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New York ends religious exemption to vaccine mandates
By The Associated Press — June 14, 2019
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The measure follows this year's measles outbreak , which federal officials recently said has surpassed 1,000 illnesses, the highest in 27 years.
Ethiopia tour for gay, lesbian travelers in jeopardy amid backlash from faith groups
By Emily McFarlan Miller — June 14, 2019
CHICAGO (RNS) — A trip to Ethiopia planned by a Chicago-based tour company for gay and lesbian travelers is in jeopardy amid a backlash primarily from religious groups in the African country, where homosexuality is criminalized.
Catholic bishops stop short of mandating lay involvement in abuse investigations
By Jack Jenkins — June 13, 2019
BALTIMORE (RNS) — Some prelates at the USCCB's spring meeting, however, made clear that they support lay involvement regardless.
Closing of American Hebrew Academy marks end of Jewish boarding school experiment
By Yonat Shimron — June 13, 2019
(RNS) — The financial woes that beset the elite school located on a verdant, 100-acre campus in Greensboro, N.C., were not exactly those affecting other Jewish high schools. In its 18-year history, the school was an outlier.
Catholic bishops finally tackle the sex abuse cover-up. Now comes the hard part.
By David Gibson — June 13, 2019
BALTIMORE (RNS) — The reforms the Catholic bishops passed this week to deal with the sexual abuse crisis were easy compared with changing the culture of clerical privilege that is at the heart of the abuse crisis.
Southern Baptist historic gavel a reminder of racist legacy
By Adelle M. Banks — June 13, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — The so-called 1872 Broadus gavel, which calls to order a church body that has sought racial reconciliation within its ranks, is named for slaveholder John A. Broadus.
California church sues after removal as polling place over Black Lives Matter banners
By Aysha Khan — June 13, 2019
(RNS) – The church's lawsuit claims that when it refused to remove its two Black Lives Matter banners, a county election official illegally removed the church from the list of polling places.
What is Quebec’s Bill 21 debate about — and will tomorrow’s vote end it?
By Jax Jacobsen — June 13, 2019
(RNS) — For the fourth time in a decade, Quebec is in the midst of a heated public discourse over a deeply controversial bill that would severely limit religious dress and symbols in public places.
Southern Baptists face sex abuse crisis with litany of lament
By Adelle M. Banks — June 12, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Following along on large screens around the Legacy Arena, women, men, pastors, lay people and survivors took turns reading words drawn from the biblical books of Psalms and Lamentations.
Boisterous faith leaders and a silent Pete Buttigieg rally against Trump at White House
By Jack Jenkins — June 12, 2019
(RNS) — Despite being repeatedly blocked by federal agents and the mysterious closure of a park across from the White House, the demonstrators still got their message of resistance to the president across.
Muslim comedian awarded $4.1 million in defamation lawsuit against neo-Nazi site
By Aysha Khan — June 12, 2019
(RNS) — A federal judge has ordered the Daily Stormer's publishers to pay $4.1 million in damages to Muslim comedian Dean Obeidallah for falsely accusing him of terrorism.
Women as pastors? Not all Baptists say no
By Paul Baxley — June 12, 2019
(RNS) — The ways the Holy Spirit used women to invite both men and women to relationship with Jesus, establish congregations and offer a witness to his love shows that the calling of women is no new activity in the life of God.
Southern Baptists approve amendments dealing with sexual abuse, racism
By Adelle M. Banks — June 11, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — At their annual meeting, Southern Baptists approved constitutional amendments aimed at dealing with abuse. If approved again next year, the amendments would allow the nation's largest Protestant denomination to remove churches that mishandle allegations of abuse or misconduct.
Matt Chandler, megachurch pastor, addresses allegations of abuse at Village Church during SBC meeting
By Adelle M. Banks — June 11, 2019
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (RNS) — Matt Chandler, pastor of the Village Church outside of Dallas, defended his church against reports it had mishandled allegations of abuse.
As opioid epidemic spreads, a NC church opens its doors to a syringe exchange
By Yonat Shimron — June 11, 2019
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (RNS) — Green Street Church's syringe exchange is one of a handful housed at a place of worship across the state. As the opioid epidemic spreads, the North Carolina Council of Churches hopes more will consider it.
