Lead story
Editor's note:
In June, Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert called the separation of church and state “junk that’s not in the Constitution.” A few months earlier, Pennsylvania gubernatorial primary candidate Doug Mastriano dismissed it as a “myth.” Last fall, Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel insisted “there’s no such thing.”
The growing popularity of such sentiments among Republican politicians is striking given the place separation of church and state has occupied in the American political imagination going back to the Founding Fathers. And while many are decrying the statements as part of an increase in extreme versions of Christian nationalism, the opposition toward the separation of church and state among Christian conservatives is a decades-old argument popularized by a controversial Texas activist in the early ‘90s, when the religious right was ascendant. RNS national correspondent Jack Jenkins traces the roots of this sentiment and why it's reemerging now.
Religion News
U.S. houses of worship increase security after shootings
Houses of worship are meant to be places of peace. But the recent mass shootings in the U.S. are a reminder violence can happen anywhere, prompting some to ramp up security. By Deepa Bharath and Luis Andres Henao/The Associated Press
A new survey found Latino Catholics overwhelmingly support abortion rights. Here’s why.
With Roe v. Wade overturned, new data from the Washington, D.C.-based Public Religion Research Institute found that among Latino Catholics, 75% say abortion should be legal in most or all cases. That’s a big jump from the 51% who said so in 2010. By Alejandra Molina/Religion News Service
An American rabbi is keeping a promise made to her Italian-born father. She is reconnecting people in the region of Calabria to their Jewish roots. By Frances D'Emilio/The Associated Press
‘Rabbi Charlie’ balances Colleyville fame with one-to-one connection
Safety is still his watchword, but building community is his mission. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service
Chilean cowboys gather for blessing at national shrine
The July celebration, which also includes Masses and traditional dances on the sanctuary’s steps, has survived multiple COVID-19 lockdowns, major scandals within the country’s Catholic church, and mass protests. By Giovanna Dell’Orto/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
Faith can inform opinions about abortion on both sides of the political debate, but the Bible itself says nothing directly about the topic, a biblical scholar explains. By Melanie A. Howard for The Conversation
These agreements have nothing to do with coexistence and they ignore Palestinians entirely. By Omar Suleiman/Religion News Service
A scholar of Japanese religion explains the connections that Japan's political parties have with several religious groups and how religion is tied in with the legacy of Shinzo Abe. By Kaitlyn Ugoretz for The Conversation
Historians of American religious history explain why the Supreme Court’s recent religious liberty rulings are an example of America’s long struggle to define religious freedom. By James Hudnut-Beumler and James P. Byrd for The Conversation
The vehicle, left, carrying the body of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe leaves Zojoji temple after his funeral in Tokyo on Tuesday, July 12, 2022. Abe was assassinated Friday while campaigning in Nara, western Japan. (AP Photo/Hiro Komae)
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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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