social justice
Pope Francis: ‘Isaiah was not a communist!’
By Rosie Scammell — February 24, 2016
VATICAN CITY (RNS) The pontiff once again waded into the fraught issue of economic inequality and biblical teachings.
InterVarsity’s unabashed support for #BlackLivesMatter may be its boldest move yet (ANALYSIS)
By Tobin Grant — December 30, 2015
(RNS) During the 1950s and '60s, evangelicals stayed clear of joining the civil rights movement. That's why InterVarsity's move to embrace #BlackLives Matter may be a watershed moment.
Pope Francis’ environment encyclical: game-changer or dead letter?
By David Gibson — June 18, 2015
(RNS) Pope Francis’ landmark document on protecting the environment and battling climate change is finally out after months of anticipation -- and anxiety -- that in the history of encyclicals is probably rivaled only by Pope Paul VI’s 1968 letter banning artificial birth control. But will it have an effect? Here are four challenges Francis faces going forward.
Once Pope Francis knows US capitalism he will love it, says Catholic theologian-economist
By David Gibson — May 12, 2015
NEW YORK (RNS) The Rev. Martin Schlag, an Austrian-born priest who teaches economics in Rome, reassured a group of Catholics, many from the world of business and finance, that Francis’ views on capitalism aren’t actually as bad as he feared.
Did Mario Cuomo pave the way for today’s conservative Catholic dissenters? (ANALYSIS)
By David Gibson — January 2, 2015
(RNS) As liberal Catholics eulogize the former New York governor, who famously elaborated a position by which Catholics pols could be “personally opposed” to abortion while still supporting abortion rights, it’s worth considering whether today’s conservative Catholics are benefiting from that same rationale when it comes to other policies.
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.
The fight to show that Black lives matter, in Ferguson and beyond, needs atheist allies
By Chris Stedman — November 24, 2014
I know not all atheists identify as secular humanists, but for those that do—for the nonbelieving individuals and groups who, like me, contend for secular rights and ethical reasoning conducive to the wellbeing of all humans—I need you.
Instead of hating on social justice, atheists should tackle STEM segregation
By Chris Stedman — November 21, 2014
As a racially polarized nation awaits the grand jury decision on the officer who killed unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, atheists and Humanists must step up on addressing STEM segregation and racism.
Black atheists say their concerns have been overlooked for too long
By Kimberly Winston — October 9, 2014
(RNS) “There are people in our community that ... are only going to sit down and listen to you talk about separation of church and state for so long,” said Kimberly Veal, a Chicago-based black atheist.
Atheism and social justice: Sikivu Hutchinson on the first People of Color Beyond Faith conference
By Chris Stedman — October 9, 2014
"Despite frequent tokenistic calls for 'diversity' within the 'movement,' there are virtually no people of color in executive management positions in any of the major secular, atheist, or Humanist organizations." Author and activist Sikivu Hutchinson tells RNS how a new conference is working to change that.
Is atheism without works dead? The shifting landscape of nontheistic service
By Chris Stedman — April 17, 2014
Some Christians believe that faith without works is dead. Perhaps we could say the same of atheism. Fortunately, more and more nontheists are demonstrating that atheism is alive and well.
On race and atheism: An interview with Anthony Pinn
By Chris Stedman — April 1, 2014
Dr. Anthony B. Pinn speaks with RNS about his new book and how atheists can get better at talking about the intersections of race, ethnicity, and nontheism.
World Vision’s Rich Stearns: ‘A bad decision, but we did it with the right motivations’
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — March 27, 2014
(RNS) "We were trying to find some kind of solution to a divisive issue that would create some space of togetherness around differences within the church. Our regret is that we caused more division instead of finding a place of more unity."
ANALYSIS: Can Pope Francis help ‘reset’ frayed ties between Obama and the Catholic bishops?
By David Gibson — March 24, 2014
(RNS) The potential for a robust alliance between the White House and the nation's largest church fizzled almost from the start of Obama’s candidacy in 2007, and a relationship that started badly went downhill when he was elected.
Evangelical women look beyond Bible study to new causes
By Sarah Pulliam Bailey — February 12, 2014
AUSTIN, Texas (RNS) If past conferences such as Women of Faith drew thousands of women to indoor stadiums for devotional Bible study, a new generation of evangelical women is looking outward and concerned with social justice.
