U.S.
Conservative faith leaders praise Johnson for House’s approval of foreign aid
By Adelle M. Banks and Jack Jenkins — April 22, 2024
(RNS) — Passage of the aid packages came in the wake of letters and last-minute lobbying from a spectrum of religious groups.
At a time of deep divisions, American Jews will celebrate Passover in multiple tones
By Yonat Shimron — April 22, 2024
(RNS) — Supplementary Seder readings this year range in focus from those anchored in the trauma and pain of Israelis to those rooted in the oppression of Palestinians.
Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering
By Luis Andres Henao — April 22, 2024
ROME, Ga (AP) —Today, he is an influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers, respected for his work focused on social change, identity and spiritual wellness.
From sumptuous engravings to stick-figure sketches, Passover Haggadahs − and their art − have been evolving for centuries
By Rebecca J.W. Jefferson — April 22, 2024
(The Conversation) — A scholar highlights some of the most interesting versions of the Passover text and how they’ve met communities’ changing needs around the world.
Hiking, disc golf, flower arranging: UMC initiative connects people around non-church interests
By Yonat Shimron — April 19, 2024
NORWOOD, N.C. (RNS) — 'Fresh Expressions' is a denominational initiative intended to connect people who may not be interested in church but are interested in learning a new skill or making new friends.
‘Flynn’ portrays the Christian nationalist evangelist’s fight with the ‘Deep State’
By Tess Owen — April 19, 2024
(RNS) — A new film hagiography portrays the former Trump adviser as a victim of the 'Deep State,' omitting his current mission to spread the gospel of Christian nationalism.
John Adams’ Nativity oratorio ‘El Nino’ gets colorful staging at the Met
By Mike Silverman — April 19, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) —The production is a retelling of the birth and early life of Jesus through a mix of biblical verses and modern Latin American poetry, medieval texts and apocrypha.
A Muslim valedictorian is abandoned by her own university
By Dilshad Ali — April 18, 2024
(RNS) — The decision to bar Asna Tabassum from speaking shows academic institutions are failing to protect students equally.
New leader of Jesse Jackson’s civil rights organization steps down just months on the job
By Sophia Tareen — April 18, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) —Haynes, 63, said he felt it was “necessary” to move on in light of “challenges that continue to exist,” but declined to elaborate further.
Hindu Lord Ram road-trips through the United States
By Richa Karmarkar — April 17, 2024
(RNS) — For the first time in North America, an image of Lord Ram is being paraded from temple to temple on a two-month-long road trip, just in time for the deity’s birthday, Ram Navami.
Reagan’s great America shining on a hill twisted into Trump’s dark vision of Christian nationalism
By Diane Winston — April 17, 2024
(The Conversation) — Reagan and Trump − two of the most media-savvy Republican presidents − used religion to advance their political visions, but their messages and missions could not be more different.
After traditionalist churches left, UMC may be more — not less — diverse
By Yonat Shimron — April 16, 2024
(RNS) — Even after the departures, 24% of North Carolina clergy remaining in the denomination disagree with allowing LGBTQ people to get married and ordained within the denomination.
Salman Rushdie’s ‘Knife’ is unflinching about his brutal stabbing and uncanny in its vital spirit
By Hillel Italie — April 16, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) —At just over 200 pages, “Knife” is a brief work in the canon of Rushdie, among the most exuberant and expansive of contemporary novelists.
Solar New Year celebrations unite religious groups across the South Asian diaspora
By Richa Karmarkar — April 15, 2024
(RNS) — This week, people of all South Asian backgrounds celebrated the Hindu Solar New Year in their unique, regional ways. But common threads between the holidays, many say, have the power to unite those living in the diaspora.
As a landmark United Methodist gathering approaches, African churches weigh their future.
By Peter Smith — April 15, 2024
(AP) — Today, members from four continents vote at legislative gatherings, serve on boards together, go on mission trips to each others’ countries and are largely governed by the same rules.
