United Methodist delegates who advocated for LGBTQ inclusiveness gather to protest the adoption of the Traditional Plan on Feb. 26, 2019, during the special session of the UMC General Conference in St. Louis. RNS photo by Kit Doyle
Need to know: Friday, August 16, 2019
A United Methodist group proposes a denominational breakup
The plan would allow the United Methodist Church to create a new, fully independent body for more conservative or traditional churches and possibly another body for its most liberal wing.
Truck drives into line of Jewish demonstrators protesting ICE in Rhode Island
Organizers say roughly 400 people gathered for the protest and at least 30 participants formed a human barricade blocking the entrance to the Wyatt Detention Facility.
Texas imam ordered to pay $2.55 million in sexual misconduct case
The alleged victim sued Imam Zia Ul-Haq Sheikh in 2018, claiming that he had coerced her into sex with him at a local motel after years of grooming and exploitation.
Conchero dancers carry forward Mexico’s pre-Hispanic traditions
An ancient dance tradition with roots in Mexico’s indigenous culture, the Conchero calls down ancestral spirits to give their blessing.
Israel grants Tlaib West Bank visit on humanitarian grounds
Israel's interior minister said that Tlaib had requested and been granted permission to enter the West Bank to see relatives, including her 90-year-old grandmother.
The Enneagram as a protest against one-size-fits-all religion
The recent runaway success of the Enneagram among young American Christians can be attributed at least in part to a logical backlash we should have seen coming, writes Jana Riess.
Labor Dept. moves to expand religion exemption for hiring and firing
The Labor Department has proposed a rule that would allow more federal contractors to base employment decisions on religion, a move that rights advocates said could be used to discriminate against workers for all manner of reasons.
Latest news from RNS
Pollution of a sacred river becomes a symbol for India’s environmental challenges
This city's early 1990s tech boom outstripped its waste management plans, leaving its Vrishabhavathi River choked with industrial waste.
Israel will ban entry to outspoken US congresswomen, official says
JERUSALEM (AP) — The move comes shortly after President Trump tweeted that "it would show great weakness" if Israel allowed them in.
Modi clamps down on Kashmir, and India loves him for it
(AP) — To his critics, Modi is an authoritarian who wants to turn India into a Hindu nation. To supporters, he is an incorruptible ascetic unafraid to tell the truth.
More views from RNS
The Eucharist is about more than Christ becoming present
(RNS) — Using Aristotelian concepts to explain Catholic mysteries in the 21st century is a fool’s errand. When was the last time you met an Aristotelian outside a Catholic seminary?
What was the legacy of Woodstock?
We thought that we had entered a new age. We were wrong -- but the music is still great, writes Jeffrey Salkin.
Paid family leave is a pro-life issue that can unite Republicans and Democrats
Besides giving women hope of affording an unintended child, paid family leave is 'associated with drops in perinatal, neonatal, post-neonatal, infant, and child mortality.' Hard to get more pro-life than that, writes Charles C. Camosy.
