RNS Morning Report: Amazon Fires; Nuclear Protestors’ Defense Denied; Rev. Lenny Duncan’s New Book

Fire consumes an area in Altamira, Brazil, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019. Brazil insisted on Tuesday that it would set conditions for accepting any aid from the world’s richest nations to help fight Amazon fires, saying France couldn’t protect the Notre Dame Cathedral from fire devastation and should focus on its own problems. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Need to know: Thursday, August 29, 2019

Amazon fires deepen a split between Brazil’s evangelicals and fellow Christians

The apparently intentional escalation of fires in the Amazon rainforest has contributed to a growing political split between Catholics and some Protestant groups and President Jair Bolsonaro's evangelical supporters.

Judge denies nuclear protesters’ religious freedom defense

A U.S. district court judge found the activists were sincere in their religious faith but that the government had a compelling interest to charge them with three felonies and a misdemeanor.

Black minister to his mostly white ELCA denomination: ‘We need to rethink church’

The Rev. Lenny Duncan recently decided to challenge his denomination in a new book, titled 'Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S.'

Muslims bailout fund raises nearly $150,000 to reunite migrant families

The Muslims for Migrants crowdfunding initiative has so far released nine detained parents and reunited them with their families.

King’s dream and Emmett Till’s death capture warring soul of our nation

August 28 is the anniversary of both Martin Luther King Jr.’s 'Dream' speech and the lynching of Emmett Till, eight years apart, writes Kelly Brown Douglas.

Court approves banning atheists from reciting opening prayers at state legislature

Atheists, humanists and other nontheists can be barred from giving opening invocations before the Pennsylvania House, an appeals court has decided.

 


 

Latest news from RNS

Pope Francis says key to Christian faith is to ‘obey God before men’

In his weekly audience, Pope Francis noted the upcoming anniversary of the start of the Second World War and called the faithful to pray for peace.

US agency: Hospital forced nurse to participate in abortion

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The case is the latest in a Trump administration effort to apply federal 'conscience' laws that have been on the books but are rarely enforced.

In Mississippi Delta, Catholic abuse cases for black victims settled on cheap

In Mississippi, black Catholic victims of abuse were offered settlements far smaller than those give to white victims.

More views from RNS

Our major parties offer no place for a rising moral middle

Millions of American voters believe that we must uphold the dignity of every human from conception to natural death while ensuring access to food, shelter, education and health care, writes Charles C. Camosy.

With new gun rule, Mormons take a step away from Republican right wing

This marks the latest small step the church has taken away from the GOP, either by tweaking its policies or upholding its usual position to the right of center, while Republicans swing ever further to the right, writes Jana Riess.

India ends Kashmir’s separation, giving hope to Hindus looking homeward

In the 1990s, thousands of Pandit homes, businesses and temples were destroyed or occupied, and 350,000 Pandits fled in a mass exodus. So, when earlier this month the Indian government finally abrogated Articles 370 and 35A ... my family celebrated, writes Rajiv Pandit.