By Lauren Markoe WASHINGTON (RNS) The Supreme Court struggled Wednesday (Nov. 6) with a case that asks whether government bodies can open with prayers that some people find overly religious and excluding. From their lines of questioning, it’s unclear whether the court is ready to write new rules on what sort of prayer falls outside…
By Lauren Markoe WASHINGTON (RNS) People who hoped the Arab Spring would lead to greater religious freedom across the Middle East have been sorely disappointed, and a new Pew study confirms that the region has grown even more repressive for various religious groups. “In 2011, when most of the political uprisings known as the Arab…
By Alice Mannette (Reuters) – In deeply religious Moore, Oklahoma, God and prayer are frequently mentioned as sources of strength for residents reeling from the fourth damaging tornado in 15 years. “My family and God is what’s helping us through this,” said Vickie Myers, 39, whose husband Brent, a disabled military veteran, is now recovering…
By David Gibson (RNS) News that scientists had for the first time recovered stem cells from cloned human embryos prompted dire warnings from religious leaders who say the research crosses a moral red line and could lead to designer babies. Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley, point man for the U.S. Catholic bishops on bioethical issues, said…
By Lincoln Davidson Davidson College faculty on Thursday expressed disappointment over the Board of Trustees’ recent decision to reaffirm a requirement that the college’s president be affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA. In a resolution adopted overwhelmingly at a faculty meeting, professors also said they oppose a college requirement that 80 percent of board members…
By Adelle M. Banks (RNS) Conservative and liberal religious leaders may not agree on much, but both are expressing displeasure with the Boy Scouts’ proposal to accept gay members but reject gay leaders. The Boy Scouts of America released its draft proposal on Friday (April 19) that will be voted on at its annual meeting…
By Adelle M. Banks A White House advisory council of religious leaders called for a global fund to address human trafficking and urged a new labeling system to help identify consumer goods that were not created with slave labor. With a 36-page report released Wednesday (April 10), the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood…