Three California Churches Sue Gov. Newsom for Ban on Singing in Worship
Three evangelical churches in California have sued Gov. Gavin Newsom for banning singing and chanting in places of worship but permitting such activities elsewhere.
U.S. Divided Along Stark Racial Lines on Monument Removal
The U.S. is divided along racial lines regarding the removal of monuments and statues linked to slavery, according to a report from YouGov/The Economist published July 6. Racial differences also emerged in response to the Confederate flag.
More Than 1,000 Faith Leaders Urge Trump to Stop Executions
A statement opposing the federal government’s plan to execute four inmates was issued July 7. Signed by over 1,000 faith leaders from multiple traditions, it asks the Trump administration to halt the four federal executions scheduled for July and August.
Christian Groups Oppose ICE Rule on International Students
Leaders of 12 Christian organizations on Friday (July 10) urged the Trump administration to rescind a policy requiring international students to leave the U.S. or transfer if their colleges hold classes entirely online this fall, saying it “falls short of American ideals.”
Supreme Court Frees Religious Schools from Discrimination Suits
The Supreme Court is siding with two Catholic schools in a ruling that underscores that certain employees of religious schools, hospitals and social service centers can’t sue for employment discrimination. The high court's ruling on Wednesday was 7-2.
Two COVID-19-Ravaged Churches Take Different Recovery Paths
The paths of two New York City churches diverged this week — one reopened and one stayed closed. But they have shared a tragic fate, together losing at least 134 members of their mostly Hispanic congregations to the coronavirus.
Churches, Camps Across Country Hit by Coronavirus Surge
As cases of coronavirus spiked upward in much of the country in June, churches and Christian camps found themselves with outbreaks in their communities. Although many congregations resumed in-person worship in May or June after a couple months of virtual alternatives, some are returning to
We Have a Story to Tell: Indigenous Activists Speak Out Amid Toppling of Serra Statues
As Californians once again reckon with their statues of Junipero Serra, the 18th-century Franciscan priest who founded what would become 21 missions along the California coast, Native people and Indigenous scholars say it’s time for their voices to be heard and their existence to be
Some Question Replacing Mississippi’s Confederate Symbol with ‘In God We Trust’
The next state flag of Mississippi will not include the Confederate battle emblem. But the suggestion that the new flag say “In God We Trust” worries some advocates and watchdog groups who see the phrase often invoked by conservative activists and lawmakers aligned with Christian
Maine, Vermont Next in Fight over Aid to Religious Schools
A U.S. Supreme Court decision that says states can’t cut religious schools out of programs that send public money to private education could breathe new life into efforts to force Maine and Vermont to help fund religious educations.