RNS Morning Report: Rutgers faculty report urges university to add caste discrimination ban

Top Stories Rutgers faculty report urges university to add caste discrimination ban (RNS) — Beginning in 2020 with Brandeis University, more than 20 higher education institutions across the country have followed momentum to recognize caste discrimination in their policies. But some in Hindu advocacy circles see this as a concerted attempt to negatively label one community as 'casteist.'   The Meeting House, once one of Canada’s largest churches, shuts down after scandal (RNS) — Nine of the megachurch's satellite sites have relaunched as a network of churches with shared preaching and support services — while The Meeting House will continue to collect donations to support those congregations. The rebranding came after The Meeting House lost its liability insurance due to an abuse scandal involving former pastor Bruxy Cavey.   Want to write a hit worship song? Invite a few friends to church. (RNS) — When the CCLI Top 100 chart first appeared in 1988, most of the songs had one writer. Today, the average hit worship song has at least two writers — who often have ties to the so-called Big Four megachurches that dominated modern worship songs.   A Pakistani religious leader is tried in his absence for allegedly threatening Geert Wilders SCHIPHOL, Netherlands (AP) — “Every day you get up and leave for work in armored cars, often with sirens on, and you are always aware somewhere in the back of your mind that this could be your last day,” Geert Wilders, leader of the party that won last year's general election in the Netherlands, told the court. RNS Opinion At Quaker World Plenary, Americans are seen as key to building peace (RNS) — An informal survey showed how U.S. policy impacts communities around the globe.   Time for a cease-fire in the childhood culture wars (RNS) — Let our kids feel all the love we can give.  ICYMI National Baptists hold annual meeting as leadership questions continue BALTIMORE (RNS) — The Rev. Jerry Young, pastor of New Hope Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, has been president for two five-year terms and cannot run for a consecutive third term.   The Black church has moved from essential to voluntary, says author Jason Shelton (RNS) — ‘Is the Black church dead? I think it really varies depending on which traditions we’re talking about,’ said Shelton, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Arlington. In Other News Meet the evangelicals trying to make a case for VP Harris The pope urges Indonesia to live up to its promise of ‘harmony in diversity’   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. RNS 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