RNS Updated Budget — Wednesday, October 6, 2021

A new documentary, made by Christian filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin, recounts the history of the Contemporary Christian Music movement from California hippies to a global industry. The film opened in limited release in early October. […]

NEWS STORY
RNS-Jesus-Music: In ‘The Jesus Music,’ Erwin Brothers recount the glory and mess of Christian music
(RNS) — A new documentary, made by Christian filmmakers Jon and Andrew Erwin, recounts the history of the Contemporary Christian Music movement from California hippies to a global industry. The film opened in limited release in early October. By Bob Smietana. 1,000 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Haiti-Religions: Haiti’s diverse faiths bolster it against waves of tragedy
(RNS) — Recognizing the importance of religion in keeping Haiti together when all other systems seemed to fail, Religions for Peace has worked to shore up Haitians’ faith. In the wake of President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination, Religions for Peace-Haiti issued an open letter to the people of Haiti that said the organization wanted to “invoke the soul of this great nation for resilience, tolerance, dialogue, peace, and reconciliation at a time of crisis.” By Eric J. Lyman. 670 words. (category: i)

NEWS BRIEF
RNS-Vatican-Abuse: Two priests cleared of charges in Vatican sexual abuse trial
VATICAN CITY (RNS) – Vatican judges on Wednesday cleared two priests charged with the coverup and abuse of an underage student at the St. Pius X pre-seminary located within Vatican walls. By Claire Giangravè. 400 words. (category i)


NEWS STORY
RNS-FiskJubilee-150: Fisk Jubilee Singers continue to sing spirituals 150 years later
(RNS) — A century and a half ago, nine young men and women embarked on a trip from Fisk University and started a tradition of singing spirituals that both funded their Nashville, Tennessee, school and introduced the musical genre to the world. Musical director Paul Kwami, talked with Religion News Service about how the ensemble began, who should sing spirituals and which of the songs are his personal favorites. By Adelle M. Banks. 1,400 words. (category: a)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Vatican-Evidence: Vatican judges side with defense teams in trial about financial scandals
VATICAN CITY (RNS) – Following procedural headaches, Vatican judges presiding over a mega-trial of clergy and employees on Wednesday in connection to a large-scale financial scandal, ordered that all the material be handed over to the defense teams and that part of the data collected during the investigations be withdrawn. By Claire Giangravè. 630 words. (category: i)

NEWS STORY
RNS-Apache-OakFlat: Spiritual convoy heads to California court hearing on Oak Flat Native American sacred site
(RNS) — Members of Apache Stronghold, a nonprofit working to protect the Apache sacred ground in Arizona known as Oak Flat, will travel from the site to San Francisco, where a court will hear an appeal to halt the land from being transferred to the Australian mining company Resolution Copper. By Alejandra Molina. 750 words. (category: a)

COMMENTARY
RNS-Wallis-Oped: To pass infrastructure bills, Democrats need to put their faith in moral language
(RNS) — More than any piece of legislation in our lifetimes, the “human” infrastructure and “physical” infrastructure bills coming up now in Congress have a chance to “bring good news to the poor,” in the words Jesus used in his first sermon in his hometown of Nazareth. By Jim Wallis. 900 words. (category: k)