NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Study-Restrictions: Study: Social hostility to religion declines, but government restrictions rise
(RNS) — A global analysis of government restrictions and social hostilities toward religion finds that social hostilities declined in 2019 over the year before. But the new analysis from the Pew Research Center also found that the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions rose slightly — to 29% of the 198 countries in the study, up from 28% in 2018. By Yonat Shimron. 350 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Rural-Chaplains: Rural chaplains support communities facing hate groups, isolation and labor shortages
(RNS) — Today, rural communities are facing an onslaught of pandemic-era challenges caused by labor shortages, ecological crises and changes in supply and demand. Rural chaplains are providing these communities with spiritual and practical support that ranges from leading anti-racism workshops to helping an ewe give birth. By Kathryn Post. 900 words. (category: a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Riess-Oped: Outgrowing your religion
(RNS) — Do you have “spiritual claustrophobia,” meaning the religion you belong to has begun to feel too small? North Carolina pastor John Pavlovitz has been there. His new book “If God Is Love, Don’t Be a Jerk” is for people who’ve longed for something more than the pocket-sized God and conditional love many churches seem to offer. By Jana Riess. 926 words. (category: k)
