NEWS STORY
RNS-Parishes-Reopen: For this L.A. Catholic church, meeting indoors is ‘historic’ after weathering wave of COVID-19 deaths
SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (RNS) — St. Anthony Catholic Church parishioners broke into applause.It was their first time congregating inside their sanctuary and were eager and excited to get Sunday Mass started — at full capacity and without social distance restrictions — after more than a year of COVID-19 closures that last March shut down churches, businesses and schools across the nation. By Alejandra Molina. 1,000 words.
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)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Anyabwile-Onwuchekwa-Oped: We need a better strategy to plant Black and brown churches
(RNS) — We have a tremendous example to emulate. For whether burdened with the restrictions of slavery and segregation or blessed with the opportunities of Emancipation, Black Christians sought freedom to plant gospel-preaching, neighbor-loving, justice-seeking churches among the poor across the land. We should join that work today. By Thabiti Anyabwile, John Onwuchekwa. 2,060 words. (category: k)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Randall-Oped: This is no time to build back to the way things were
(RNS) — Right now, as the recovery effort begins in earnest, we are presented with a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drastically change the wellbeing of millions of Americans. The pandemic laid bare some of our largest flaws as a nation — our recovery can serve as an opportunity to address those flaws and create something better. By Diane Randall. 724 words. (category: k)