Tiffany McCallen
Tiffany McCallen rejoins the RNS team in 2014 as the Interactive and Engagement Editor. Prior to that she was the National Community Manager for the Faith & Values (FAVS) community website project.
All Stories by Tiffany McCallen
Pope: Others should be held to same abuse ‘standards’
By Tiffany McCallen — November 29, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI told bishops from New York state that “all other institutions” in society should be held to the same “exacting standards” as the Roman Catholic Church in preventing and reporting sex abuse. Benedict spoke on Saturday (Nov. 26), one day before New York’s Syracuse University announced that it had fired […]
Pope Benedict XVI slapped with charges for not wearing seat belt
By Tiffany McCallen — November 28, 2011
BERLIN (RNS) Just because the pope gets to ride in the popemobile doesn’t give him license not to wear a seat belt. So says an unnamed German man who filed charges against Pope Benedict XVI for allegedly failing to use a seat belt while touring Germany on an official visit in September. Attorney Christian Sundermann […]
Tunisia a test for what ‘moderate’ Islam looks like
By Tiffany McCallen — November 28, 2011
TUNIS, Tunisia (RNS) Nearly a year after Tunisia set off the Arab Spring of popular revolt, the face of political Islam in this fledgling democracy is a 47-year-old pharmaceutical executive who favors tailored suits and stiletto heels. Souad Abderrahim’s main political experience was as a student union leader more than two decades ago, but the […]
Three cities chosen as inaugural sites in new hyperlocal religion coverage project
By Tiffany McCallen — November 21, 2011
You can’t see them yet, but they’re there. Right now, the visions for three hyperlocal religion news websites are being carefully crafted, refined and readied for an early 2012 launch. And that’s just the beginning.
Catholic bishop backtracks on limiting Communion wine
By Tiffany McCallen — November 15, 2011
(RNS) The Roman Catholic bishop of Phoenix has backtracked on plans to restrict Communion wine at Mass after a local outcry and consultation with other bishops. Bishop Thomas Olmsted had said that Vatican guidelines attached to a new Mass translation curtail the distribution of Communion wine to special occasions such as feast days. Olmsted reversed […]
Gay, Muslim groups relieved by changes to bullying bill
By Tiffany McCallen — November 15, 2011
(RNS) Gay and Muslim groups say they are relieved after a Michigan lawmaker agreed to drop a provision in an anti-bullying bill that would have carved out an exemption for religious or moral beliefs. State Sen. Rick Jones, a Republican, inserted a carve-out for a “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction” in the Senate […]
Pope to make second trip to Africa
By Tiffany McCallen — November 15, 2011
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI will make his second papal trip to Africa on Friday (Nov. 18), visiting the West African country of Benin for three days, where he is likely to address economic justice, peace-building and interfaith dialogue. During Mass at a stadium in the city of Cotonou on Sunday, Benedict will present […]
Bishops welcome dialogue with Obama as concerns remain
By Tiffany McCallen — November 15, 2011
BALTIMORE (RNS) The standoff between the White House and the nation’s Catholic bishops over gay marriage and other hot-button issues may be easing after a quiet Oval Office meeting between President Obama and the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Still, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York and other prelates made it clear […]
New Orleans bids adieu to legendary archbishop
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
NEW ORLEANS (RNS) Thousands of mourners paid their final respects Thursday (Oct. 6) to legendary Archbishop Philip M. Hannan as his casket was slowly lowered beneath the sanctuary of St. Louis Cathedral to rest near eight predecessors. “We thank God this day for Philip M. Hannan,” current Archbishop Gregory Aymond said after a two-hour, 15-minute […]
Rabbis stand in solidarity with burned mosque
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) More than a thousand rabbis from around the world have signed a statement denouncing the burning of an Israeli mosque as police arrested a suspect who is alleged to be a Jewish extremist. “We condemn those in Israel who exacerbate conflict and strife, and who insist that only one people or religion belongs […]
GOP campaigns court âÂ?Â?values votersâÂ?Â? at D.C. summit
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) Several GOP presidential candidates sought to kick-start their stalling campaigns on Friday (Oct. 7) by preaching a gospel of low taxes and conservative Christian values to a summit of Tea Partiers, religious right activists and beltway insiders. Every major Republican candidate except former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman is scheduled to address the Family […]
Study: Teens leave churches seen as judgmental, unfriendly
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
(RNS) Why do young Christians leave the church? New research by the Barna Group finds they view churches as judgmental, overprotective, exclusive and unfriendly towards doubters. They also consider congregations antagonistic to science and say their Christian experience has been shallow. The findings, the result of a five-year study, are featured in “You Lost Me: […]
Sheen, Estevez find ‘The Way’ to make a non-preachy religious film
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
WASHINGTON (RNS) How does a modern filmmaker with qualms about religion make a movie about the power of an ancient Christian pilgrimage? That’s the dilemma that actor/director Emilio Estevez faced when making `The Way,’ a new film that opens Friday (Oct. 7) starring his own father, actor Martin Sheen. Estevez opted to focus on the […]
How George Harrison changed the way we believe
By Tiffany McCallen — October 7, 2011
(RNS) As the lead guitarist of the world’s biggest rock band and a prolific song writer, the Beatles’ George Harrison has secured his place in pop culture history. But his greatest legacy may be the way his decades-long spiritual quest shaped the ways the West looks at God, gurus and life. Harrison, who died of […]
U.S. Christians rally around Iranian pastor
By Tiffany McCallen — September 28, 2011
WAHSINGTON (RNS) Religious freedom advocates rallied Wednesday (Sept. 28) around an Iranian pastor who is facing execution because he has refused to recant his Christian faith in the overwhelmingly Muslim country. The British-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has asked international supporters to urge Iranian officials to halt plans to execute Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. The pastor […]
