Lead story
Editor's note:
For many decades, major religious denominations have been invaluable partners with the Boy Scouts of America, sponsoring thousands of its units nationwide. Now, however, these churches are voicing alarm over how the BSA’s complex bankruptcy case is proceeding. The BSA sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020 to halt individual lawsuits and create a compensation fund for thousands of men who claim they were molested as youngsters by Scout leaders. A proposed deal would bar further lawsuits against the BSA and its local councils, but leaves the churches unprotected. The interim leader of AP’s Religion Team, David Crary, has covered the Boy Scouts for 20 years, and took an in-depth look at how the churches are reacting. A lawyer for Catholic churches calls the Scouts’ stance short-sighted and unfair. A United Methodist bishop says the UMC can’t commit to continuing its longstanding relations with the Scouts.
Religion News
Pope retains German archbishop criticized over abuse scandal
Pope Francis has decided to leave in office a prominent German archbishop who has faced criticism for his handling of the church’s sexual abuse scandal, but the cleric has decided to take a “spiritual timeout.” By Geir Moulson/The Associated Press
How Hindu chaplains went from anomaly to necessity
In 2008, Princeton University's full-time Hindu chaplain was not just the only one at any place of higher learning at the time; he was the first in the United States ever to fill the role. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service
Middlebury College has removed the name of former Vermont Gov. John Mead from the campus chapel because of what school officials say was his “instigating role” in eugenics policies of the early 1900s. By Lisa Rathke/The Associated Press
Led by ‘Father Revolutionary,’ Indigenous Guatemalans turn to Orthodox Christianity
Spurred by the conversion of a beloved former Catholic priest, Orthodox Christian communities have popped up in some 120 villages across northern Guatemala and southern Mexico. By David I. Klein/Religion News Service
Faith groups aid Haitian migrants, denounce mistreatment
Faith-based groups are scrambling to keep up with fast-paced developments in the Haitian migrant crisis. They're trying to assist those in need while assailing the harsh enforcement tactics employed against them. By Luis Andres Henao and Peter Smith/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
Nahdlatul Ulama is the world's biggest Islamic organization which is initiating a reform movement it calls 'humanitarian Islam.' By Ahmet Kuru for The Conversation
Catholics can debate many abortion measures in good faith. Some are beyond the pale. By Charles C. Camosy/Religion News Service
Americans are getting more comfortable with new forms of spirituality, but their views of atheists are still complicated. By Penny Edgell and Wendy Cadge for The Conversation
What Ötzi the prehistoric iceman can teach us about the use of tattoos in ceremonial healing or religious rites
When the 5300-year-old mummy of Ötzi the Iceman was found 30 years ago, researchers found 61 tattoos on it. A scholar explains how tattoos have been a sacred part of many cultures across the world. By Allison Hawn for The Conversation
An Afghan girl working as a shoe cleaner sits in the street while men pray during Friday prayers in Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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- This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
- The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
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