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
Blowing shofars, Jewish lawmakers, rabbis hold abortion rights ‘sho-test’
By Jack Jenkins — September 14, 2022
(RNS) — ‘Abortion justice is a Jewish value,’ said U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida.
Second gentleman meets with Jewish abortion rights activists at White House
By Jack Jenkins — September 13, 2022
(RNS) — Activists say second gentleman Douglas Emhoff expressed support for those who argue that various state-level abortion bans violate the religious freedom of many U.S. Jews.
At World Council of Churches gathering, Russian church keeps its membership
By Jack Jenkins — September 9, 2022
(RNS) — The 11th assembly of the World Council of Churches approved a statement on Thursday (Sept. 8) regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
USDA exempts religious schools from nondiscrimination rules to keep kids fed
By Jack Jenkins — September 1, 2022
(RNS) — Faith-based schools that benefit from the federal program are ‘exempt on religious grounds if there is a conflict between Title IX and a school’s governing religious tenets.’
Evangelical group releases climate change report, urges a biblical mandate for action
By Jack Jenkins — August 29, 2022
WASHINGTON (RNS) — ‘We worship God by caring for creation,’ the report reads.
In making McElroy a cardinal, Pope Francis elevates a champion for ‘pastoral’ cause
By Jack Jenkins and Alejandra Molina — August 26, 2022
(RNS) — The San Diego cardinal-to-be will be an ally for a pope who has long advocated for the church to change its priorities without changing its teaching.
Patriarch Kirill cancels Kazakhstan trip and chance to meet with Pope Francis
By Jack Jenkins — August 24, 2022
(RNS) — For the second time this year, an in-person meeting between the two global religious leaders has fallen apart.
Republicans keep mostly mum on calls to make GOP ‘party of Christian nationalism’
By Jack Jenkins — August 12, 2022
(RNS) — 'When they fail to speak out against this, they're surrendering the future of their party to the Marjorie Taylor Greenes of the world,' said Brian Hughes of American University's Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab.
In Kansas abortion vote, a blow to Catholic bishops’ political strategy
By Jack Jenkins — August 4, 2022
(RNS) — ‘If this is what the bishops are going to do, if this was their plan for a ‘post-Roe’ world, then Catholics are going to be very disappointed,’ said one observer of the Catholic hierarchy.
Democrats call on IRS to review Family Research Council’s ‘church’ status
By Jack Jenkins — August 2, 2022
WASHINGTON (RNS) — ‘Given that the (Family Research Council) is primarily an advocacy organization and not a church, we urge the IRS to swiftly review the tax-exempt status,’ reads a letter sent to the IRS and the Treasury secretary.
Ron Sider, evangelical activist who wrote ‘Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger,’ dies at 82
By Bob Smietana, Jack Jenkins, and Adelle M. Banks — July 28, 2022
(RNS) — Sider was known for his outspoken support of social justice and decades of activism.
Kansas nuns oppose abortion-related state amendment, challenging archbishop
By Jack Jenkins — July 27, 2022
(RNS) — “A church sign said, ‘Jesus trusted women. We do too,’” reads the nuns’ letter.
The activist behind opposition to the separation of church and state
By Jack Jenkins — July 18, 2022
(RNS) — Antipathy toward the separation of church and state appears to be a retread of a disputed, decades-old argument popularized primarily by a controversial Texas activist.
Faith leaders attend White House celebration of gun control law
By Adelle M. Banks and Jack Jenkins — July 11, 2022
(RNS) — 'Neighborhoods and streets have been turned into killing fields as well,' said President Joe Biden. 'Will we match thoughts and prayers with action? I say yes.'
Newsweek sues former owners, controversial pastor David Jang, seeking millions
By Bob Smietana and Jack Jenkins — July 7, 2022
(RNS) — A pair of lawsuits pits friends and business partners — who all were part of a community tied to a controversial cleric — against each other.
