James K.A. Smith, left, and Francis Collins participate in “Moving Beyond Conflict: Science and Faith in Harmony” in Washington on June 18, 2018. RNS photo by Adelle M. Banks
Need to know: Wednesday, May 20, 2020
NIH chief Francis Collins wins Templeton Prize
Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, was honored as his agency is working to develop treatments for the novel coronavirus.
A 24-hour online vigil will name some of the people who have died of COVID-19
The effort seeks to humanize and honor the people who have died. It's part of a marathon reading of names with songs and prayers interspersed.
Centenary of John Paul II’s birth highlights continuity with Pope Francis
At his first public Mass since the global COVID-19 lockdown, Pope Francis celebrated before the tomb of his predecessor and reflected on the legacy of the pontiff who galvanized the masses while helping to defeat communism.
Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias dies of cancer at 74
Prominent evangelical Christians shared their appreciation for the apologist as news spread earlier this month he had returned home to Atlanta from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he had been receiving treatment for cancer.
How Americans’ ‘tell it like it is’ attitude renders us vulnerable to conspiracy theories
Americans, distrustful of institutions that would prescribe knowledge for us, have been especially prone to believe what they see online, writes Tara Isabella Burton.
Two churches reclose after faith leaders and congregants get coronavirus
Catoosa Baptist Tabernacle in Ringgold, Ga., less than 20 miles away from Chattanooga, Tenn., and Holy Ghost Catholic Church in Houston have indefinitely suspended services after members and leaders tested positive for the coronavirus shortly after reopening.
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China says boy picked by Dalai Lama now a college graduate
BEIJING (AP) — A boy who disappeared 25 years ago after being picked by the Dalai Lama as Tibetan Buddhism’s second-highest figure is now working at an undetermined job.
Pandemic will alter Communion rituals for many US Christians
NEW YORK (AP) — Striking changes in Communion will take place at Catholic and Protestant churches across the United States over coming weeks as restrictions on large gatherings — imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak — are gradually eased.
Four young people of different faiths move into a home together, then a pandemic happens
Hadar Cohen, Ala’ Khan, Maya Mansour and Jonathan Simcosky were selected to move into the Abrahamic House, a co-living and co-creating space in the Koreatown neighborhood of LA.
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More young adults are leaving religion, but that’s not the whole story, say researchers
(RNS) — More young adults are leaving organized religion, but there are also some pockets of good news, even for mainline Protestant churches.
Should Reform and Conservative Judaism merge?
(RNS) — In the post COVID 19 era, will Jewish denominational differences still matter?
Who would you choose, Jesus or the Spirit?
(RNS) — Most of us would give up a lifetime with the Spirit for five minutes with Jesus. Yet if that's what we believe, then we really did not understand the Gospels.
