Lauren Markoe

Lauren Markoe has been a national reporter for RNS since 2011. Previously she covered government and politics as a daily reporter at the Charlotte Observer and The State (Columbia, S.C.)

All Stories by Lauren Markoe

My country ’tis of thee: Evangelicals score highest on patriotism

By Lauren Markoe — June 27, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) White evangelicals are also more likely than any other religious group surveyed to believe that God has granted the U.S. a special role in history and to say they will likely attend a public July 4th celebration.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: Internet Missionaries * Bono’s Jesus * Officer Rabbi?

By Lauren Markoe — June 25, 2013
The LDS church ponders fewer doorbell-ringers and more missionaries online. Bono discusses Jesus. And a rabbi is twice accused of impersonating a police officer.

Study: Religious oppression rises despite Arab Spring

By Lauren Markoe — June 20, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) The number of countries in the region with sectarian or communal violence between religious groups doubled from five to 10 during 2011, a year that coincided with most of the political uprisings of Arab Spring.

Wednesday’s Religion News Roundup: Blasphemy complaints * Latin tweets * Bible in sign

By Lauren Markoe — June 19, 2013
Blasphemy cases have increased sharply in Egypt. The pope's Twitter account in Latin has surpassed followers in Polish. A Japanese company is developing a sign language Bible.

Feds release first guidelines for confronting a church shooter

By Lauren Markoe — June 18, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) Though shootings at churches and other houses of worship remain relatively rare, they can make inviting targets for gunmen -- particularly disturbed individuals -- who are looking for a highly visible target to settle a grudge or make a political statement.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: Zesty Guy * Hollywood Nun * Sikh Soccer

By Lauren Markoe — June 18, 2013
Some conservative Christian moms say the practically nude star of a salad dressing commercial goes to far. Mother Dolores Hart was the first to kiss Elvis on screen. And Quebec Sikhs may now wear turbans during soccer games.

Mother Dolores Hart, from kissing Elvis to joining the convent

By Lauren Markoe — June 17, 2013
(RNS) At 24, Dolores Hart, the actress who gave Elvis his first on-screen kiss, gave up a promising Hollywood career to begin life as a cloistered nun. Fifty years later, she writes a memoir to explain her choice to a world that is perhaps even more enamored of celebirty than it was in 1963.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: Ailing Pope * Morning-After Pill * Southern Baptist Missionaries

By Lauren Markoe — June 11, 2013
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is faring poorly, visitors say. The feds will no longer try to restrict Plan B for young women. Fred Luter wants more Southern Baptist missionaries.

Rabbi’s message for American Jews: Change or die

By Lauren Markoe — June 5, 2013
(RNS) Rabbi Sidney Schwarz says old-style American Jewish institutions better figure out how upstart Jewish organization are attracting young Jews, and leaders of new Jewish movements should take some advice from their elders.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: UnChristian Coffee * In Vitro Firing * Catholic Gamers

By Lauren Markoe — June 4, 2013
David Barton says good Christians should not drink Starbucks. Teachers at Catholic schools are in trouble for fertility treatments. And is your Xbox keeping you from Mass?

Coalition to protect religious freedom shows its fault lines

By Lauren Markoe — May 30, 2013
(RNS) A national conference on religious freedom reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the coalition that fears an erosion of religious liberty in the U.S.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: Oklahoma Atheist * Dinosaur Denial * Hugging Saint

By Lauren Markoe — May 28, 2013
The "Oklahoma Atheist" gets some greenbacks. A S.C. Christian school needs a dinosaur lesson. And the "hugging saint" is hugging her way around the U.S.

ANALYSIS: Does religious freedom report need more ‘teeth’?

By Lauren Markoe — May 21, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) Watchdogs say the State Department missed a key opportunity to put teeth into its annual assessment of global religious freedom, which was released by Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday.

Tuesday’s Religion News Roundup: NYPD Muslims * Sistine Pickpockets * Papal Exorcism?

By Lauren Markoe — May 21, 2013
Civil rights groups charge the NYPD cast a very wide net in its spying on Muslims. Hold on to your wallet in the Sistine Chapel. Did Pope Francis just perform an exorcism?

Christian leaders seek to overcome polarization

By Lauren Markoe — May 15, 2013
WASHINGTON (RNS) “Faith leaders have a remarkable opportunity to shift the conversation, but it’s very challenging, particularly in a larger society that wants to understand everything as a battle," said Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
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