News
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.
Jericho March plans DC return in the new year to pray Pence will overturn election
By Bob Smietana — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — A die-hard group of Trump supporters plans to march around the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol in hopes of a last-minute election miracle.
Rear Adm. Margaret Grun Kibben named as first woman to serve as House chaplain
By Bob Smietana — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — A Presbyterian minister and longtime chaplain will be the first woman to serve as House chaplain.
Armenian Christian community caught between Israelis and Palestinians
By Daoud Kuttab — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — The controversy has taken on added significance because of a recent rise in anti-Christian sentiment among Palestinians.
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.
Photos of the Year
By Kit Doyle — December 31, 2020
(RNS) — This week’s selection looks back at the best photos from 2020.
5 ‘in real life’ religion and pop culture clashes from 2020
By Roxanne Stone and Emily McFarlan Miller — December 30, 2020
(RNS) — Kanye ran for president. Rihanna faced backlash from Muslims. A French-language film caused many conservative religious people to #CancelNetflix.
Student-led petition calls for Liberty University to close Falkirk Center, its political think tank
By Emily McFarlan Miller — December 30, 2020
(RNS) — The petition’s signers join a growing chorus of voices that have expressed concerns about Liberty’s association with the Falkirk Center.
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.
Bill legalizing abortion passed in pope’s native Argentina
By Almudena Calatrava and Débora Rey — December 30, 2020
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Argentina is the largest Latin American country to legalize abortion and the vote was being closely watched.
Top German Catholic bishop urges shift on women’s ordination, homosexuality
By Jack Jenkins — December 29, 2020
(RNS) — Limburg Bishop Georg Bätzing referred to ‘well-developed arguments in theology in favor of opening up the sacramental ministry to women as well.’
Survey: UK teens are more likely than millennials to believe in God
By Jack Jenkins — December 29, 2020
(RNS) — The number is up from January, suggesting some may have embraced a belief in God during the pandemic.
Faith leaders and religion influencers who died in 2020
By Adelle M. Banks — December 29, 2020
(RNS) — Losses in the religion world included people known for their contributions to preaching, civil rights or music.
