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
Bible podcasts help Christians resolving to read the old, old story in the new year
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 23, 2022
(RNS) — While yearlong plans taking readers from Genesis to Revelation have been around for years, podcasts have more recently become a popular way for listeners to keep up with or better understand a daily Bible reading plan.
How the battle over Christian nationalism often starts with homeschooling
By Bob Smietana and Emily McFarlan Miller — December 23, 2022
(RNS) — Some of the most popular homeschool curriculum textbooks teach that the first Europeans to arrive in Virginia and Massachusetts made a covenant with God to Christianize the land.
Witches and wise men and ‘old magic’: A look at the spookier origins of Christmas lore
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 20, 2022
(RNS) — Pagans and Christians alike can rediscover the ‘reason for the season’ in the old stories and deepen their own beliefs.
With race in mind, Christians reconsider language of dark and light at Advent
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 7, 2022
(RNS) — ‘The idea that darkness is inherently bad needs no reinforcement,’ said one pastor.
‘Everyone gets their love story’: How Christmas rom-coms have taken over the season
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Adelle M. Banks — December 2, 2022
(RNS) — Move over, Hallmark. Other channels and streaming services are premiering holiday originals, too, hoping to capture the magic of the Christmas rom-com for their audiences.
Across the US, Native Americans are fighting to preserve sacred land
By Alejandra Molina and Emily McFarlan Miller — November 29, 2022
(RNS) — ‘It’s important that we unify, and we work together, and share the teachings to protect our sacred areas because once God, once our sacred and holy places are gone, we will no longer exist. Our religion will be gone forever,’ said one Native American activist.
What does healing look like to survivors of the US Indian boarding school system?
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 23, 2022
(RNS) — ‘A big aspect of the healing is going to be a sincere, heartfelt apology by the different denominations that participated,’ said one survivor.
RNS holiday gift guide 2022: Ideas for the kids, adults and Pastafarians on your list
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 18, 2022
(RNS) — Because not everybody celebrates a religious holiday in December, but everybody loves presents.
Texas megachurch White’s Chapel departs UMC to anchor new Methodist ‘college’
By BeLynn Hollers and Emily McFarlan Miller — November 18, 2022
SOUTHLAKE, Texas (RNS) — 'We want to work together, and we want to be a healing agent between all of Methodism,' said the Rev. John McKellar, co-pastor of White’s Chapel.
Religion plays a role in Native American adoption case before Supreme Court
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 9, 2022
(RNS) — Legal activists argue that Brackeen v. Haaland could inhibit Native American children’s contact with their religious traditions while extending a long history of white Christian efforts to convert Native children and remove them from their homes and families.
United Methodist Church announces date, location for thrice-postponed General Conference
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 7, 2022
(RNS) — The next General Conference will be held April 23 to May 3, 2024, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
New Hulu documentary recaps rise of Moral Majority and downfall of Jerry Falwell Jr.
By Emily McFarlan Miller — November 3, 2022
(RNS) — ‘God Forbid,’ which clocks in at nearly two hours and carries a TV-MA rating, released this week on streaming platform Hulu.
Major Christian leaders asked Jan. 6 committee to investigate Christian nationalism
By Jack Jenkins and Emily McFarlan Miller — November 3, 2022
WASHINGTON (RNS) — ‘The ideology of Christian nationalism helped motivate and intensify the insurrection,’ read the letter to the committee, signed by the heads of several major denominations.
‘Tell what happened’: Pastor and last surviving eyewitness urges Christians to remember Emmett Till
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 26, 2022
WHEATON, Ill. (RNS) — The brutal murder of Emmett Till became a catalyst for the civil rights movement and has enduring relevance in today's anti-racist activism.
No tricks! Church trunk or treats are a Halloween tradition
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 25, 2022
ST. CHARLES, Illinois (RNS) — Trunk or treats have grown in popularity in recent decades, many hosted by churches as outreach to their surrounding communities.
