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Pop heartthrob Zayn Malik says he’s no longer Muslim, leaving his Muslim fans divided

by Aysha Khan

November 16, 2018

(RNS) — Rarely vocal about his faith, the former One Direction singer now says he appreciates his religious upbringing but is no longer religious himself, beyond a 'spiritual belief' in a God.

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In Kenya, Pentecostal Christian moms tell husbands that girls are as good as boys

by Tonny Onyulo

November 16, 2018

BUNGOMA, Kenya (RNS) — Traditional culture here demands that women bear sons, but religious leaders say it's time for people to see that in God's eyes, both genders have equal worth.

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Lutheran comfort dogs bring compassion, care during disasters

by Cathleen Falsani

November 15, 2018

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (RNS) — When suffering people meet ministry dogs, 'You see that little glimmer of hope in their eyes,' says a handler. 'You see the hurt and then it changes to hope and a smile.'

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Seminaries partner with prisons to offer inmates new life as ministers

by Yonat Shimron

November 14, 2018

NASHVILLE, N.C. (RNS) —  Evangelical schools such as Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary offer inmates a free, on-site college degree if they promise they'll minister to other inmates once they graduate.

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Jerusalem mayoral race exposes religious-secular rift

by Michele Chabin

November 12, 2018

JERUSALEM (RNS) — A fight over nightclub closures on the sabbath represents a larger tug-of-war over whose values will prevail — the ultra-Orthodox Jews' or those of their more mainstream Jewish neighbors.

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Welcoming veterans to belated college careers with yoga and a dose of Taoism

by Tom Verde

November 12, 2018

(RNS) — Manhattan College’s Veterans at Ease program seeks to help veterans reintegrate into civilian and academic life after being separated from both for years of isolating service.

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Vatican instructs U.S. bishops to halt voting on sex abuse measures

by Jack Jenkins

November 12, 2018

BALTIMORE (RNS) — Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, citing the urgency of the abuse crisis for the American church, urged that the bishops still discuss the "action items" on the issue.

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Lutheran school in Thousand Oaks learns how to grieve after losing one of its own

by Cathleen Falsani

November 9, 2018

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Like any of the mass shootings that have become near-daily trauma to the American psyche, the massacre here happened in precisely the kind of place such things aren’t meant to happen.

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Why the Hindu spiritual tradition of vegetarianism is getting a fresh start

by Rosanne Skirble

November 9, 2018

LANHAM, Md.  (RNS) — Hindus have found a new reason to recommit themselves to vegetarianism: global warming.

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Measles outbreaks hit ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities in Israel and US

by Paul O'Donnell

November 9, 2018

JERUSALEM (RNS) — In Israel, several prominent rabbis have signed a document that reads, "Whoever isn't vaccinated is a murderer."

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Harvest Bible Chapel sues bloggers for spreading 'false information'

by Bobby Ross Jr.

November 8, 2018

(RNS) — Megachurch pastor James MacDonald and his congregation filed suit recently, claiming two bloggers and a freelance writer were spreading false information about the church.

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As Christians split over Trump, minority faiths make their mark

by Jack Jenkins

November 7, 2018

(RNS) — Muslim women were elected to Congress for the first time. And for the first time in memory an incumbent senator mentioned the upcoming Hindu holiday of Diwali in an acceptance speech.

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Happy 100th Birthday, Billy Graham

by Adelle M. Banks

November 6, 2018

(RNS) — As the calendar marks what would have been Graham’s 100th birthday on Wednesday, here are 10 quotes from the preacher and people who knew and admired him over his 99 years of life.

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Faith groups mount election turnout efforts that could help both parties

by Jack Jenkins

November 5, 2018

(RNS) — This year’s heated midterm contests appear to have sparked unusually robust efforts by faith-based organizations to galvanize supporters and move the political needle.

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A Washington state lawmaker's notes on 'biblical' war threaten his re-election bid

by Paul O'Donnell

November 5, 2018

SPOKANE — A quiet race for a legislative seat in Washington state was thrust into the spotlight after a document outlining the biblical reason for war, written by incumbent Matt Shea, was leaked on Facebook.