In the US, a faith advisory board with Trump ties urges religious vaccine exemptions for military
RNS More than 1,700 religious leaders organised by former President Donald Trump’s faith advisers are urging the US military to grant religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, alleging service members with spiritual objections to the inoculations are being “stripped of their religious liberties”. But while the effort singled out COVID-19 vaccine mandates first initiated by President […]
Church vandalism in Washington DC exposes divisions over faith and politics
Washington DC, USAP Vandalism at four downtown Washington churches after rallies in support of President Donald Trump is exposing rifts among people of faith as the nation confronts bitter post-election political divisions. Among the damaged houses of worship were two historically Black churches where people ripped down Black Lives Matter banners, with video posted to […]
US election – Trump wants Supreme Court involved in election
AP President Donald Trump is vowing to ask the Supreme Court to weigh in on the inconclusive election. The Associated Press has not declared a winner in the presidential race. Trump appeared before supporters at the White House early Wednesday morning and cried foul over the election results, calling the process “a major fraud on […]
Trump declares churches “essential”, calls on them to reopen
Washington DC, USAP President Donald Trump on Friday labeled churches and other houses of worship as “essential” and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened to “override” governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do […]
White House takes low-key approach to churches that ignore coronavirus advice
Washington DC, USRNS On Wednesday, Trump administration officials continued to call out those who have violated government recommendations to avoid meeting in groups larger than 10 people, particularly younger Americans who have continued to dine out at bars and restaurants. But they said little about another group that is resisting their guidance: a subset of […]
As countries look inward, development cash falls short – UN deputy chief
Thomson Reuters Foundation Funding for international efforts to build resilience to climate change and meet other development goals is faltering, warns United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J Mohammed. “It is a tough world right now out there. Everyone is backsliding,” she said in an interview. Instead of thinking about common action, more world leaders are […]
Breaking: US Supreme Court upholds Trump’s travel ban
RNS The US Supreme Court has upheld President Trump’s temporary ban on refugees and immigrants from a group of primarily Muslim-majority countries in a 5-4 decision, arguing it is within the executive branch’s power to “suspend entry of aliens into the United States.” “The President has lawfully exercised the broad discretion granted to him…to suspend the […]
US Vice President Mike Pence addresses Southern Baptists after debate over whether he should
RNS US Vice President Mike Pence touted President Trump’s meeting with North Korean President Kim Jong Un in a speech before Southern Baptists and urged their continuing prayers as the administration moves ahead with negotiations to seek peace on the Korean Peninsula. The speech drew cheers from a friendly crowd as Pence tallied accomplishments popular with […]
ESSAY: CHEERS AND CAUTION FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S NEW FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE
US-based commentator on religion and politics JACOB LUPFER – in an article first published on Religion News Service – expresses his hopes for what US President Trump’s newly announced faith-based initiative will – and won’t – be…
US: AT “RED LETTER REVIVAL”, LEADERS GIVE VOICE TO EVANGELICALS ON THE MARGINS
JACK JENKINS, of Religion News Service, reports from a gathering of the ‘Red Letter Christians’ in the US…