Emily McFarlan Miller

Emily McFarlan Miller is a national reporter for RNS based in Chicago. She covers evangelical and mainline Protestant Christianity.

All Stories by Emily McFarlan Miller

Amid protests and pandemic, Dave Dummitt steps in as senior pastor of Willow Creek

By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 15, 2020
(RNS) — Dave Dummitt is Willow Creek’s first full-time senior pastor since founding pastor Bill Hybels retired early and his successors resigned over the church’s handling of the allegations against him.

United Methodist bishops affirm protests, call members to pray twice daily for 8 minutes, 46 seconds

By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 10, 2020
(RNS) — Bishops encouraged United Methodists to act to end racism by spending 8 minutes and 46 seconds in prayer at 8:46 a.m. and 8:46 p.m. each day for at least the next 30 days, among other things.

What Ministers, Rabbis and Imams Preached This Weekend About the George Floyd Protests

By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 8, 2020
(RNS) — This weekend, people of faith joined protests against racial injustice and police brutality across the country. Many also heard about those topics in the worship services they attended.

‘The church will not be silent’: Clergy lead thousands in peaceful protest on Chicago’s South Side

By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 3, 2020
CHICAGO (RNS) — People of faith are taking a more active role in the protests sparked by George Floyd’s death that have spread from Minneapolis to all 50 states and around the world.

Christian leaders link the fires of protest and Pentecost in weekend messages

By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 1, 2020
(RNS) — Many Christians pointed out a resonance with Pentecost in the protests that unfolded across the United States this weekend, sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

United Methodists reschedule meeting — and decision on splitting — to 2021

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 27, 2020
(RNS) — United Methodists plan to head to Minneapolis for their General Conference in 2021, where they will discuss the denomination's future. The meeting was postponed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias dies of cancer at 74

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 19, 2020
(RNS) — Prominent evangelical Christians shared their appreciation for the apologist as news spread earlier this month he had returned home to Atlanta from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he had been receiving treatment for cancer.

United Methodists would’ve met this week to consider a split. What are they doing instead?

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 15, 2020
(RNS) — Many US United Methodist leaders see the delay as a blessing, allowing more time and cooler heads to consider a split. Others are concerned about ongoing damage after decades of debate over the role of LGBTQ Christians in the church.

From flannelgraphs to Zoom, churches bring Sunday school home

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 12, 2020
(RNS) — As the coronavirus continues to upend daily life in the United States, churches and Christian leaders are finding ways to relieve anxious kids and overwhelmed parents online.

Potawatomi Christian author Kaitlin Curtice on finding herself and God in new book

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 5, 2020
(RNS) — Curtice wasn’t expecting to release her book amid a pandemic, but she believes the book can speak into this moment in history.

What would Rachel Held Evans do? Late author’s voice lives on through those she championed

By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 4, 2020
(RNS) — One year after her death, it appears Evans isn’t finished speaking yet.

As states ease lockdown restrictions, churches must decide when — and how — to reopen

By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins — May 1, 2020
(RNS) — For now, many are choosing to stay closed, even as they try to make plans for what a reopening will look like.

Digital pilgrimages allow the faithful to travel the world from their couches

By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 29, 2020
(RNS) — From hashtagged photos posted on Instagram to immersive apps, digital pilgrimages are making spiritual journeys possible for the faithful, even as they stay home.

Jen Hatmaker on her new book, the pandemic and why she has no regrets

By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 24, 2020
(RNS) — Christian author and speaker Jen Hatmaker spoke to RNS about her latest book, what she learned from her experiences as an outlier in evangelicalism and what is making her feel hopeful during the coronavirus pandemic.

How to faithfully celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day without leaving home

By Emily McFarlan Miller — April 21, 2020
(RNS) — From shofar blasts to Facebook Live, a number of faith-based organizations have moved online to mark Earth Day as in-person gatherings have been canceled around the globe.
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