RNS Morning Report: Biden at PNBC Gathering; La Luz del Mundo Leader Bail; COVID-19 Health Orders

Former Vice President Joe Biden addresses a virtual gathering of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. Video screengrab

Need to know: Friday, August 7, 2020

Biden quotes Bible at Black church meeting, while Trump says his rival is ‘against God’

‘The night is long, but joy cometh in the morning, and it’s up to us to make sure it does. That’s our charge: deliver America a new dawn,’ Former Vice President Joe Biden said.

Judge increases bail for La Luz del Mundo leader to $90 million

California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra on July 30 refiled charges against Naasón Joaquín García, four months after a California appeals court dismissed Garcia’s criminal case on procedural grounds.

John MacArthur believes the Bible trumps COVID-19 public health orders. Legal scholars say no

While the government can't tell people what to believe, it can restrict their actions. That includes restricting religious practices during a pandemic.

Muslim leaders call for hate crime investigation into deadly Denver house fire

Denver police have opened a homicide investigation into the deadly house fire that killed Djibril Diol and his wife and toddler daughter, as well as two other family members.

What white evangelical Christians can’t see when they see racism

The functional theology of evangelicalism offers a limited toolkit for understanding racism, writes James K.A. Smith.

Pope appoints six women to top roles on Vatican council in progressive step

Former Labour minister Ruth Kelly is among the women who will oversee Vatican finances and address its cashflow problems.

 


 

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In ‘The Secret: Dare to Dream,’ the law of attraction plays a starring role

‘The Secret: Dare to Dream,’ a film based on the bestselling book ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne, was released on July 31 and features a star-studded cast alongside an inspirational dose of spiritualism.

COVID-19 death of ‘well-loved’ Texas pastor shows coronavirus spread to rural areas

A small United Methodist church in Texas is ‘absolutely heartbroken’ after losing its pastor to the coronavirus, according to the church’s district superintendent.

Magazine report is aimed at silencing nuns on sex abuse, says Vatican critic

‘It’s a way to tell sisters that if they have press conferences, make their voices heard and denounce sexual abuse, (church authorities) will air all their dirty laundry,’ said Lucetta Scaraffia.

More views from RNS

Mike Pompeo claims the Judeo-Christian tradition for his agenda — a tradition in itself

Just because it's been embraced by the religious right doesn't mean it doesn't exist, writes Mark Silk.

After 75 years, a question about race haunts Truman’s calculation on Hiroshima

Much of the world focused on President Harry Truman's explanation for using the bomb 75 years ago, but the Japanese I met had a different question, writes A. James Rudin.

Will Tammy Duckworth be the first deist veep since Thomas Jefferson?

If the Illinois senator becomes a national candidate it’s likely the Founding Father’s faith tradition will come to be as controversial as it was in the 19th century, writes Steven Waldman.