Lead story
Editor's note:
In the first hours after the attempt on Donald Trump’s life in western Pennsylvania on Saturday, faith leaders and fellow politicians offered prayers of thanks that the GOP candidate’s life had been spared. But soon came broader assertions, like that of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, that “God protected Trump,” implying, as conservative Christians have in the past, that the former president has been selected especially – and now preserved – by God to lead the United States. As the Republican establishment gathered in Milwaukee days later, this theme gained momentum, with South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, an evangelical Christian, telling the crowd, “If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now,” adding, “Our God – our God – still saves. He still delivers. And he still sets free.”
The messianic rhetoric surrounding Trump’s near miss in Pennsylvania solidified the Christian flavor of the convention so far, where images of American flags flying next to Christian crosses were projected even as a Jewish Republican leader spoke, and some Republicans objected to a prayer being offered by Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, a GOP delegate from California who is a Sikh. While the convention’s nominee has hinted that the shooting caused him to soften his speech, scheduled for Thursday, as a call for unity, the convention was already faced with overcoming its uneven embrace of religious difference, reports RNS's Jack Jenkins.
Religion News
Israeli military says it will begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men. That could rattle the government
The Israeli military said it would begin sending draft notices to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men next week — a step that could destabilize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and trigger more large protests in the community. By Joe Federman/The Associated Press
Five faith facts about Trump’s VP pick, JD Vance
If Trump is elected, Vance would be the second Catholic vice president in US history — after Joe Biden. By Jack Jenkins and Aleja Hertzler-McCain/Religion News Service
Pastors see a wariness among Black men to discuss abortion restrictions, which have become a key issue in the 2024 presidential campaign. By Darren Sands/The Associated Press
A Taiwan-based Buddhist charity attempts to take the founding nun's message of compassion global
Tzu Chi is an international Buddhist organization led by the Venerable Cheng Yen, an 87-year-old nun living in Taiwan. It has millions of members across 67 countries, including the United States. By Huizhong Wu and Deepa Bharath/The Associated Press
How Pope Francis has threaded dissent from right and left to avoid schism
Despite Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s recent excommunication for schism, experts believe that an actual split in the church is highly unlikely. By Claire Giangravé/Religion News Service
Commentary and Analysis
The use of sport as an evangelical tool is not new for the Catholic Church. Pope Pius X welcomed athletes in 1905 for the first international gymnastics competition in the Vatican gardens. By A. Jaime Morales Jr. for The Conversation
Right now, as Jeremiah reminds us, the world needs truth tellers far more than a big hug. By Joshua Hammerman/Religion News Service
Christian and Jewish themes influenced the world of art around one of jazz's greatest singers. By Tracy Fessenden for The Conversation
Presidential immunity can bring with it many risks. So how can we think about the nature and limits of such immunity? By Michael Blake for The Conversation
People paint decorative motifs on elephants on the eve of the annual Rath Yatra, or chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, at Jagannath temple in Ahmedabad, India, Saturday, July 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.
- 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.
- The Associated Press Newsletter Hub
- Religion News Service newsletter sign-up page
- The Conversation U.S.'s daily and weekly newsletters
No comments:
Post a Comment