Laxmi Narayan Tripathi takes a dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj, formerly called Allahabad, on Feb. 10, 2019, during the Kumbh Mela festival in India. RNS photo by Shantanu Saha
Need to know: Thursday, February 21, 2019
Hindu monastic order is reclaiming transgender people’s status in Indian society
A reality TV star-turned-transgender activist is using the ancient Hindu tradition of akharas to go beyond activism's limits to change religious attitudes toward her community.
Ahead of St. Louis meeting, one United Methodist offers prayers along the way
Helen Ryde decided to alleviate the tension ahead of what may be the most consequential meeting in the denomination’s history by turning the trip to Missouri into a pilgrimage.
In Detroit, one organization is schooling Muslims on racial justice
In just five years, the Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative has grown from a Twitter conversation into an organization that has trained America’s biggest Muslim groups in racial justice.
Tim Tebow makes the Christian movie he’s always wanted to see
'Run the Race,' the story of two high school brothers trying to overcome their family's struggles, sticks close to the power of fraternal love, sports and the Almighty.
How a national emergency order endangers the ‘other’
The leaders of two congregations that have suffered violence incited by hate, we recognize the president's 'emergency' isn’t about an invasion, but the language of governmental overreach, write Jonathan Perlman and Eric S.C. Manning.
Chinese ‘Muslim tracker’ surveillance system monitoring movements of 2.5m people in Xinjiang
Police checkpoints and security cameras recording location of citizens in region where authorities have waged wide-ranging crackdown on Islam, says researcher.
Latest news from RNS
Harvest announces executive committee will resign, more changes after MacDonald fired
The Chicago-area megachurch announced that the entire executive committee of its elders will resign over the next few months — one of several changes coming after the ouster of its founding pastor, James MacDonald.
Alexa responds to minister’s sermon, orders toilet paper
A sermon about the depersonalizing effect of technology became a case in point.
Zimbabwe pastor who helped oust Mugabe returns to protesting — and jail
'We replaced Mugabe with another Mugabe,' said Pastor Evan Mawarire, who faces a 20-year prison sentence for his current protest activities.
More views from RNS
You may be reading the Bible wrong. Pete Enns says the Bible itself shows a better way.
The Bible isn't a rule book or an instruction manual, says Peter Enns, a Hebrew Bible scholar and the host of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People.
Grief hides in the church bathroom
(RNS) — We chose to grieve together in that moment instead of holding things together for the sake of others’ comfort.
Religion’s role in the climate emergency
Time to start talking about sacrifice, writes Mark Silk.
