NEWS STORY
RNS-Northern-Ireland: As Brexit stirs tensions, Northern Irish clergy reprise peacekeeping roles
(RNS) — Memories of Northern Ireland’s Troubles were already stirred up by the approaching 100th anniversary of Ulster’s partition from the rest of the country. Now Brexit negotiations over the province’s trade status has faith leaders on both sides of the “peace walls” acting to stop the resurgence of sectarian violence. By Christine Luby. 870 words. (category: i)
COMMENTARY
RNS-May-Wells-Oped: Mormon excommunication was not designed to happen this way, say scholars
(RNS) — On Sunday, local Latter-day Saint leaders in Kansas held a disciplinary hearing to determine the fate of Natasha Helfer, a licensed sex-therapist, who was being tried for her views on pornography, same-sex relations and masturbation. Helfer has since been excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.As scholars who specialize in religion and law, particularly regarding the history of church discipline and religious liberalism in the United States, we feel that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not honoring the spirit of the protections its founder provided for the accused. By Isaac Barnes May and Samuel S. Wells. 1,112 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Baggett-Oped: Liberty University’s lawsuit against Falwell is an admission of guilt.
(RNS) — To read the lawsuit Liberty University brought against Jerry Falwell, Jr. you might get the impression that the evangelical Christian school’s board fell prey to a master manipulator. But the stronger the evangelical school’s board make its case about Falwell’s misbehavior, the more the people charged with reining in Falwell incriminate themselves. By Marybeth Davis Baggett. 950 words. (category: k)