Top Story
For houses of worship, interfaith collaboration is the future of security
By Aysha Khan — May 10, 2019
(RNS) — Faith leaders across the country are putting their heads together to help protect their congregations. And to do so, they’re increasingly crossing denominational lines.
Farrakhan says he doesn’t hate Jewish people
By Herbert G. McCann — May 10, 2019
CHICAGO (AP) — Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan said Thursday that despite assertions by Facebook when it banned him from its platform, he is not a hater of Jewish people, a misogynist nor a homophobe.
Asia Bibi happy to be in Canada but ‘very tired’ after blasphemy ordeal, says friend
By John Longhurst — May 9, 2019
(RNS) — Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman who was acquitted of blasphemy charges, was reunited this week with her family in Canada. The family's exact location remains secret due to concerns for her safety.
Vatican law: Priests, nuns must report sex abuse, cover-up
By Nicole Winfield — May 9, 2019
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis issued a groundbreaking law Thursday requiring all Catholic priests and nuns around the world to report clergy sexual abuse and cover-up by their superiors to church authorities.
With her life on hold, an immigrant woman marks two years in sanctuary
By Yonat Shimron — May 8, 2019
GREENSBORO, N.C. (RNS) — Juana Luz Tobar Ortega will mark her two-year anniversary in sanctuary later this month. A new film documents her struggle.
Javanese Muslims hold a Nyadran ritual to welcome Ramadan
By Agoes Rudianto — May 7, 2019
CENTRAL JAVA, Indonesia (RNS) — Every year as Ramadan approaches, those who live on the slopes of Mount Merapi and Mount Merbabu honor the dead in a deeply rooted Javanese tradition called Nyadran, bringing food offerings to their families’ burial sites and visiting relatives and friends, Christian or Muslim.
Report: Over 1,000 charity groups are helping fund fringe anti-Muslim projects
By Aysha Khan — May 6, 2019
(RNS) — More than 1,000 philanthropic foundations and charitable organizations have knowingly or unknowingly funneled nearly $125 million into dozens of known anti-Muslim groups over three years.
In African refugee camps, app replaces Bibles left behind
By Doreen Ajiambo — May 6, 2019
KAMPALA, Uganda (RNS) — The digital library has done much to replace the reference books many Sudanese churches lost to their country's decade of civil war.
Rachel Held Evans, Christian writer of honesty and humor, dies at age 37
By Emily McFarlan Miller — May 4, 2019
(RNS) — Evans repeatedly made the best-seller lists with wise and funny chronicles of her faith, doubt, honest questions and evolving beliefs.
Photos of the Week
By Kit Doyle — May 3, 2019
(RNS) — This week’s gallery includes aftermath of the San Diego synagogue attack, cyclone recovery in Mozambique, and more.
Lutheran pastor says Easter sermon about ‘violent Muslim purge’ was misunderstood
By Bob Smietana — May 3, 2019
(RNS) — A Pennsylvania Lutheran pastor told his church on Easter Sunday that he wished Muslims had set fire to Notre Dame Cathedral so that there could be a 'violent purge' of Muslims from France. He now says his words were misunderstood.
China is punishing Muslims for fasting. So US Muslims are fasting from China.
By Aysha Khan — May 2, 2019
(RNS) — While leaders of Muslim-majority nations have largely been silent on the Uighur persecution, the Fast From China campaign has caught on with U.S. Muslims.
Why white nationalism tempts white Christians
By Jemar Tisby — May 1, 2019
(RNS) — Too often Christian individuals and institutions act as if general statements condemning bigotry and saccharine assertions of racial and ethnic equality are sufficient to combat white nationalism. They are not.
ADL study: Violence against Jews doubled last year
By Yonat Shimron — April 30, 2019
(RNS) — In all, 59 Jewish Americans were physically assaulted because of their religion in 2018, up from 21 in 2017.
New law requires professors in Washington to accommodate religious holidays
By Bob Smietana — April 30, 2019
SPOKANE, Wash. (RNS) — A new state law makes it easier for college students to take time off for religious holidays. Backed by Jewish and Muslim leaders, the law requires professors to accommodate religious holidays.
