U.S.
Spiritual libertarianism swatted down in Wisconsin
By Mark Silk — April 3, 2024
(RNS) — Conservative legal groups are trying to erase a distinction between religious employers and religious activity.
Katie Pruitt continues to probe life as a ‘recovering Catholic’ on new album
By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — April 3, 2024
(RNS) — ‘Mantras,’ Pruitt’s sophomore album, explores the fraught nature of leaving one’s childhood religion.
Indian American lawmakers urge DOJ to address ‘alarming’ rise of Hindu temple vandalism
By Richa Karmarkar — April 3, 2024
(RNS) — Hindu advocates say the trend of temple vandalism points to a lack of an adequate response from law enforcement, which they blame on anti-Hindu bias.
For the Maya, solar eclipses were a sign of heavenly clashes − and their astronomers kept sophisticated records to predict them
By Kimberly H. Breuer — April 3, 2024
(The Conversation) — The skies and the gods were inseparable in Maya culture. Astronomers kept careful track of events like eclipses in order to perform the renewal ceremonies to continue the world’s cycles of rebirth.
Oklahoma court considers whether to allow the US’ first publicly funded Catholic school
By Sean Murphy — April 3, 2024
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Attorney General Gentner Drummond argued the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board violated both the law and the state and federal constitutions.
Man pleads guilty to attacking Muslim state representative in Connecticut
By Associated Press — April 3, 2024
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Rep. Maryam Khan was attacked while attending a service at the XL Center arena in Hartford with her family to mark Eid al-Adha, the end of the Hajj.
Muslim leaders reject chance to break bread with Biden as anger over Gaza festers
By Chris Megerian and Zeke Miller — April 3, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats fear that Biden's loss of support among Muslims could help clear a path for his Republican predecessor to return to the White House.
New York inmates are suing to watch the solar eclipse after state orders prisons locked down
By Philip Marcelo — April 3, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — The suit filed Friday in federal court in upstate New York argues that the April 8 lockdown violates inmates' constitutional rights to practice their faiths by preventing them from taking part in a religiously significant event.
Poll: Muslims most discriminated group in US, but Jews not far behind
By Yonat Shimron — April 2, 2024
(RNS) — The poll, taken in February, reflects changing attitudes toward U.S. Jews in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and the fierce, now 6-month-old war in Gaza.
T.D. Jakes mentioned briefly in suit against music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
By Adelle M. Banks — April 2, 2024
(RNS) — Jakes, a Dallas-based megachurch pastor, is not among the defendants in the suit, which include several record labels.
Jim Wallis: What that Bible Trump is selling says about truth
By Jim Wallis — April 2, 2024
(RNS) — Take a look inside that ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible and you’ll find that in the truth lies real freedom.
Polygamous sect leader pleads guilty in scheme to orchestrate sexual acts involving children
By Jacques Billeaud — April 2, 2024
PHOENIX (AP) — In pleading guilty, Bateman, 48, acknowledged taking underage brides, having sex activity with them and arranging group sex, sometimes involving child brides
Mosques in NYC struggle to house and feed an influx of Muslim migrants this Ramadan
By Philip Marcelo — April 2, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — Islamic institutions in the Big Apple are struggling to keep up with the needs of the city's migrant population as an increasing number of asylum seekers come from Muslim-majority African countries.
New York’s governor is hiring her first Muslim Affairs director
By Fiona André — April 1, 2024
NEW YORK (RNS) — Since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, Governor Hochul's relations with the state's Muslim community have been strained.
Some state lawmakers want school chaplains as part of a ‘rescue mission’ for public education
By Hannah Fingerhut — April 1, 2024
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Many chaplains and interfaith organizations oppose the chaplaincy campaign, calling the motivation offensive and describing the dangers of introducing a position of authority to children without clear standards or boundaries.
