Israel-US relations: Why conservative American evangelicals are among Israel’s strongest supporters
TIFFANY STANLEY, of Associated Press, reports that a meeting between US evangelicals and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a reminder of the influence evangelical Christian Zionists wield as Trump begins his second term…
“A shining example”: Religious leaders praise the late former President Jimmy Carter
Washington DC, US RNS A broad array of religious and political leaders across the country issued outpourings of support for former President Jimmy Carter following news of his death, heaping praise on the evangelical Christian Democrat known for teaching Sunday School and being unapologetic about his faith. Among the first to mourn the passing of […]
Controversy erupts over Hindu temple float at New York’s India Day parade
Reuters A carnival float featuring a Hindu temple that is planned for an upcoming India Day Parade in New York City has sparked controversy, with a number of groups calling it anti-Muslim and saying it should be removed from the event. The float depicts a temple to the Hindu god Lord Ram, which was consecrated […]
US antisemitic incidents hit record high in 2023 amid war in Gaza, report says
Reuters The number of antisemitic incidents of assault, vandalism and harassment in the US hit a record high in 2023 as anti-Jewish sentiment spiked after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, according to a report released this week. The Jewish advocacy group Anti-Defamation League (ADL) tallied 8,873 antisemitic incidents in 2023, a 140 per cent […]
Marching for peace: US ‘Peace Pilgrimage’ takes up war in Gaza as a civil rights issue
YONAT SHIMRON, of Religion News Service, reports that many Black Americans view the Palestinian cause in the context of the African American experience of oppression, a stance which has, on occasion, strained relations with American Jews…
Activists urge Tesla to close new Xinjiang showroom
Beijing, China AP American activists are appealing to Tesla Inc to close a new showroom in China’s north-western region of Xinjiang, where officials are accused of abuses against mostly Muslim ethnic minorities. Tesla on Friday announced the opening of its showroom in Urumqi, the Xinjiang capital, and said on its Chinese social media account, “Let’s […]
Advocating for Haitians, US faith groups pressure Biden to end Trump-era measure
RNS Rev Myrlande DesRosiers likens what has happened to Haiti in the past few months to Biblical plagues: the mounting death toll of COVID-19, the assassination of the Haitian President and a massive 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August that left thousands dead on the island nation and reduced homes to rubble. And this month, a fourth catastrophe: […]
Faith-based organisations express outrage over Trump’s plan to cut refugee admissions to historic low — again
RNS The Trump administration has announced the maximum number of refugees it plans to admit into the United States in the coming year, and once again, it is a historic low: 15,000. In recent weeks, several faith-based organisations involved in refugee resettlement had asked the administration to raise that number to its past average: 95,000. […]
In the US, police shooting of Jacob Blake prompts calls by faith leaders, Governor for reform
RNS Muslim and Christian leaders are decrying the police shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as authorities begin an investigation into the incident and the Governor calls for a special session of the legislature to address police accountability. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called for “immediate action” against the officers involved in the […]
US ‘Border Church’ and ‘Border Mosque’ team up for prayer service
San Diego, US RNS For more than a decade, the Rev. John Fanestil, a United Methodist minister, has held a Sunday service at Friendship Park, a historic meeting place on the US-Mexico border overlooking the Pacific Ocean between San Diego and Tijuana. While Communion is celebrated each week, Fanestil began the non-sectarian Christian ministry to help […]