RNS Budget Open — Monday, August 30, 2021

NEWS STORY RNS-Gods-Diplomats: New book ‘God’s Diplomats’ unveils the secret history of Vatican diplomacy (RNS) – In a new book, ‘God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy and America’s Armageddon,’ journalist and foreign relations expert Victor Gaetan unveils the inner workings of the Holy See’s diplomatic efforts, which increasingly have clashed with the United States’ foreign […]

NEWS STORY
RNS-Gods-Diplomats: New book ‘God’s Diplomats’ unveils the secret history of Vatican diplomacy
(RNS) – In a new book, ‘God’s Diplomats: Pope Francis, Vatican Diplomacy and America’s Armageddon,’ journalist and foreign relations expert Victor Gaetan unveils the inner workings of the Holy See’s diplomatic efforts, which increasingly have clashed with the United States’ foreign policy. By Claire Giangravè. 1300 words. (category i)

NEWS STORY
RNS-March-Washington: MLK’s family, Rev. Al Sharpton address voting fights, filibuster at Washington marchWASHINGTON (RNS) — The granddaughter and son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the National Mall where their forebear keynoted the March on Washington 58 years ago and advocated for improved voting rights across the nation. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,100 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Darling-Fired: NRB spokesman Dan Darling fired after pro-COVID vaccine statements on Morning Joe(RNS)  — Daniel Darling, spokesman for the National Religious Broadcasters, a prominent evangelical group representing Christian television and radio stations, was fire after making pro-vaccine statements on a cable news show and in USA Today. Darling, an evangelical pastor and author, encouraged his fellow evangelicals to get a COVID-19 vaccine. By Bob Smietana 1,275 words. (categories: a)


COMMENTARY
RNS-Chastain-Oped:Evangelicals: You’re still not really listening to what exvangelicals are saying
(RNS) — Evangelical critiqueS seek to undermine exvangelical credibility through vague dismissals asserting a lack of scriptural literacy, a desire to “jump on trends” and even claims of apostasy. What the exvangelical narratives often reveal, however, is not a lack of biblical literacy among those who leave — it is a lack of agreement with evangelicals around what the Bible means and teaches. By Blake Chastain. 1,534 words. (category: k)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Davie-Abram: How the Black church can help end the HIV/AIDS crisis
(RNS) — It is not lost on us that Black churches have often contributed to the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Many of us can vividly recall how some Black churches ignored the pain and suffering of those dying during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. Many Black Muslim leaders followed this same unfortunate path. Far too many children of the Black church died in isolation and without their faith community because of the stigma associated with the virus. We can choose to act differently. By Frederick A. Davie and Don Abram. 648 words. (category: k)