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
The jump-out-of-your-skin scares return in person, online at Halaloween film festival
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 18, 2022
(RNS) — Halaloween features horror films from across the globe that were made by, for or about Muslims.
When it comes to Halloween, pastors have opinions, according to new survey
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 18, 2022
(RNS) — More than 90% of pastors encourage their congregations to observe Oct. 31 in a particular way, but that ranges from avoiding Halloween completely to inviting people to Halloween-adjacent events at their churches.
What Biden’s new deal for Venezuelans means for other refugees
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Paul O'Donnell — October 13, 2022
(RNS) — Faith-based refugee resettlement agencies welcome the new program, while advocating for refugees who have gotten less media coverage of late.
Pastor on leave after reportedly giving out ‘i (heart) hot youth pastors’ stickers
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 10, 2022
(RNS) — The stickers touched a nerve as a number of sexual abuse cases involving youth pastors have made headlines in recent years.
Episcopal priest the Rev. David Sibley becomes four-time ‘Jeopardy!’ champion
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 6, 2022
(RNS) — ‘I’m just a nerdy trivia buff kind of guy who wanted to play ‘Jeopardy!’ all my life,’ said the Rev. David Sibley, who won nearly $80,000.
United Methodists’ Native American International Caucus calls for end to Columbus Day
By Emily McFarlan Miller — October 4, 2022
(RNS) — The caucus is asking Congress to approve several bills replacing the federal holiday with Indigenous Peoples Day.
Ahmadi Muslims inaugurate new mosque on site of historic ‘prayer duel’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 30, 2022
(RNS) — In a town built as a 'city of God,' the new Fath-e-Azeem Mosque sits within a block of two churches and a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Ojibwe author Patty Krawec writes about Indigenous peoples, Christians ‘Becoming Kin’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 27, 2022
(RNS) — Patty Krawec on why rethinking — or ‘unforgetting,’ as she calls it — history is important.
Nearly two years after election, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago’s first Black female bishop takes office
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 18, 2022
LOMBARD, Illinois (RNS) — Just weeks before she was set to take office in April 2021, Bishop Paula Clark experienced a brain bleed while exercising and later underwent surgery.
UMC bishops in Africa break with Africa Initiative, Wesleyan Covenant Association
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 14, 2022
(RNS) — African bishops claimed the Africa Initiative has ‘lost its original goal of helping The United Methodist Church in Africa’ and instead is ‘working with Wesleyan Covenant Association to destroy our United Methodist Church.’
Brittany Muller combines Christianity and the cards in ‘The Contemplative Tarot’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 13, 2022
(RNS) — ‘The Contemplative Tarot’ explains the history of tarot and gives some examples of how Christians can incorporate the cards into their spiritual practice.
‘Media nuns’ say goodbye to sweet home Chicago after more than 40 years
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 12, 2022
CHICAGO (RNS) — The Chicago book center and convent is one of four locations that the Daughters of St. Paul are closing in the United States as the order reconfigures its presence across the United States and Toronto.
You’ve seen ‘The Rings of Power,’ but have you heard of this tiny museum housing J.R.R. Tolkien’s treasures?
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 2, 2022
(RNS) — The collection of letters and books has grown to become the Marion E. Wade Center, one of the foremost research centers not only on Lewis, but also Tolkien and five other British Christian authors who had influenced Lewis’ work.
#PandemicPastoring report documents a ‘new era in ministry’
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Adelle M. Banks — September 1, 2022
(RNS) — As the COVID-19 pandemic stretched from that first spring into summer, researcher Eileen Campbell-Reed said, she realized its impact on ministry wasn’t going to be short-lived.
Bishop slams ‘negative rhetoric’ as conservative Methodists declare end to moratorium
By Emily McFarlan Miller — August 23, 2022
(RNS) — In his first presidential address as president of the United Methodist Church’s Council of Bishops, Bishop Thomas Bickerton called on conservative groups encouraging churches to leave the denomination to stop the negative rhetoric.
