RNS Morning Report: Pope clears way for women to vote in upcoming bishops’ meeting

Top Stories Pope Francis clears way for women and lay Catholics to vote in upcoming bishops’ meeting ROME (RNS) — The addition of lay men and women as voting members is ‘not a revolution, but rather an important change,’ said a cardinal overseeing the synod.   Georgia pastor Mike Stone to challenge SBC President Bart Barber this summer (RNS) — Stone said he wants to help local churches do more evangelism and to do a better job at dealing with abuse.   UMC top court rules disaffiliating clergy don’t automatically lose credentials (RNS) — A Wisconsin bishop had required clergy whose churches were disaffiliating to give up their jobs or their credentials.   Tibetan Buddhist monastery, once all nuns, makes room for monks Coed Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are rare, and the abbey’s newest senior teacher said the mix has taken some getting used to. RNS Opinion When it comes to religion, ‘Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret’ was decades ahead of its time (RNS) — For me, the story’s attraction wasn’t just that it made me feel ‘seen’ in my anxieties about boys or periods or bras. It was also that someone finally understood my family’s complicated absence from religion.   Lent’s over, but Catholics still need to pay attention to the meat they eat (RNS) — A Catholic view of integral ecology, cheap meat and child labor. ICYMI Amid threats, California lawmaker calls bill barring caste discrimination ‘right thing to do’ (RNS) — Groups such as the Hindu American Foundation and the Coalition of Hindus of North America say the bill targets Hindus and Indian Americans who are commonly associated with the caste system.   In rural Texas, spending taxpayer money on private schools is a hard sell TYLER, Texas (RNS) — Gov. Greg Abbott has been barnstorming his state, trying to convince parents in rural areas to support his education savings accounts, a form of school vouchers. In Other News Texas lawmakers want religious indoctrination in schools — May god help us all Pitting religious freedom against Sunday mail goes back to the founding   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 at religionnews.com/donate. If you prefer to mail a donation, please address to: Religion News Foundation, PO Box 1808, Columbia, MO 65205. Yes, I support the work you're doing! Forward this email to a friend