NEWS STORY
RNS-Congregatons-Shrink: Attendance hemorrhaging at small and midsize US congregations
(RNS) — A new survey of 15,278 religious congregations across the United States confirms trends sociologists have documented for several decades: Congregational life across the country is shrinking. The most recent round of the Faith Communities Today survey, or FACT, found a median decline in attendance of 7% between 2015 and 2020. By Yonat Shimron. 700 words. (category: a)
NEWS STORY
RNS-Menlo-Report: Menlo Church investigation finds no direct evidence or disclosures of sexual abuse
(RNS) — An investigation of a prominent California megachurch found no evidence of abuse but faulted church leaders and a former pastor John Ortberg for failing to inform church leaders that one of his children, a church volunteer, had confessed to being sexually attracted to children. Church elders also failed to tell the congregation about Ortberg’s deception.By Bob Smietana. 650 words. (Categories, a)
COMMENTARY
RNS-Singh-Oped: New poll reveals how much we presume about Muslim Americans’ politics
(RNS) — Muslim Americans support for progressive issues such as combating Islamophobia, and hate violence seem obvious. But a new study shows they also align with the Biden administration’s agenda in ways that say something about Muslims’ true economic status and their faith. By Simran Jeet Singh. 650 words. (category: k)