NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Fauci-Award: Dr. Anthony Fauci Named 2021 Humanist of the Year
(RNS) — On July 1, the American Humanist Association (AHA) named Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. the 2021 Humanist of the Year for embodying humanist values while leading the global fight against COVID-19. “If there was ever an appropriate humanist of the year, he is it,” said AHA Executive Director Roy Speckhardt. By Kathryn Post. 650 words. (category: a)
NEWS-BRIEF
RNS-Hilton-Uyghur: Hilton hotel to be built atop demolished Uyghur mosque
(RNS) — The Hilton international hotel chain is under fire for constructing a hotel on top of a bulldozed mosque in China’s Xinjiang province. The property is currently under construction and CAIR has launched a campaign in protest of the effort. 450 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Vatican-Lebanon: Pope Francis urges political leaders in Lebanon to overcome partisan interests
(RNS) – Pope Francis shone a light on the troubled country of Lebanon, currently faced with deep economic, social and political unrest, during an ecumenical day of prayer at the Vatican on Thursday, calling its political leaders to set aside self interest for the benefit of the country. By Claire Giangravè. 900 words. (category i)
NEWS-STORY
RNS-Lucia-Doctrine: Catholic bishop of Syracuse decries Doctrine of Discovery, suggests pope do the same
(RNS) — The Catholic bishop of Syracuse, New York, is speaking out against the Doctrine of Discovery and revealing plans to ask Pope Francis to repudiate theological teachings used for centuries to justify the subjugation of Indigenous peoples. By Jack Jenkins. 1,450 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-SummerSoul-Movie: Documentary depicts gospel music as therapy at 1960s’ Harlem Cultural Festival
(RNS) — The little-known Harlem Cultural Festival is the subject of a new documentary that displays the embrace of music in general — and gospel music in particular — by artists who took to the stage and hundreds of thousands who attended it over six weeks in 1969. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,000 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Kwong-Letter: An open letter protests Christian politicians’ anti-Asian rhetoric
(RNS) — An English professor in New York City has published an open letter with over 700 signatories calling on Christian politicians to personally repent of racism. 740 words (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Krasner-Guns: How Larry Krasner is teaming with Philadelphia’s faith community to tackle a tide of gun violence
(RNS) — Larry Krasner, the defense-attorney-turned-reform-minded-prosecutor who won a decisive victory in last month’s Democratic primary in a city which largely votes Democratic, said in a statement to RNS that he regards the faith community as a key player in addressing gun violence. By Elizabeth E. Evans. 1,123 words. (catgory: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Shafner-Oped: As Catholics mull Biden’s abortion stance, Jews should look again at their support
(RNS) — Judaism, as it happens, is overwhelmingly about responsibilities, not “rights.” And one such responsibility is the protection, in most cases, of fetuses. There may be rare cases where those responsibilities are superseded by other concerns, but, put starkly, it is almost always Jewishly wrong to end even a potential life. By Avi Shafran. 886 words. (category: k)