RNS Updated Budget—Friday, September 17, 2021

A historic Black church in downtown Washington will receive additional police presence ahead of right-wing rally over the weekend, hoping to avoid additional damage after Proud Boys burned its Black Lives Matter sign […]

EDS: RNS-Airbnb-Churches will not be coming today.

NEWS STORY
RNS-Church-Protection: Washington Church receives additional protection ahead of right-wing rally
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A historic Black church in downtown Washington will receive additional police presence ahead of right-wing rally over the weekend, hoping to avoid additional damage after Proud Boys burned its Black Lives Matter sign in December 2020. By Jack Jenkins. 650 words. (Category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Religion-Pandemic: Study: Religion soothed evangelicals at start of COVID. Politics may put them at risk
(RNS)  — Several new studies highlight the way that religion and politics shape American’s response to the pandemic. One in particular showed that, at least early in the pandemic, faith helped evangelicals feel less stress about the pandemic but politics made them take it less seriously.By Bob Smietana. 800 words. (Categories, a)


NEWS STORY
RNS-Women-Lectionary: Women are essential in the Bible. Now they’re in the Sunday readings
(RNS) — Christian publishers are offering more resources for female-focused worship and study, with two books of readings for church services debuting in the past month. Their authors say there’s room for more resources focused on the stories of women in Scripture and feminine imagery for God. By Emily McFarlan Miller. 1,000 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Espinal-Documentary: She spent three years in church sanctuary. A new documentary tells her story.
(RNS) — To evade immediate deportation, Edith Espinal spent more than three years at a Mennonite Church in Columbus, Ohio. A new, 24-minute documentary, filmed by a couple who attends the church, depicts Espinal’s lonely confinement and her family, lawyers’ and church members’ efforts to secure her release from church sanctuary. By Yonat Shimron. 550 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Trump-Billboard: Base booster or blasphemy? Bible-quoting pro-Trump billboard raises eyebrows in Georgia
(RNS) — A large billboard bearing former President Donald Trump’s image next to a Bible quote appeared on a northwest Georgia road late last week. The ad, comparing Trump to Jesus, disappeared a few days later, leaving behind a flurry of confusion and outrage. By Heather Greene. 800 words. (category: a)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Garthwaite-Oped: Rebooting Hildegard von Bingen
(RNS) — Modern imagery of the 11th century German saint and doctor of the church, whose feast is Sept. 17, would have us believe she is all about brewing beer, folk remedies, cosmology and recipes featuring spelt. But if we look deeper, we find a mystic leader with messages relevant to us in our turbulent times. By Susan Garthwaite. 820 words. (category: k)

COMMENTARY
RNS-GreenburgFisher-Oped:A pope, two rabbis and a new concern about supersessionism
(RNS) — After Pope Francis made remarks that offended Jews, it’s more clear than ever that Both Catholics and Jews are still learning how to speak to one another about their self-understandings. By Eric Greenberg and Eugene Fisher. 1,100  words. (category: k)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Payne-Oped: Tammy Faye, a double whammy of Christian love, wins in the end
(RNS) — Jessica Chastain’s portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in a new film is arresting; she is a funny, intelligent, good-hearted woman, and viewers get an idea of her resilience. But seeing the world through Tammy’s eyes means that the film doesn’t fully explain her ingenuity and power. By Leah Payne. 1,450 words. (category: k)