A room in one of Miracle Hill’s three group homes for children in foster care in South Carolina. RNS photo by Yonat Shimron
Need to know: Thursday, January 24, 2019
Government allows S.C. foster care group to keep Protestants-only policy
The exemption will allow Miracle Hill, a Greenville-based Christian ministry, to continue to accept only Protestant churchgoing parents to its federally funded foster care program.
Does God care if you smoke weed? Many Bay State faith groups say yeah, man
For many people of faith in the Bay State, legalization hasn’t burned away the moral issues that come with using drugs for fun.
Muslim groups condemn detention of Iranian broadcaster
Muslim civil rights organizations have joined press freedom and other human rights groups in questioning the detention of the American-born journalist.
With new ‘affirmation’ policy, American Bible Society loses LGBT staffers
The new policy allows the 203-year-old organization, which was founded to publish, distribute and translate the Bible, to let go of any LGBT employee who is not celibate.
Seeing each other in the public square: The lessons of Covington Catholic
The case of the Covington Catholic High School students reminds us that we always do violence when we fail to recognize each other as other selves, writes William Muller.
Studying the Declaration of Independence like it’s the Torah: One synagogue applies old methods to reflect on modern divisiveness
Amid the ceaseless divisiveness of national politics and political tension within the synagogue, Rabbi Michael Holzman hoped studying the texts in the same manner that Jews normally study scripture would help his congregants clarify their ideas of what it means to be American.
Latest news from RNS
Amid wall debate, pope says fear of migration makes us crazy
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Asked by reporters about the proposed border wall Wednesday while on his way to Panama, Pope Francis responded: 'It is the fear that makes us crazy.'
Threatened with an end to Shariah divorce, Egypt’s imams work to save marriages
CAIRO (RNS) — Egypt’s skyrocketing divorce rate has spurred a debate between religious leaders and government officials about how best to keep families together.
Native American man from viral video offers to meet with Catholic students, leaders
'I have faith that human beings can use a moment like this to find a way to gain understanding from one another,' Nathan Phillips said.
More views from RNS
If God is dead, is it OK if we save ourselves?
The rash of 'new utopian' groups isn't just about the collapse of traditional religion. It's about putting our faith in human self-improvement, writes Tara Isabella Burton.
GenX Mormons: The forgotten generation
GenX Mormons in the United States are the quintessential middle child between the bigger-than-life Baby Boomers and their Millennial kids. And if you're blaming Millennials for certain changes in the Church, well, GenXers started it.
Deborah Lipstadt teaches us how to spell antisemitism
Trump, Jeremy Corbyn, and the truth about antisemitism in the world today. An essential new book.