Yonat Shimron
Yonat Shimron is an RNS National Reporter and Senior Editor.
All Stories by Yonat Shimron
President Biden pledges support for Rev. Barber’s campaign to end poverty
By Yonat Shimron — June 21, 2021
(RNS) — In a prerecorded two-minute video, Biden said he supported some of the issues central to the Poor People’s Campaign, including a $15 minimum wage.
James Forbes’ ode to Juneteenth calls on Americans to embrace the promise of freedom
By Yonat Shimron — June 18, 2021
(RNS) — The retired pastor's spoken word is not simply a paean to freedom. It’s a call to all Americans to face the reality of the nation’s history and the unfinished work of Juneteenth.
Supreme Court rules in favor of Catholic foster care agency, in narrow win for religious rights
By Yonat Shimron — June 17, 2021
(RNS) — The justices once again showed they were receptive to claims by religious groups — in this case Catholic Social Services, which refuses to work with same-sex couples.
Southern Baptist pastor: Minister accused of abusing a dozen boys never investigated
By Yonat Shimron — June 15, 2021
(RNS) — Pastor Troy Bush wanted to find out who else a minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Ashburn, Georgia, had sexually abused. The SBC declined to inquire about the church.
Sex abuse survivors call for system-wide audit of Southern Baptist Convention
By Yonat Shimron — June 14, 2021
(RNS) — The group of eight survivors wants the convention to go beyond the review of the Executive Committee that was announced last week.
Will yoga classes in public school lead kids to convert?
By Yonat Shimron — June 11, 2021
(RNS) — Indiana University Professor of Religious Studies Candy Gunther Brown says parents should worry less about where yoga comes from and more about how it's being taught.
Facing enrollment declines, some Catholic dioceses are betting on online schools
By Yonat Shimron — June 9, 2021
(RNS) — Catholic schools saw a 6.4% decline in enrollment at the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Now some dioceses are trying to attract new students with online schools.
Southern Baptist pastors demand inquiry into handling of sex abuse cases
By Yonat Shimron — June 7, 2021
(RNS) — The pastors want to confront allegations detailed in letters from outgoing SBC ethics chief Russell Moore, who said top leaders of the convention resisted sexual abuse reforms and bullied a sexual abuse victim.
Calvin University’s first openly gay student body president paves a path
By Yonat Shimron — June 3, 2021
(RNS) — Claire Murashima’s role as a gay student body president directly challenged the school’s theological positions.
2 Plowshares activists win early release from prison
By Yonat Shimron — May 27, 2021
(RNS) — Martha Hennessy, 66, the granddaughter of Catholic Worker Movement founder Dorothy Day, and Carmen Trotta, 58, a Catholic worker at St. Joseph House in New York City, were released after serving six months in prison for breaking into a nuclear submarine base.
US Jews rally for more support in combating antisemitism
By Yonat Shimron — May 27, 2021
(RNS) — The Anti-Defamation League reported a 75% increase in antisemitic attacks in the U.S. in the wake of the clashes in Israel and Gaza. American Jews want their elected representatives to take more action.
Study: More churches closing than opening
By Yonat Shimron — May 26, 2021
(RNS) — The study, which analyzed church data from 34 Protestant denominations and groups, found that 4,500 churches closed in 2019, while about 3,000 new congregations were started.
Jewish camp for adults attracts a growing set of young people more ‘ish’ than ‘Jew’
By Yonat Shimron — May 21, 2021
(RNS) — Trybal Gatherings reconnect 20- and 30-year-olds with other Jews their age at a time when many skip any kind of religious institutional connection.
‘Religion entered into me’: A talk with Jane Goodall, winner of the 2021 Templeton Prize
By Yonat Shimron — May 20, 2021
(RNS) — The celebrated primatologist is only the fourth woman to win the prize, established to honor those who use science to explore humankind’s place and purpose in the universe.
Why the first in-person gathering for many US Jews may not be so celebratory
By Yonat Shimron — May 14, 2021
(RNS) — Debates over the crisis in Israel may not be the most desirable way to start in-person gatherings. But it will be a hard topic to avoid.
