Top Story
At national retreat, Jews embrace tradition with a self-help bent
By John Dyer — August 2, 2018
(RNS) — Seminars at the retreat reflected issues that Jewish folks face routinely, usually with a self-help bent: keeping kosher when big corporations dominate the food chain, anti-Semitism online and on college campuses and the Torah’s advice on confronting bullies.
Pope Francis changes catechism to declare death penalty ‘inadmissible’
By Jack Jenkins — August 2, 2018
(RNS) — A vocal opponent of the death penalty, Francis also ordered a change to say the church will work 'with determination for its abolition worldwide.'
US sanctions Turkish officials to protest American pastor’s detention
By Adelle M. Banks — August 1, 2018
(RNS) — The Treasury Department said in a statement that Turkey’s ministers of justice and interior lead governmental organizations 'responsible for implementing Turkey’s serious human rights abuses.'
An atheist philosopher leaves the door open to religion’s power
By Yonat Shimron — August 1, 2018
CHICAGO (RNS) — Asma argues that religion is an emotional survival toolbox that resides in the limbic brain, headquarters of human emotions as true as love, or grief or fear.
New coalition seeks sainthood for five African-Americans
By Kirk Petersen — July 31, 2018
(RNS) — The five candidates all are in the early stages of the journey to sainthood.
How partisanship drives religious attitudes
By Yonat Shimron — July 31, 2018
(RNS) — Most Americans choose a political party before choosing a religion, if they choose a religion at all, writes Michele Margolis in a new book.
Seeing threat to religious freedom, Jeff Sessions announces special task force
By Yonat Shimron — July 30, 2018
(RNS) — Sessions said the task force was needed because a dangerous movement was 'eroding our great tradition of religious freedom.'
Military Bible display at center of religious liberty tussle
By Katelyn Beaty — July 30, 2018
(RNS) — After pressure from the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the Bible was removed from the base's 'Missing Man' table and will be replaced by a multifaith book.
Bishops bloodied, churches besieged in Nicaragua crackdown
By Christopher Sherman — July 29, 2018
The church finds itself increasingly targeted by Ortega and his backers, reviving a hostility between the Sandinista base and the church establishment that burned hot during the 1980s but seemed to have been overcome in recent years.
Tears, hugs and help: Church groups assist reunited families
By Nomaan Merchant — July 29, 2018
The government is releasing hundreds of families to faith-based groups and leaving the groups to care for them.
In Turkey, suspicion of US clouds case of pastor Andrew Brunson
By Umar Farooq — July 28, 2018
ISTANBUL, Turkey (RNS) — For many in Turkey, Brunson's case has little to do with his faith or his work as a missionary, and everything to do with how Washington addresses the concerns of Ankara.
Southern Baptists to launch sexual abuse advisory panel
By Liam Adams — July 27, 2018
(RNS) — The creation of an advisory panel marks an early concrete step as the denomination aims to root out sexual abuse and coverups.
A new book for progressive Christian families aims to fill a kid-lit gap
By Emily McFarlan Miller — July 27, 2018
(RNS) — A lack of books and other resources for progressive Christian families is why Daneen Akers recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to write a children’s book of her own, 'Holy Troublemakers and Unconventional Saints.'
With 330 million downloads, top Bible app celebrates 10 years
By Bobby Ross Jr. — July 26, 2018
EDMOND, Okla. (RNS) — At the beginning, YouVersion offered the Bible in 15 versions and two languages. Through partnerships with publishers and Bible societies, those numbers have expanded to 1,700 versions and 1,200 languages.
Pence threatens Turkey over detained US pastor
By Adelle M. Banks — July 26, 2018
WASHINGTON (RNS) Vice President Mike Pence used a State Department summit of foreign ministers and religious leaders to announce new initiatives and call on Turkey to release U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson.
