Coronavirus
Israel hopes to vaccinate Holocaust survivors to save and repay ‘treasured’ population
By Michele Chabin — January 14, 2021
(RNS) — An Israeli government initiative to help vaccinate Holocaust survivors around the world against COVID-19 is drawing praise for its intentions, but also skepticism.
LA clergy look to hold city officials responsible for allowing Sean Feucht’s Skid Row event
By Alejandra Molina — January 14, 2021
(RNS) — On Wednesday (Jan. 13), Clergy for Black Lives hosted a virtual news conference on Zoom to condemn the ‘white supremacist violence and heretical Christian prophecy’ in the nation’s capital and in downtown LA.
On his way to prison, Catholic activist advocates for COVID-19 prisoner release
By Yonat Shimron — January 12, 2021
(RNS) — Patrick O’Neill will report to a federal prison Thursday for breaking into a nuclear submarine base to protest nuclear arms. Now he’s advocating for prisoner safety during a pandemic.
What four strangers of different faiths learned while living together during a pandemic
By Alejandra Molina — January 12, 2021
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Hadar Cohen, Ala’ Khan, Maya Mansour and Jonathan Simcosky were chosen as fellows for an interfaith experiment known as the Abrahamic House. They come from different faiths: Baha’i, Christianity, Islam and Judaism.
Samaritan’s Purse field hospitals much in demand as COVID case counts rise
By Yonat Shimron — January 11, 2021
LENOIR, N.C. (RNS) — The evangelical humanitarian relief organization has trained healthcare workers or treated COVID-19 patients in 30 countries. Its latest field hospital is in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Pope Francis’ personal doctor has died of COVID-19
By Claire Giangravé — January 11, 2021
(RNS) — Soccorsi was being treated for cancer at a Rome hospital when he contracted COVID-19, according to reports.
Anti-abortion faith leaders support use of COVID-19 vaccines
By David Crary — January 10, 2021
(AP) — One outspoken foe of abortion based in Dallas, Southern Baptist megachurch pastor Robert Jeffress, has called the vaccines a "present from God."
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors helps launch #PrayforLA to honor COVID-19 deaths
By Alejandra Molina — January 4, 2021
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Cullors is encouraging people to share photos, artwork, a prayer or meditation of loved ones lost to COVID-19, even as the virus continues to spread and fill up hospital beds across Los Angeles County.
Israel’s recognition of Utah marriages gives hope to ineligible couples
By Michele Chabin — January 4, 2021
(RNS) — Mixed-faith, LGBTQ and nonreligious couples have had to travel abroad and obtain a civil marriage certificate.
RNS reporters on the big stories they expect to cover in 2021
By RNS staff — January 1, 2021
(RNS) — How will America’s religious landscape recover from 2020 and who will lead faith issues in new directions in the new year?
Samaritan’s Purse to open a North Carolina field hospital for COVID-19 patients
By Yonat Shimron — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — The evangelical humanitarian relief organization headed by Franklin Graham will open a 30-bed field hospital to help five small hospitals in the western part of the state.
LA’s Skid Row doesn’t need Sean Feucht’s ‘revival’
By Shane Claiborne, David Gibbons, and Stephen Cue Jn-Marie — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — If Feucht really cared about the people on Skid Row, he would support efforts to contain the virus instead of holding a maskless concert in a tent city.
What to expect on the religious scene in 2021: Experts cast their sights on the year ahead
By Yonat Shimron — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — We asked scholars, faith leaders, activists and other experts to reflect on some of the issues they’ve seen on the religious landscape and what they anticipate for 2021.
Los Angeles activists say Sean Feucht is ‘waging biological warfare’ ahead of homeless outreach events
By Alejandra Molina — December 30, 2020
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — Activists are holding car caravans on Wednesday and New Year’s Eve to block Christian recording artist Sean Feucht from holding outreach events in two homeless communities in Los Angeles.
Hymn database sees spike in 2020 as Christians worship at home
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 30, 2020
(RNS) — ‘In this time of uncertainty and fear, Christians around the globe turn to scripture and turn to song for comfort,’ according to the website Hymnary.org.
