Other Faiths
Anime is packed with spirituality and gaining popularity among Gen Z
By Josh Packard and Kaitlyn Ugoretz — October 31, 2022
(RNS) — Anime, filled with Japanese spirituality, is part of a massive boom in the popularity of East Asian media.
Four Jehovah’s Witnesses charged with sexual abuse of 19 children across Pennsylvania
By Kathryn Post — October 27, 2022
(RNS) — ‘Most of these defendants used their faith and church to gain access to their victims,’ Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said.
Most faith groups agree US has gone astray. They don’t agree on the way forward.
By Adelle M. Banks — October 27, 2022
(RNS) — The research, released shortly before Election Day, sheds light on questions of race, sexuality, abortion and immigration as well as sentiments about the country’s origins.
Unitarian Universalists resolve to fight ableism highlighted by pandemic
By Kathryn Post — October 24, 2022
(RNS) — 'You get a bunch of 'UUs' committed to systemic change, and things start to happen,' said one drafter of the new anti-ableism commitment.
Japan leader sends offerings to controversial Tokyo shrine
By Mari Yamaguchi — October 18, 2022
TOKYO (AP) — The religious offerings were donated to a Tokyo shrine viewed by many as a symbol of Japanese wartime militarism.
Ojibwe author Patty Krawec writes about Indigenous peoples, Christians ‘Becoming Kin’
By Emily McFarlan Miller — September 27, 2022
(RNS) — Patty Krawec on why rethinking — or ‘unforgetting,’ as she calls it — history is important.
Why China feels threatened by the moral authority of a 90-year-old Catholic bishop
By Scott D. McDonald — September 23, 2022
(The Conversation) — A scholar of philosophy and foreign policy explains why Cardinal Zen poses a threat to the Chinese Communist Party as a competing source of political authority.
Who is Artemis? NASA’s latest mission to the Moon is named after an ancient lunar goddess turned feminist icon
By Marie-Claire Beaulieu — September 23, 2022
(The Conversation) — A scholar of Greek mythology explains the naming of NASA’s missions after mythological figures and why the name Artemis is indicative of a more diverse era of space exploration.
New museum exhibit seeks to show Samaritans are more than a biblical parable
By Menachem Wecker — September 19, 2022
WASHINGTON (RNS) — 'The Samaritans: A Biblical People,' opened Sept. 16 at the Museum of the Bible and includes artifacts spanning from the second century before the Common Era to contemporary paintings made in the past couple of years.
Little churches still matter, says Martha’s Vineyard pastor of church that took in migrants
By Bob Smietana — September 16, 2022
(RNS) — Houses of worship on Martha's Vineyard have long worked together to meet the needs of their neighbors. So they were ready to spring into action when refugees arrived unexpectedly.
Biden includes faith leaders in summit’s charge to ‘rise together against hate’
By Adelle M. Banks — September 16, 2022
(RNS) — In the audience were survivors and family members of those lost to violence at houses of worship and other scenes of hate crimes.
New York poised to strengthen oversight of nonpublic schools
By Carolyn Thompson — September 13, 2022
A Board of Regents committee unanimously approved guidelines Monday to make sure instruction at the state's private and religious schools is equivalent to that of its public schools, following years of complaints that some ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools were not meeting basic academic standards.
Indiana abortion ban challenged under religious freedom law
By Tom Davies — September 9, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A lawsuit filed on Thursday by the ACLU of Indiana argues that the abortion ban set to take effect next week violates a state religious-freedom law that was approved by Republican lawmakers in 2015.
Beijing hounds Chinese church seeking safety overseas
By Tassanee Vejpongsa and Dake Kang — September 7, 2022
BANGKOK (AP) — The story of the exile of the Shenzhen Holy Reformed Church illustrates how the Chinese government is going to increasing lengths to control religious faith and its citizens, even far outside its borders.
Wisconsin GOP candidate calls for ‘pitchforks and torches’
By Scott Bauer — September 6, 2022
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Tim Michels, Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor endorsed by Donald Trump, is calling for people to “get out on the streets with pitchforks and torches” in reaction to a story detailing his large donations to ant-abortion and church groups.
