EDS: RNS-French-Boxers will not transmit today.
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Quraishi-Judge: Zahid Quraishi confirmed by Senate as first Muslim federal judge in US history
(RNS) —The United States Senate on Thursday made history in confirming the first ever presidentially appointed Muslim American judge to a federal court. Zahid Quraishi was confirmed by a vote of 81-16 and awaits judicial confirmation before assuming his post with the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. By Joseph Hammond. 400 words. (category a)
NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Muslims-Hollywood: Riz Ahmed Launches New Effort Seeks To Increase Muslims in Hollywood
Los Angeles (RNS) —Hollywood star Riz Ahmed has launched a new initiative met to increase the representation of Muslim actors and other creative workers in Hollywood. While the Emmy-winning and recently Oscar nominated actor is leading the effort he is joined by some of Hollywood’s leading Muslim stars in supporting the new grant program. By Joseph Hammond. 400 words. (category a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-SBC-Review: Southern Baptist Executive Committee hires Guidepost Solutions to review Moore allegations
(RNS) — The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee has hired an outside firm to review allegations that it mishandled claims of abuse and mistreated abuse survivors. By Bob Smietana. 450 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Liberty-Talent: Liberty grad Nightbirde captures hearts, Golden Buzzer on ‘America’s Got Talent’
(RNS) — Jane Marczewski’s performance of her original song “It’s OK” won her the coveted Golden Buzzer from TV’s toughest judge, Simon Cowell, earlier this week on the NBC show “America’s Got Talent,” seding the singer, who performs as Nightbirde, straight through from the pre-taped auditions to the live shows later this season. What fans of the popular show may not realize is that it also came from a place of deep faith. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 800 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Bishops-Survey: What Catholic bishops are actually saying about denying Communion to politicians
(RNS) — RNS reached out to more than 180 U.S. Catholic bishops to determine their thinking ahead of the upcoming Spring meeting, where the clerics are slated to discuss the Eucharist amid ongoing debate over whether to deny Communion to Catholic politicians who back abortion rights. By Jack Jenkins, Claire Giangravè, and Alejandra Molina. 1,383 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Marx-Resignation: German Cardinal’s resignation, refused by pope, reinvigorates church reform
VATICAN CITY (RNS) – News of Cardinal Reinhard Marx’s resignation, which was rejected by Pope Francis on Thursday, sent shockwaves through the Vatican and surprised lay organizers of the controversial Synodal Path in Germany who view the prelate as their champion for church reform. By Claire Giangravè. 1200 words. (category i)
NEWS STORY
RNS-SBC-Advance: Southern Baptists to consider at least three proposals on critical race theory at annual meeting
(RNS) — An innocuous-sounding and nonbinding statement adopted by Southern Baptists who attended their 2019 annual meeting has contributed to a fierce battle over critical race theory, an academic theory about systemic racism. The debate is expected to continue at the next meeting, where new statements on the subject have been proposed. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,150 words.
NEWS STORY
RNS-Yoga-Brown: Will yoga classes in public school lead kids to convert?
(RNS) — As soon as Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill lifting the state’s 30-year ban on teaching yoga in the public schools last month, the critics began weighing in. Some said yoga classes might lead students to convert to Hinduism. Others suggested it was a way to sneak religion into the classroom. Indiana University Professor of Religious Studies Candy Gunther Brown answers burning questions parents may have about the Eastern physical discipline and whether it passes a constitutional test. By Yonat Shimron. 1,250 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Davie-Oped: Putting Black at the center of interfaith
(RNS) — Interfaith coalitions have long taken up racial justice causes, most famously in the civil rights movements of the ’60s, and New York’s is one of literally hundreds of similar gatherings I have attended in my life as a Black Christian minister. Yet, interfaith organizations themselves have often not taken racial equity work seriously. By Frederick A. Davie. 593 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Cross-Oped: If we’re rescinding Southern Baptist history, let’s undo our link to the Confederacy
(RNS) — Have Southern Baptists ever before rescinded a resolution passed in a prior annual meeting? The answer is no. If we’re going to go back to rescind one resolution, in fact, there are others more egregious than Resolution 9 that we should examine. By Alan Cross. 1,297 words. (category: k)
