religious freedom
Supreme Court weighs a church’s right to advertise services
By Lauren Markoe — January 12, 2015
WASHINGTON (RNS) "Our town treats church signs differently than other types of signs," said Pastor Clyde Reed of Good News Community Church in Gilbert, Ariz.
2014: The top stories in atheism
By Chris Stedman — December 22, 2014
From the popularity of 'Cosmos' on Fox-TV to the Roku launch of 'Atheist TV', from open atheist James Woods's inspiring congressional campaign to Richard Dawkins's less-than-inspiring tweets, atheists made headlines all year.
Rabbi David Saperstein confirmed as U.S. ambassador for religious freedom
By Lauren Markoe — December 15, 2014
(RNS) The Senate confirms the first non-Christian as ambassador-at-large for religious freedom. Meet Rabbi David Saperstein.
Détente on Christmas * Beard passes * Christ Bless Mississippi: Religious Freedom Recap
By Brian Pellot — December 4, 2014
This month's religious freedom news and views from around the world. Read with caution. Prozac optional.
Myanmar journalists draft Religion Newswriters Resolution on Covering Religious Freedom and Conflict
By Brian Pellot — November 19, 2014
Religion Newswriters assembled 15 journalists, editors and media professionals from across Myanmar for an intensive training course on how best to cover religious freedom and conflict. Here’s the resolution they bring back to their newsrooms.
Is religious freedom really the answer to radicalism?
By Chris Stedman — November 14, 2014
True religious freedom won’t be accomplished by platitudes. It requires a comprehensive and balanced approach that’s all too often missing from the field.
A Christian should lead Christians (COMMENTARY)
By Tom Krattenmaker — November 13, 2014
(RNS) Sounds logical, right? But the massive California State University system and some other colleges now require that school club leadership spots be open to all.
With persecution now ended, Protestants in Russia sputter along, pastor says
By Heidi Hall — October 8, 2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) After perestroika, Russians couldn't get enough evangelical preaching. These days, Ignatenkov said, people are indifferent.
‘In Defense of Christians’ seeks to protect brethren from Egypt to Iraq
By Lauren Markoe — September 10, 2014
(RNS) "In Defense of Christians," a Washington-based group, wants to press the point that Christianity is endangered in the Middle East -- its birthplace -- and that its survival is in the interests of all nations.
Why I stopped saying America’s Pledge of Allegiance
By Brian Pellot — September 9, 2014
Atheists launched a “Don’t Say the Pledge” campaign on Monday to protest the phrase “under God.” I stopped saying the Pledge in my tweens for more reasons than one.
Global religious hot spots get their own U.S. envoy
By Lauren Markoe — August 20, 2014
WASHINGTON (RNS) Congress created a new job at the State Department to protect religious minorities across the Middle East. But is the position really open?
Sayeeda Warsi, first Muslim in British Cabinet, resigns over ‘indefensible’ Gaza policy
By Brian Pellot — August 5, 2014
LONDON (RNS) Britain’s leading religious freedom advocate stepped down as Foreign Office minister Tuesday in protest over her government’s “morally indefensible” policy on the Gaza crisis.
State Dept. should act on Pakistan’s religious freedom violations, watchdog group says
By Brian Pellot — July 30, 2014
(RNS) The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted “disappointing omissions” in the State Department’s new international religious freedom report, including the absence of Pakistan on its list of worst offenders.
COMMENTARY: China’s grim religious freedom problem
By Katrina Lantos Swett — July 29, 2014
(RNS) China’s appalling religious freedom record underscores the obvious: Little has changed since Beijing shamed itself before the world 25 years ago, massacring its own people for the “crime” of demanding their rights.
State Department report: Religious persecution makes migrants out of millions
By Brian Pellot — July 28, 2014
(RNS) Millions of religious and non-religious people were displaced last year according to the State Department’s latest religious freedom report, which for the first time cites Turkmenistan for escalating religious freedom violations.
