RNS Morning Report: Brian Houston feuds online with Hillsong about his wife's future

Quote of the Day “It’s crucially important for predominantly white churches to take up this work, because in the United States, our voice is the majority voice.” – The Rev. John Edgerton Top Stories Disgraced founding pastor Brian Houston feuds online with Hillsong about his wife’s future (RNS) — 'Our beautiful church is losing its soul,' Brian Houston concluded in an Instagram post Friday in response to Hillsong board's treatment of his wife and co-founding pastor, Bobbie Houston.   Chicago church’s plan to fast from ‘whiteness’ for Lent gets pushback CHICAGO (RNS) — News of First United Church of Oak Park's plan to 'fast from whiteness' for Lent drew so many responses, many of them critical, that its website crashed.   Bart Barber enters Southern Baptist presidential race after another pastor withdraws (RNS) — Bart Barber said he determined that perhaps he could do more than be ‘a pastor with a Twitter account.’   ‘Father Stu,’ the story of a boxer-turned-priest, is Mark Wahlberg’s ‘love letter to God’ CHICAGO (RNS) — Bringing Father Stu's story to the big screen reaffirmed his faith and his commitment to serving God, Wahlberg said.   American Atheists to take a quieter approach to culture wars at Atlanta meeting (RNS) — Community-building is the conference's theme for this year's first in-person convention since 2019.   ‘We expect to win.’ Ayahuasca churches vow to remain as court case largely dismissed. (RNS) — 'The DEA is attempting to close off all avenues for us to practice or engage in our spiritual practice,' said Scott Stanley, founder of the Arizona Yagé Assembly.   Fox News host Shannon Bream explores flawed families of biblical women (RNS) — Her new book, 'The Mothers and Daughters of the Bible Speak,' examines their faithful and dysfunctional relationships. RNS Opinion Amy Schumer is more Jewish than she thinks (RNS) — How do I know? I was her rabbi.   The tinder box of Jerusalem and the tyranny of the religious calendar (RNS) — The holiday crunch doesn't bode well for a population already strained by repression and attacks. ICYMI BYU speech therapy clinic’s cancellation of transgender services draws probe (RNS) — Shane Reese, academic vice president at BYU, in a March 10 letter cited the church’s handbook in justifying the cancellation of the clinic’s gender-affirming speech therapy.   Anglicans say leaders botched response to allegations against DC priest (RNS) — ‘This is the most messed up situation regarding a church I’ve been part of, but God can make this new,’ said a reported survivor. Talk to Us We want your feedback on the RNS Morning Report — what you think we're doing right and what we should be doing differently. Send us an email at Comments@ReligionNews.com Subscribe to other RNS Newsletters. Forward this email to a friend. View the archive of past newsletters. Religion News Service is free to read, but it's not free to produce. If you value our reporting, please consider making a donation today. Yes, I support the work you're doing! Forward this email to a friend