Coronavirus
Jehovah’s Witnesses return to door knocking ‘like getting back on a bicycle’
By Adelle M. Banks — September 2, 2022
(RNS) — When people are less open to them, they focus more on those who take a tract, read a brochure or enroll in a Bible study program.
Jehovah’s Witnesses to return to door knocking, a sign of new COVID-19 stage
By Adelle M. Banks — August 22, 2022
(RNS) — Door knocking has not only been a physical mainstay for Jehovah’s Witnesses but an ideal they have fought for in courtrooms.
Marking its centennial, Hymn Society continues push for more diverse music
By Adelle M. Banks — July 22, 2022
(RNS) — Members danced and sang to a global selection of hymns and grappled with the power of song to change the world.
As monkeypox spreads, global organizations mobilize faith networks to fight stigma
By Adelle M. Banks — July 20, 2022
(RNS) — ‘There is no shame in having any disease’ is the mantra of Religions for Peace after dealing with past health crises, says its secretary-general.
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church elects second woman and African bishops
By Adelle M. Banks — July 1, 2022
(RNS) — Despite temperature checks and other measures attempting to keep the gathering free of COVID-19 free, some attendees tested positive during the General Conference.
‘Blessing of Elders’ lauds 7 Black Christian luminaries at Museum of the Bible gala
By Adelle M. Banks — June 24, 2022
(RNS) — ‘I believe the 21st century will see the Black church lead the way to hope and healing in a deeply divided nation,’ said the Rev. A.R. Bernard.
Church of God in Christ congregations given $100,000 by pandemic support campaign
By Adelle M. Banks — May 27, 2022
(RNS) — ‘Surprisingly, the generosity has not stopped and churches continued to give,’ said organizer Justin Giboney.
Preservationists seek to acquire beloved Hollywood home to cloistered nuns
By Alejandra Molina — May 18, 2022
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Over the years, the Monastery of the Angels community has been dwindling as the nuns age and after some died from COVID-19 and other causes, making it difficult to sustain the monastery’s ‘democratic way of life.’
What I learned when I got COVID
By Jeffrey Salkin — May 18, 2022
(RNS) — This is what ‘positive thinking’ can get you. In the midst of it all, COVID-19 became my rabbi.
Faith on the ground in Buffalo: Voice Buffalo executive director Denise Walden
By Adelle M. Banks — May 17, 2022
(RNS) — ‘They are some of the matriarchs and the pillars of our community,’ Buffalo minister says of residents killed in attack.
Measuring COVID-19’s effect: Southern Baptists report 19% attendance drop
By Adelle M. Banks — May 12, 2022
(RNS) — Beyond a rise in baptisms, the only other growth Southern Baptists saw in 2021 was in financial giving.
A new novel explores a post-pandemic religious world — in the 14th century
By Jana Riess — May 11, 2022
(RNS) — Peter Manseau’s latest book examines the Black Death for clues to our cultural moment.
Religious groups are ‘making a joyful noise’ with outdoor instruments
By Adelle M. Banks — May 6, 2022
(RNS) — ‘We wanted to make a pretty area that would enhance the chapel but be fun for the children,’ said a leader of a Texas church.
National Day of Prayer observances to feature in-person worship, online petitions
By Adelle M. Banks — May 4, 2022
(RNS) — Proclaimed by Congress in 1952, the prayer day has been observed since 1988 on the first Thursday in May, with a more diverse array of participants in recent years.
Second gentleman Doug Emhoff touts ‘critical’ interfaith collaboration
By Adelle M. Banks — April 29, 2022
(RNS) — Emhoff spoke about how his interfaith marriage reflected the observance of major Jewish and Christian holidays in quick succession.
