Pope Francis greets cardinals on the occasion of his Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, Pool)
Need to know: Monday, December 23, 2019
In Christmas message, Pope Francis calls on Vatican officials to embrace change
The pope began his speech with the acceptance of the resignation of the 92-year-old Cardinal Angelo Sodano as dean of the College of Cardinals.
Religious freedom agency reauthorized with Trump’s signature
The agency, created in 1998, had faced a range of controversies in the months leading up to the reauthorization.
A Dallas United Methodist church will end 2019 affirming all marriage vows
Ahead of a denominational clampdown on ordination and marriage beginning Jan. 1, First United Methodist Church of Dallas will take the bold step of closing 2019 with a service reaffirming marriage vows — both heterosexual and same-sex.
State Department cites religious freedom violators
The department redesignated on Wednesday the nine other countries that had been categorized as ‘countries of particular concern’.
Christianity Today roils the evangelical waters
Whatever its effect on the impeachment debate, CT's editorial calling for Trump's removal started a fight over Billy Graham's legacy, writes Mark Silk.
25 Jewish lawmakers call on Donald Trump to fire Stephen Miller in scathing open letter
"His documented support for white nationalist and virulently anti-immigrant tropes is wholly unacceptable," the House members wrote.
Latest news from RNS
Reform US rabbi in Dresden explains ultra-Orthodox traditions to German Jews
PARIS (RNS) — The story of Akiva Weingarten, an ultra-Orthodox New Yorker who was ordained in Israel and started over as a Reform rabbi in Germany, sounds like a made-for-TV movie saga.
Christianity Today editor argues morally compromised Trump should be removed from office
'It's just an unambiguous moment in which it is absolutely clear that there's just no question what (Trump) was trying to do,' Mark Galli said.
Northern California church makes headlines as it prays to resurrect girl from the dead
Bethel Church in Northern California is praying for the resurrection of a 2-year-old who was recently pronounced dead. The girl's mother is a ministry leader at the church.
More views from RNS
Christianity Today’s anti-Trump editorial misrepresents the evangelical masses
(RNS) — The editorial's chief contribution was to pull back the veil on the divide between self-proclaimed 'elite evangelicals' and the mass of Christians who support the president.
How we all became Jedis
After nearly 40 years, the Star Wars saga is almost complete, and the decades-long journey of the Jedi is ending. But the spiritual legacy of the Jedi is sure to last much longer, writes Tara Burton.
What is the miracle of Hanukkah’s first night?
(RNS) — It may be that 2,000 years later, Jews, a miraculously inextinguishable and inexhaustible people, still joyously light their menorahs and spin their dreidels as the sun sets.
