Government & Politics
Exceptions for ‘Jewish tourism’ rankle US Christians blocked from Israel at Christmas
By Yonat Shimron and Michele Chabin — December 21, 2021
(RNS) — Birthright Israel delegations and similar Jewish travel programs were exempted from a travel ban that has canceled Christian trips to Israel at Christmas.
Biden administration slaps sanctions on China over Uyghur Muslim persecution
By Yonat Shimron — December 16, 2021
(RNS) — The new sanctions will bar Chinese companies from trading or exchanging biotechnology or surveillance products with the United States.
After Lauren Boebert’s Islamophobic standup, here’s the apology that was missing
By Mark Silk — November 30, 2021
(RNS) — Boebert refused Ilhan Omar’s request to apologize to her publicly.
Portland’s season of unrest rekindled after Kyle Rittenhouse verdict
By Grant Stringer — November 24, 2021
(RNS) — This time, national and local faith leaders have organized largely peaceful protests.
Iraqi baby buried as death toll in EU-Belarus crisis grows
By Vanessa Gera — November 24, 2021
Poland has ordered a state of emergency along its border to stop migrants from coming through, and to keep family — or smugglers — from approaching the border to facilitate their travel further west.
Is Josh Mandel the ‘Christian’ values candidate or the ‘Judeo-Christian’ candidate?
By Mark Silk — November 22, 2021
(RNS) — It would be more accurate to call the spiritual ideology of today's right not 'Christian Nationalism' but 'Judeo-Christian Nationalism.'
Texas abortion ban stays in force as justices mull outcome
By Mark Sherman — November 17, 2021
They raised expectations of quick action by putting the case on a rarely used fast track. And yet, to date, the court's silence means that women cannot get an abortion in Texas, the second-largest state, after about six weeks of pregnancy.
Dalai Lama says China’s leaders ‘don’t understand’ diversity
By Associated Press — November 10, 2021
On Wednesday, the 86-year-old Buddhist monk said he wished to remain home in India rather than get involved in the “complicated politics" between China, run by the officially atheist Communist Party, and strongly Buddhist Taiwan.
Vice President Kamala Harris headlines antisemitism conference
By Yonat Shimron — November 7, 2021
(RNS) — This was Harris’ first appearance at an Anti-Defamation League conference after an event at George Mason University last month in which she appeared to praise a student who accused Israel of committing 'ethnic genocide.'
Texas judge rules religious businesses exempt from LGBTQ bias claims
By Kathryn Post — November 3, 2021
(RNS) — The ruling allows religious businesses to fire or refuse to hire LGBTQ people without fear of liability.
Poll: Most Americans support church-state separation; Christian nationalists differ
By Yonat Shimron — October 28, 2021
(RNS) — Americans also support some intermingling of church and state. Three in 10 said public school teachers should be allowed to lead students in Christian prayers, and 4 in 10 said it’s OK to put up Christian symbols in the public square.
Protesting Zionism, climate activist group won’t rally in DC with Jewish groups
By Yonat Shimron — October 20, 2021
(RNS) — The statement shocked many Jewish groups who said the position essentially excludes Jews.
Sailors, Marines seek religious accommodation to wear beards
By Joseph Hammond — October 1, 2021
(RNS) — One Orthodox Jewish sailor and three Muslim sailors joined in a lawsuit alleging the Navy’s beard policy amounts to a violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Randall Balmer on why racism, not abortion, birthed the religious right
By Yonat Shimron — September 22, 2021
(RNS) — In his new book, he shows it was government interference in ‘segregation academies’ such as Bob Jones University that sparked the growth of the religious right. Opposition to abortion was an afterthought.
Faith-based agencies celebrate ‘return to moral leadership’ as Biden raises refugee ceiling to 125,000
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 21, 2021
(RNS) — Even as they praised the higher refugee ceiling, the groups also asked Congress to commit to rebuilding and fully funding the U.S. refugee resettlement program so it could reach that number.
