The elders at Willow Creek Community Church lead a service of worship and reflection on July 23, 2019, in the Lakeside Auditorium on the church’s main campus in South Barrington, Ill. RNS photo by Emily McFarlan Miller
Need to know: Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Willow Creek elders preach reconciliation after allegations against Hybels
Not everybody is convinced that reconciliation may be possible at this point — or wise.
Video links Beth Moore, Russell Moore, James Merritt to ‘Trojan horse of social justice’
Some targets of the video have called its accusations 'divisive' and 'cowardly, grossly dishonest, and bearing false witness.'
Most Americans can define atheists, Easter; don’t know US share of Muslims, Jews
Jews, atheists and agnostics scored highest — with each getting answers correct more than half of the time. Evangelical Protestants also had high scores compared with other groups.
Willow Creek plans reconciliation service to move on; Hybels not involved
In what they said would be their last public statement about the allegations of sexual misconduct against founding pastor Bill Hybels that have torn apart Willow Creek Community Church, the church’s elders called on Hybels to repent and the church to gather for a service of worship and reflection.
Surviving or thriving? New film on Westboro Baptist doesn’t get it
The filmmaker is often more interested in building solidarity with his audience against a mythic enemy than truly understanding his subject, writes Hillel Gray.
First they came for the Buddhists: faith, citizenship, and the internment camps
The United States seems to be awash in a brash, unveiled nativism. This environment has prompted some comparison to the events of the early 1940s, when more than 100,000 men, women, and children of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated in camps primarily across the American West.
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Vatican names new leader of West Virginia diocese to replace Bransfield
WHEELING, W.Va. (AP) — Baltimore Auxiliary Bishop Mark Brennan will lead the Wheeling-Charleston diocese after a scandal over the former bishop's sexual harassment of adults and lavish spending.
Husband of Christian blogger and father of 6 dies in beach accident
Lee Dingle was the husband of Shannon Hope Dingle, a blogger and activist who has written about sexual abuse, the #Churchtoo movement and disability rights.
Attack on Hindu priest in New York leads to call for hate crime investigation
Faith leaders are calling on New York City police to launch a hate crime investigation into a violent attack on a Hindu priest near his temple in Queens.
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How some Jews are deluding themselves about Trump and the “squad”
American Jews — let’s not get played. By anyone.
Jeffrey Salkin writes.
It’s time to revive religious civil disobedience
(RNS) — Being a faithful Christian sometimes means breaking the rules. Moral disruption is a sacred act when the status quo is sinful.
Send back the Statue of Liberty
She entered our country in 1886 without a visa, has never applied for citizenship and does not speak one word of English. Worst of all, she advocates for open borders. It's time to send her back, writes Thomas Reese.
