Remembering the Christianity of Jesus, not empire
(RNS) — If Jesus were here today he’d be wearing a Black Lives Matter T-shirt while he held a sign and marched at a protest.
‘The church will not be silent’: Clergy lead thousands in peaceful protest on Chicago’s South Side
CHICAGO (RNS) — People of faith are taking a more active role in the protests sparked by George Floyd’s death that have spread from Minneapolis to all 50 states and around the world.
United Methodists reschedule meeting — and decision on splitting — to 2021
(RNS) — United Methodists plan to head to Minneapolis for their General Conference in 2021, where they will discuss the denomination's future. The meeting was postponed for more than a year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Breakaway Anglican group that left Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth wins property fight
(RNS) — The Texas ruling may be the first time that a breakaway diocese has prevailed in a legal fight over church property.
COVID-19 delayed a United Methodist schism. But it has left LGBT members in limbo.
(RNS) — The COVID-19 pandemic canceled a meeting that might have split the United Methodist Church. But the delay left LGBT United Methodists in limbo.
United Methodists would've met this week to consider a split. What are they doing instead?
(RNS) — Many US United Methodist leaders see the delay as a blessing, allowing more time and cooler heads to consider a split. Others are concerned about ongoing damage after decades of debate over the role of LGBTQ Christians in the church.
Clergy, scientists grapple with thoughts of worship without congregational singing
(RNS) — ‘Singing together is a big deal,’ said a Philadelphia pastor.
2 Hispanic churches and too many tears: 100 COVID-19 deaths
NEW YORK (AP) — Two churches, one Catholic, one Lutheran, have lost more than 100 members to the coronavirus and because of lockdown rules lack the ability to mourn together in person.
From flannelgraphs to Zoom, churches bring Sunday school home
(RNS) — As the coronavirus continues to upend daily life in the United States, churches and Christian leaders are finding ways to relieve anxious kids and overwhelmed parents online.
Before we get ‘back to normal,’ we need to grieve and pray
(RNS) — We can learn from the prophet Nehemiah, who cried and mourned openly for the losses of conquered Jerusalem.
Religious leaders decry, question death of Ahmaud Arbery after video surfaces
(RNS) — Here’s a sampling of 10 voices who, across racial and ideological lines, reacted to the video and demanded justice for Arbery’s death.
Watchdog seeks discipline for Army chaplain who shared John Piper coronavirus book
(RNS) — The Military Religious Freedom Foundation is representing 22 chaplains who objected to an email with the book that ties the coronavirus to God’s judgment.
National Day of Prayer, reshaped by pandemic, includes interfaith and online events
(RNS) — In its 69th year, the observance — often predominated by evangelical Christians gathering in public places — will feature interfaith and even international voices on computer screens and cellphones.
Church giving down more due to COVID-19 than during recession, survey shows
(RNS) — Brian Kluth, who organized the State of the Plate research, predicted the findings could lead to tighter budgets for congregations and their staffs.
For first time, survey finds majority of pastors says global warming is real, man-made
(RNS) — In previous studies, researchers found pastors were more skeptical of human-caused climate change.