Lead story
Editor's note:
For much of the 2024 presidential campaign, political observers were haunted by the absence of one of Donald Trump's most ardent evangelical Christian supporters, the Florida preacher Paula White-Cain. A key organizer of Trump's unofficial evangelical advisory board during the 2016 campaign, she spent time as the head of the Trump White House's faith-based office. In his latest run, however, White-Cain was little in evidence. Some speculated that the flamboyant Pentecostal pastor had been judged a liability, or that Trump's abandonment of the GOP's anti-abortion plank had alienated her. But last week, White-Cain materialized to introduce Trump at a National Prayer Breakfast event, and without explanation the president announced White-Cain would reprise her role in the new White House Faith Office. The new office, according to Trump's executive order, is tasked with making recommendations to the president, advising various federal agencies and consulting with faith leaders who hold expertise in a broad range of areas, reports Jack Jenkins for Religion News Service.
Religion News
Pope rebukes Trump administration over migrant deportations, and appears to take direct aim at Vance
Pope Francis issued a major rebuke to the Trump administration’s plans for mass deportation of migrants, warning that the forceful removal of people purely because of their illegal status deprives them of their inherent dignity and “will end badly.” By Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press
The Church of England votes to boost oversight on abuse claims. Victims say it's not enough
Members of the Church of England’s parliament have voted for more independent oversight of the way it handles abuse allegations. The church has faced growing pressure to improve the accountability of senior leaders. By Sylvia Hui/The Associated Press
The evangelical college posted, then deleted, a message celebrating Vought's confirmation as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service
27 US religious groups sue Trump administration to protect houses of worship from immigration arrests
27 Christian and Jewish groups representing millions of Americans have filed a federal court lawsuit challenging a Trump administration move giving immigration agents more leeway to make arrests at houses of worship. The plaintiffs range from the Episcopal Church and the Union for Reform Judaism to the Mennonites and Unitarian Universalists. By David Crary/The Associated Press
Catholics argue university anti-union efforts go against religious teachings
Catholic universities are claiming religious exemptions to avoid faculty unions. Theologians and faculty members themselves say they are ignoring the church's teaching that supports labor. By Aleja Hertzler-McCain/Religion News Service
Commentary and Analysis
A scholar of religion and migration writes about the long-standing tensions among Christians regarding their moral obligations to those more or less closely connected to them. By Laura E. Alexander for The Conversation
The credibility of our gospel witness as evangelicals is now at stake. By Fares Abraham/Religion News Service
Philosophers have always wrestled with how love can be so morally important, yet so personal and even arbitrary. By Meghan Sullivan for The Conversation
Repatriation is now a legal responsibility, but also a matter of human rights, an anthropologist writes. By Christopher Wolff for The Conversation
Dressed in white robes to symbolize purity and equality before God, followers from the Layene brotherhood gather near a sacred grotto where they believe their prophet received divine inspiration, in Ngor, Senegal, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)
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