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Need to know: Friday, May 5, 2017
Trump’s religious liberty order slammed as ‘pretty much nothing’
“Ivanka and Jared won. We lost,” as one Christian conservative said.
French clerics’ stands on Le Pen populism range from resistance to reserve
“Which party to support on May 7?” asked one Catholic bishop. “Not the one representing fear, hate, rejection, lies, exclusion and introversion. That is against the Gospel.”
Trump to meet Pope Francis at Vatican
In a brief statement, the Vatican announced the president’s trip to the Holy See, planned for May 24.
International basketball rule change allows players to wear religious headgear
The sport’s world governing body, FIBA, overturned a 20-year ban on religious head coverings such as turbans and yarmulkes.
Bill allowing adoption agencies to turn away gay couples signed into law
Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a bill allowing adoption agencies in Alabama to follow faith-based policies, such as not placing children with gay couples.
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Latest news from RNS
The ’Splainer: What is the Johnson Amendment and why did Trump target it?
(RNS) Many religious leaders were eager to see this 1954 law weakened. Others wanted to see it preserved.
Believers in the power of prayer gather at state capitols for annual rite
RALEIGH, N.C. (RNS) In Washington, it was a highly partisan day. But there was very little politics at National Day of Prayer events here and across the nation.
Trump’s religious liberty order slammed as ‘pretty much nothing’
“Ivanka and Jared won. We lost,” as one Christian conservative said.
More views from RNS
Mormon scholars debate Joseph Smith’s role in translation
How did Joseph Smith translate the Book of Mormon and other scriptures? Scholars are offering some new, more expansive possibilities of what we mean by translation.
‘Shocking’ news on worship and the public
We don’t expect religion to make shocking news unless there are sex or financial scandals in the world of the church, synagogue, etc. Add to that theological controversies over the beginning of things (think of headlines about evolution) or the end of things (think apocalypse, be it nuclear or otherwise). Yet whoever consistently sights the religious scene knows that worship is a hotly contested phenomenon among those who “practice” religion, or who are “observant.”
A dubious proposal to reform the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Outgoing commission Vice Chair James Zogby’s proposal for reforming the Commission raises a red flag, writes Mark Silk.
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Bonus tracks
- Atheist blogger faces three and a half years in prison for playing ‘Pokémon Go’ in Russian church
- I avoided ‘Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare’ because I didn’t want to be the villain
- Harvard project aims to shed light on Islamic law
- A church closes, but where does its pipe organ go?
- ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ re-spins Genesis. And that’s scary
