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In sermon to Trump, Bishop Budde pleads for immigrants, transgender rights

Washington DC, US RNS President Donald Trump attended the inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday morning, finishing off the festivities marking the beginning of his second term with an interfaith service filled with prayers and hymns – and a sermon that offered a religious challenge to his administration’s stated goals. About […]

African Christian leaders see common cause with an incoming President Trump

Nairobi, Kenya RNS President-elect Donald Trump has never visited Africa and is known to have made disparaging remarks about the continent. But as Christian leaders look to his inauguration this Monday, they see areas of common cause. Since the November elections, many church leaders have followed Trump’s interactions, public statements and activities. When it comes […]

Vatican approves document allowing gay men to become priests in Italy

Vatican City RNS A provisional document published by the Italian Bishops’ Conference on Friday and approved by the Vatican cautiously opens the door for the ordination of openly gay men to the priesthood, while maintaining the normal requirement of chastity. “In the formative process, when referring to homosexual tendencies, it’s also appropriate not to reduce […]

Australia’s planned social media ban raises teen isolation fears

Sydney, Australia Reuters For Tereza Hussein, a 14-year-old refugee who lives in Darwin, Australia’s planned social media ban would mean losing a direct line to the most important person to her: a grandmother she has never physically met. “It’s the only way I’ve ever connected to my grandma before, over socials,” said Hussein, who was […]

The Global Methodist Church will meet in Costa Rica. Sexuality is not on the agenda

United States RNS Sexuality won’t be on the agenda when members of the nascent Global Methodist Church convene for the first time from 20th to 26th September in San Jose, Costa Rica. The breakaway denomination established by departing United Methodist churches two years ago will instead adopt a constitution and iron out its governance structure. […]

Church of England faces threat of split over stance on gay couples

London, UK Reuters An alliance of church leaders threatened to split from the Church of England over plans to let gay couples hold standalone services in churches, saying it would be a departure from the institution’s teaching on marriage. In a letter to the two senior-most bishops of the church, the dissenting group said the […]