 2020 American Values Atlas study from PRRI finds that 76% of Americans favor laws that would protect LGBTQ people from discrimination in jobs, housing and public accommodations. And every religious group polled — including white evangelicals — said they supported LGBTQ nondiscrimination laws by at least 60%. By Yonat Shimron. 550 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Pope-Syria: Pope Francis’ visit to Iraq inspired “great hope” for Syrians
(RNS) – Pope Francis’ apostolic visit to Iraq in March was received as a symbol of hope by the neighboring population in Syria, which just entered its 10th year of war exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Catholic envoys and charity workers. By Claire Giangravè. 700 words. (category c)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Gehring-Oped: It’s the Vatican’s LGBTQ theology that is ‘disordered’
(RNS) — A new Vatican statement that has provoked widespread criticism for sharply rejecting the blessing of same-sex unions is the latest example of why it’s hard for many people to take the Catholic Church’s own professed values of equality and dignity seriously. By John Gehring. 759 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Riess-Oped: What the LDS church wants to know from young adult Mormons
(RNS) — This is valuable information for me as a researcher who studies young adult Mormons. And frankly, it’s also valuable to me as a rank-and-file member of the church, just to see what the church wants to know and what changes are being floated as possibilities for our future. By Jana Riess. 1,020 words. (category: k)