Lead story
Editor's note:
In the manifesto reportedly sent to family members moments before he attempted to storm past security at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Saturday evening, Cole Tomas Allen thanked his “family, both personal and church,” for their love. While President Donald Trump characterized the manifesto as “anti-Christian,” RNS reporter Kathryn Post was curious about Allen’s religious connections – and whether they might reveal anything further about the suspect’s worldview.
She found that Allen’s family ties to a theologically conservative Reformed church, involvement in a Christian student ministry, and social media posts condemning Christian hypocrisy hint at his complex faith background.
“Turning the other cheek is for when you yourself are oppressed,” Allen allegedly wrote in the manifesto. “I’m not a schoolkid blown up or a child starved or a teenage girl abused by the many criminals in this administration.”
Religion News
Pope prays with Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally in historic encounter, vows dialogue
Pope Leo vowed to keep working to overcome differences during a historic meeting with the first female leader of the Church of England and spiritual leader of the global Anglican Communion. By Nicole Winfield/The Associated Press
Citing Wexner's Epstein ties, Jewish leaders direct money to survivors
More than 100 alumni of Wexner Foundation fellowships and professional development programs have started a fund to aid survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation. By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service
The Supreme Court seems likely to grant tech giant Cisco’s bid to shut down a lawsuit claiming that the company’s technology was used to persecute members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement in China. By Mark Sherman/The Associated Press
A Havana church provides meals to elderly Cubans struggling as national crisis deepens
Cuba’s elderly are among those bearing the heaviest burden of the island’s deepening economic crisis. Elderly people stand in long lines for bread and rice, and increasingly depend on churches and some state institutions for basic meals. By Andrea Rodriguez/The Associated Press
NY Zen Center holds memorial service for an AI companion
The sensei said this is the first time the Zen Center has memorialized an AI companion, but he doesn’t foresee it being the last. By Fiona Murphy/Religion News Service
Commentary and Analysis
The folk tales of Nasreddin Hoja, which likely originated in 13th-century Turkey, carry many lessons for us today. By Perin Gürel for The Conversation
Why do some homeschoolers describe a move from no regulation to basic safety oversight as ‘unwarranted surveillance’? The answer is rooted in the history of homeschooling in this country. By Abbi Nye/Religion News Service
Just war theory, developed over centuries, focuses on six criteria for assessing whether a conflict is justified. By Valerie Morkevicius for The Conversation
American courts have legislated the Bible’s role in classrooms for more than a century. Whether it’s constitutional depends on the aims of teachers’ lessons. By Charles J. Russo for The Conversation
Muslims perform 'zikr,' a Sufi devotional practice, inside the war-damaged Sheikh GaribAllah Mosque in Omdurman, on the outskirts of Khartoum, Sudan, Friday, April 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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