President Trump talks with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a Cabinet meeting in Washington, on July 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Need to know: Friday, July 20, 2018
Pompeo says Putin summit helps with religious freedom push
The secretary of state said his department is "concerned anytime any country attempts to interfere with religious freedom of any individual anyplace and anywhere."
Controversial law cements Israel’s status as a Jewish state
The law passed explicitly defines Israel as the 'national home of the Jewish people' and lowers the status of the Arabic language.
Most US faith groups say country is on the wrong track
Only a majority of white evangelicals believe the country is headed in the right direction.
Christians are calling for better family leave policies. That wasn’t always the case.
Christianity's relationship with work-family balance, particularly when it intersects with state interference, has long been complex and ambiguous.
House votes to prevent IRS from punishing churches engaging in politics
Buried in a budget measure, a provision could add a loophole to the so-called Johnson amendment.
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Mariia Butina and the National Prayer Breakfast
Russian connections to the National Prayer Breakfast, which a Russian national allegedly tried to exploit as a back channel to American politicians, run deep.
United Methodist court filings detail proposals for averting schism on sexuality
Court documents are giving United Methodists the first peek at proposed plans to avoid schism over beliefs on sexuality.
Vatican-OK’d journal strikes out again at US evangelicals
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Two of Pope Francis' top communications advisers — an Italian Jesuit and an Argentine Protestant pastor — penned 'The Prosperity Gospel: Dangerous and Different' for the current issue of the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, published Wednesday.
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Democrats for Life of America gather ’round a message: ‘We want our party back’
(RNS) — Anyone who proclaims a consistent life ethic by opposing war, capital punishment and abortion while affirming migration, health care and social spending is going to be politically homeless in America.
With new nation-state law, Israel shoots herself in the foot
(RNS) — Why the law is unnecessary, hurtful and dangerous.
It’s good for girls to have clergywomen, study shows
What effect do clergywomen have on girls? A great one, it turns out: women who grew up with female clergy as role models do better psychologically and educationally than those who did not.
