St. Peter’s Square is closed to the public in Vatican City on Palm Sunday, April 5, 2020, in Rome. RNS photo by Claire Giangravé
Need to know: Wednesday, July 1, 2020
With tourism and giving down, Vatican tightens belt. It may not work, despite Pope Francis’ hopes.
The steep drop in revenue because of the pandemic adds pressure to Francis’ attempts to reform Vatican finances.
Alabama death row inmate hopes courts will allow chaplain by his side at execution
After a Muslim inmate’s request for an imam at his execution was denied, Alabama banned all chaplains from death chambers.
‘Greenleaf’ star Deborah Joy Winans says her TV family reflects real life
The final season features the aftermath of Charity Greenleaf helping a church conglomerate take over the fictional Calvary Fellowship World Ministries.
Keeping safe while serving, church groups tackle pandemic and protests
Through a series of crises, church leaders have had to navigate how to meet people’s needs while keeping their volunteers safe.
The K-pop election
On the eve of the 2020 elections, Gen Z-ers are on the verge of using their digital tools to counteract the political establishment, writes Tara Isabella Burton.
Supreme Court rules state’s denial of funding for religious schools violates Constitution
The Supreme Court dealt a victory to private school choice advocates on Tuesday in its ruling on a landmark case that could open the floodgates for allowing public dollars to fund religious institutions.
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Vatican prosecutors seize data from St. Peter’s Basilica
ROME (AP) — Vatican prosecutors have ordered the seizure of documents and computers from the administrative offices of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Supreme Court lifts ban on state aid to religious schooling
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court made it easier for religious schools to obtain public funds, upholding a Montana scholarship program that allows state tax credits for private schooling.
Despite a culture ‘entrenched in fear,’ LGBTQ students find ways to thrive at Liberty University
The school publicly opposes LGBTQ relationships, yet students at Liberty have created a small but vibrant LGBTQ community.
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The Supreme Court expands the scope of religious free exercise
And Clarence Thomas gets some company, writes Mark Silk.
Valarie Kaur: ‘Revolutionary love is showing up in the labor for justice’
The filmmaker, lawyer and civil rights activist talks about her debut book, ‘See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love,’ writes Simran Jeet Singh.
The five doctrines of ex-Mormonism
When Mette Harrison was an active Mormon, she found that many members of the LDS Church engaged in rigid, dogmatic thinking. Now she notices the same thing about the ex-Mormon community, just in reverse.
