Capital punishment: Faith leaders, activists, the Pope urge Biden to empty federal death row before Trump term
Activists and faith leaders hope to save the lives of 40 federal death row inmates, fearing Donald Trump would authorise an ‘execution spree’ after taking office. BOB SMIETANA and JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, report…
Tony Campolo, sociologist and famed Red Letter Christian, has died
RNS Tony Campolo, an American Baptist minister and sociologist who spent decades trying to convince evangelicals and other Christians that their faith should motivate them to address social ills like poverty and racism, has died. He was 89. Tony Campolo in 2013. PICTURE: Bradley Siefert/Flickr (licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0). A native of Philadelphia, Campolo […]
At Yale, Christian pastors sign a declaration opposing religious nationalism
United States RNS A group of Christian pastors, theologians and scholars has signed a declaration committing the signers to preaching on “moral issues “ ahead of the 2024 election and opposing what the group calls “religious nationalism”. The document defines religious nationalism as a political movement that it says is exploiting “traditional values” to undermine […]
Faith leaders ask Biden to mark Mother’s Day with prayer day against gun violence
United States RNS More than 550 faith leaders have asked President Joe Biden to declare Mother’s Day an occasion for Americans to pray for an end to gun violence. “While some may throw up their arms and say that this is a battle too large to win, we, an interfaith coalition, made up of Christians, […]
Faith leaders attend White House celebration of gun control law
United States RNS Faith leaders from a wide range of traditions, including those whose houses of worship have been attacked, were at the White House on Monday as members of Congress and other gun control advocates gathered for a White House celebration of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, signed into law on 25th June. Pastor […]
Essay: America is exceptional – in its addiction to violence and war
US activist, author and co-director of Red Letter Christians SHANE CLAIBORNE says – in an article first published on Religion News Service – that while it’s been 55 years since Martin Luther King’s historic speech, ‘Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,’ it still rings out as true as ever…
Tony Campolo, beloved pastor and social activist, recovering from stroke
RNS Popular pastor and speaker Tony Campolo, 85, is recovering from a stroke he had on June 20, his family shared publicly in a statement on Monday. The stroke partially paralysed the left side of Campolo’s face and body. He is currently in recovery at the Beaumont Health Center, which is part of the retirement community near […]
US gun control group starts faith-driven push ahead of election
New York City, US AP A leading gun control advocacy group has enlisted more than a dozen religious leaders to boost voter turnout this fall in support of candidates who support measures to prevent gun violence. Everytown for Gun Safety, which expects to spend $US60 million on this year’s elections, is forging its interfaith effort […]
Christian leaders call for Day of Prayer in support of impeachment inquiry
RNS More than 90 Christian leaders are calling for a National Day of Prayer this Sunday “for the truth to be revealed through the impeachment inquiry” into whether President Donald Trump solicited help from a foreign government for his 2020 reelection campaign. That call comes from leaders affiliated with Red Letter Christians, a justice-focused Christian movement that […]
Essay: The family values we need at the border
In an article first published on Religion News Service, Rev JONATHAN WILSON-HARTGROVE, author and founder of the Rutba House, a house of hospitality in the US, reflects on his recent visit to the US-Mexican border…