News

California Baptists cut staff, citing decline in Cooperative Program Giving

By Bob Smietana — July 3, 2024
(RNS) — Overall giving to the SBC’s national funding program is down about 2%.
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Judge rules against Texas Attorney General Paxton in campaign against migrant shelters

By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — July 3, 2024
(RNS) — ‘The record before this Court makes clear that the Texas Attorney General’s use of the request to examine documents from Annunciation House was a pretext to justify its harassment of Annunciation House employees and the persons seeking refuge,’ Judge Francisco Dominguez wrote.

For Israel’s Reform Jews, no need to follow US peers in ordaining rabbis in interfaith marriages

By Michele Chabin — July 3, 2024
JERUSALEM (RNS) — 'In America there is a high rate of interfaith marriages. Here, that issue is irrelevant to us,' said Nachman Shai, dean of the HUC-JIR Taube Family Campus in Jerusalem.

Lawsuits challenging abortion bans on religious freedom grounds falter

By Yonat Shimron — July 3, 2024
(RNS) — Advocates argue the legal strategy that abortion bans violate religious freedom are not yet dead. In both the Missouri and Kentucky cases, appeals are planned.

Partners of US Catholic bishops’ social justice department adjust after layoffs

By Aleja Hertzler-McCain — July 2, 2024
(RNS) — ‘We are hoping that there is some kind of alternative plan to keep the church going, to keep the justice and peace programs going, to keep our advocacy work going,’ said Steven Nabieu Rogers, executive director of the Africa Faith and Justice Network.

After Morris allegations, Texas legislators vow to expand statutes of limitations on abuse

By James Russell — July 2, 2024
FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — ‘These actions demand public exposure, should never be tolerated, and any person who harms a child should and must be held accountable,’ said Texas state Rep. Nate Schatzline.

For the first time in a century, the Holy Land has no chief rabbi

By David I. Klein — July 2, 2024
(RNS) — In a historic moment, Israel’s two chief rabbis, David Lau and Yitzhak Yosef, left office on Sunday with no clear successors elected in their stead, leaving the posts vacant for the first time since the 1920s. 

A stampede at a religious event in India has killed at least 60 people

By Biswajeet Banerjee — July 2, 2024
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Deadly stampedes are relatively common around Indian religious festivals, where large crowds gather in small areas with shoddy infrastructure and few safety measures.

Presbyterian Church (USA) votes to divest from Israel bonds

By Yonat Shimron — July 1, 2024
(RNS) — On Monday, the denomination also passed a resolution denouncing Christian Zionism.

In UK, Muslims threaten electoral damage on Labour Party over support for Israel

By Catherine Pepinster — July 1, 2024
LONDON (RNS) — A number of parliamentary seats, once considered safe bets for the Labour Party, could be lost as Muslims organize around Gaza.

The Camino, a Catholic pilgrimage, increasingly draws the spiritual but not religious

By Ellie Davis — July 1, 2024
(RNS) — Today people embark on the Camino for all kinds of motivations beyond religion: health, grief, transition, history and adventure. 

Episcopal presiding bishop-elect plans simpler installation, citing ‘carbon footprint’

By Adelle M. Banks — July 1, 2024
(RNS) — ‘With a simple service at the Church Center that will include everyone via livestream, we can care for God’s creation by reducing our collective carbon footprint,’ Bishop Sean Rowe said in an announcement.

Thousands of faith leaders, union members, activists rally for poor

By Jack Jenkins — June 29, 2024
WASHINGTON (RNS) — 'It is wrong for the highest court in the land to criminalize homelessness,' said the Rev. Liz Theoharis, co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign.
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