Jack Jenkins
Jack Jenkins is a national reporter for RNS based in Washington, covering U.S. Catholics and the intersection of religion and politics.
All Stories by Jack Jenkins
New liberal Christian groups hope to turn Trump voters to ‘Pope Francis voters’
By Jack Jenkins — August 14, 2020
(RNS) — Several new progressive Christian groups hope to woo religious voters away from Donald Trump.
Democrats plan interfaith service to kick off convention
By Jack Jenkins — August 13, 2020
(RNS) — The virtual service is scheduled to convene on Aug. 16, the day before the Democratic National Convention officially begins in Milwaukee.
Jerry Falwell Jr. taking indefinite leave of absence from Liberty University amid calls to step down
By Emily McFarlan Miller and Jack Jenkins — August 7, 2020
(RNS) — Jerry Falwell Jr. is taking an ‘indefinite leave of absence’ from his role at Liberty University.
Biden quotes Bible at Black church meeting, while Trump says his rival is ‘against God’
By Jack Jenkins — August 6, 2020
(RNS) — ‘The night is long, but joy cometh in the morning, and it’s up to us to make sure it does. That’s our charge: deliver America a new dawn,’ Former Vice President Joe Biden said.
Blasting lawmakers, USAID official quits over alleged ‘anti-Christian sentiment’
By Jack Jenkins — August 3, 2020
(RNS) — Merritt Corrigan tweeted that she would not be ‘bullied into submission by radical anti-Christian leftists like Cory Booker.’
Biden’s bid touts faith, courts even religious conservatives
By Elana Schor and Jack Jenkins — July 17, 2020
(RNS) — Joe Biden’s identity as ‘a very devout Catholic and person of deep faith,’ the former vice president’s deputy political director, John McCarthy, said, is ‘baked into the core messaging and core functions of the campaign.’
Faith leaders blast Trump administration’s renewed use of death penalty
By Jack Jenkins — July 16, 2020
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The outcry comes as the U.S. Department of Justice carried out its second execution this week on Thursday morning (July 16) and is scheduled to perform its third on Friday. These constitute the first uses of capital punishment by the federal government since 2003.
New ad uses Bible, ‘Amazing Grace,’ Jesus to call Republican Christians to vote against Trump
By Jack Jenkins — July 14, 2020
(RNS) — ‘The moment that (Trump) held up that Bible, he revealed this president is using us,’ a man named Pat, identified as a Republican, says in the ad.
Biden campaign hires new Jewish outreach director
By Jack Jenkins — July 14, 2020
WASHINGTON (RNS) — The hire reportedly already serves on the Biden campaign team’s finance committee and co-hosted a fundraiser for the former vice president with Jewish Democrats in May.
Evangelical, Catholic leaders say Trump has left persecuted Christians in danger
By Jack Jenkins — July 10, 2020
(RNS) — Evangelical leaders from World Relief and Open Doors — along with Catholic bishops — say Trump administration policy leaves persecuted Christians in danger.
Kanye’s running for president — and his platform has a lot of God in it
By Jack Jenkins — July 8, 2020
(RNS) — The rapper hinted that his presidential run may be his most overt fusion of faith and politics yet, with religion impacting everything from his decision to run to his views on vaccines.
Some question replacing Mississippi’s Confederate symbol with ‘In God We Trust’
By Jack Jenkins — July 2, 2020
(RNS) — ‘In God we trust that we never go back to the Jim Crow laws, that we never go back to the Confederate flag and that every citizen of Mississippi — whether he’s Black or white — will be inclusive,’ said the Rev. Isiac Jackson Jr.
Despite a culture ‘entrenched in fear,’ LGBTQ students find ways to thrive at Liberty University
By Jack Jenkins — June 29, 2020
(RNS) — The school publicly opposes LGBTQ relationships, yet students at Liberty have created a small but vibrant LGBTQ community.
In the wake of rocky polling, Trump camp doubles down on conservative Christians
By Jack Jenkins — June 24, 2020
(RNS) — But experts say the real question is whether his efforts will win over moderate evangelicals, who appear to be second-guessing their support for Trump.
Poor People’s Campaign stages massive online demonstration
By Jack Jenkins — June 20, 2020
(RNS) — Originally planned as an in-person event, the liberal faith-based movement's rally drew tens of thousands to watch online.
