Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist and other community members gathered Monday night in the sanctuary of White’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Southlake, Texas, and rose in a sustained standing ovation for Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker — just two days after the…
As rabbi was held hostage, interfaith colleagues gathered to help end the standoff
If there’s a word that comes up repeatedly when friends discuss Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, the rabbi who was taken hostage with three others at his Reform synagogue Saturday (Jan. 15), it’s “kind.”
Poor People’s Campaign hopes to draw big crowd to June march
The national Poor People’s Campaign has kicked off a season of activism the group hopes will draw a huge crowd to march in the nation’s capital in June to demand political reform.
Scolding those who choose pets but no children pope misses the rainforest for the trees
Is not having children—and further, living with cats and dogs—selfish? This is precisely what Pope Francis suggested last week when he told a general audience.
African American Muslims among those targeted by anti-Muslim group
A Muslim American civil rights advocacy group is claiming the Investigative Project on Terrorism targeted African American Muslims and the organizations that worked with them in a multi-year effort.
Fund to preserve, assist Black churches gets $20M donation
A new effort to preserve historic Black churches in the United States has received a $20 million donation that will go to help congregations including one that was slammed during the tornado that killed more than 20 people in Mayfield,…
The Queer Mikveh Project immerses marginalized Jews in a changing ritual
Last Passover, a group of 125 Jews gathered via Zoom for a community mikvah ritual. Dr. Harriette Wimms, a queer Black Jewish psychologist and kohenet (Hebrew priestess), opened the ceremony by pouring libations, an African tradition of granting a water offering…
Jon Meacham, Bishop Michael Curry discuss religion, politics and insurrection
In the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attacks — where Christian symbols and prayers were on full display — can religion still be a force of unity and goodness in America?
Scholar: America is still reacting to the religious right, in more ways than one
A religion scholar believes major trends in religion and politics can be traced back to the rise of the religious right in the 1990s, a sea change moment that set in motion an array of phenomena ranging from an uptick…
No, Religious Freedom Doesn’t Send People to Hell
Last week an old video resurfaced on Twitter in which John MacArthur, pastor of Los Angeles’s Grace Community Church, announced he did not support religious freedom. In the clip, MacArthur argued that supporting religious freedom promotes idolatry and enables the kingdom of darkness—that…
‘Dark Money’: Faith-Based, Other Nonprofits Funnel Tax-Free Money To Political Groups
While Uncle Sam grants Americans tax deductions for charitable giving, the government prohibits deductions for donations to political groups.
Vaccine mandate updates: Federal court halts mandate against Navy personnel seeking religious exemption, and more
Although the U.S. Navy offers a procedure to request a religious accommodation from the Biden administration’s rule requiring all servicemembers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, “it is theater,” according to a federal court in Texas in a case brought by…