RNS Opening Budget — Monday, June 21, 2021

Religion News Service

June 21, 2021 at 11:10 a.m. ET

NEWS STORY
RNS-Lutheran-Secretary: Lutheran World Federation elects first female general secretary to lead global communion
(RNS) — The Rev. Anne Burghardt, an Estonian theologian, was chosen Saturday (June 19) by the LWF Council as the next general secretary of the federation, which includes 148 denominations in the Lutheran tradition around the globe. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 500 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Vatican-Chevron: Vatican activists join efforts to hold big oil accountable on climate change
(RNS) – Young entrepreneurs inspired by Pope Francis took part in the effort by climate activists to hold Big Oil accountable in the fight against climate change. By Claire Giangravè. 1,000 words (category i)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Marvel-Loki: Marvel’s Loki wins heathens’ hearts even while losing the Norse immortal’s complexity
(RNS) — Loki, Thor, Odin and others are still a vibrant part of modern heathenry, a group of religions that derive their practice from the ancient Norse ways. To modern heathens, Marvel’s characters are not simply “all-powerful superheroes,” but thriving gods. 1,130 words. (category: a)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Salkin-Oped: The holy war against President Biden
(RNS) — From this Jewish vantage point, it seems foolish to deny access to the body of Christ to the most visible Catholic political leader in the world. This is especially true because to deny him communion is a blatantly political act that smacks of inconsistency at best and hypocrisy at worst. By Jeffrey Salkin. 738 words. (category: k)

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1	news Willy Rice, Florida pastor and abuse crisis skeptic, elected SBC president
2	news Defense Department rejiggers list of recognized religions after backlash, narrows it to 30
3	news Southern Baptists pass a ban on women pastors again. This time, they hope it sticks.
4	news The country’s largest Protestant adoption agency is dropping LGBTQ couples — again
5	opinion I was a pagan in the military before we were recognized. We're going back.

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