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
Instagram apostasy stirs controversy over Christian ‘influencers’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 30, 2019
(RNS) — Living one's spiritual life online leaves these leaders more vulnerable to the huge cost of leaving one's faith.
Dinner church movement sets the table for food, faith and friendships
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 29, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — Dinner churches are popping up across the country in churches in a number of denominations, conservative and progressive, urban and rural and everything in between.
Loyola’s Sister Jean celebrates her 100th birthday with scholarship, well wishes
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 22, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — The Loyola basketball chaplain, who won fans during the Ramblers’ run to the Final Four during the 2018 NCAA March Madness tournament, celebrated her 100th birthday Wednesday (Aug. 21).
Explainer: Trump and the politics of the Messiah
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 22, 2019
(RNS) — Recent praise of the president has some evangelical leaders reassuring followers that Trump had no delusions about the nature of his mission. But you could see how he might.
Sister Helen Prejean on new book, getting rid of death penalty and getting Jesus ‘right’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 20, 2019
(RNS) — Sister Helen Prejean talked to Religion News Service about how she became involved in social justice, why she thinks the death penalty is on its way out and how she got to 'bump into two popes along the way.'
Warren, Williamson among candidates at historic Native American presidential forum
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 19, 2019
(RNS) — O.J. Semans, co-executive director of Four Directions, introduced the forum as "Indian Country 101 for America,” which included discussions of issues informed by indigenous spirituality.
‘A celebration for the whole church’: ELCA women reflect on 50 years of ordination
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 16, 2019
MILWAUKEE (RNS) — The ELCA Churchwide Assembly kicked off a year of celebrations: 50 years of women's ordination, 40 years of women of color being ordained and 10 years of LGBTQ people serving freely in the mainline Lutheran denomination.
United Methodist Church scraps plans to host General Conference in the Philippines
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 13, 2019
(RNS) — Plans for a meeting in the Philippines are off because space was not available for the full two weeks needed to host the gathering of United Methodists from around the world.
ELCA Churchwide Assembly calls sexism and patriarchy sins, condemns white supremacy
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 9, 2019
MILWAUKEE (RNS) — The ELCA's newly approved social statement — titled 'Faith, Sexism, and Justice: A Call to Action' — names patriarchy and sexism as sins and acknowledges the church’s complicity in them.
ELCA declares self a ‘sanctuary church body,’ marches to ICE building in Milwaukee
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 7, 2019
MILWAUKEE (RNS) — 'Marching is fun, words are great, but action makes a difference,' Bishop Paul Erickson of the Greater Milwaukee Synod said.
5 things to watch at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 6, 2019
(RNS) — This week's ELCA Churchwide Assembly offers a window into the issues important to many progressive Christians across the United States.
‘Skin’ filmmaker shares story of real-life racism and the road to redemption
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 2, 2019
(RNS) — 'Skin,' inspired by the true story of Bryon Widner’s departure from white supremacy with the help of Daryle Lamont Jenkins of One People’s Project, is, at its core, a story about good and evil and people’s capacity to change.
The Village Church sued for more than $1 million over alleged abuse at church camp
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 29, 2019
(RNS) — A young woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a youth minister at a church camp when she was a child is suing the Village Church for more than $1 million for gross negligence and the emotional distress the abuse has caused her.
Investigation reveals Chicago Archdiocese’s financial woes
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 29, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — Six years later, the Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago holds just one-third of the money pledged in the 'To Teach Who Christ Is' campaign to save its struggling schools, according to a Chicago Tribune investigation.
Willow Creek elders preach reconciliation after allegations against Hybels
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 24, 2019
SOUTH BARRINGTON, Ill. (RNS) — Not everybody is convinced that reconciliation may be possible at this point — or wise.
