Saudi’s new King Salman likely to stay the Muslim kingdom’s course
(RNS) Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, who took the helm of the world’s last absolute monarchy Friday, faces turbulence at home and abroad..
Religion News Service
Religion News Service (RNS) is an independent, nonprofit and award-winning source of global news on religion, spirituality, culture and ethics, reported by a staff of professional journalists. As a subscriber to their wire service, Presbyterian Outlook has permission to republish their stories and photos.
More Stories from this Author
First female bishop ordained in Church of England amid ongoing controversies
CANTERBURY, England (RNS) More than 1,000 people watched as Uganda-born Archbishop of York John Sentamu, laid hands on the Rev. Libby Lane..
Boko Haram emerges as brutal Islamic State of Africa
(RNS) Boko Haram, with its chilling brutality, radical Islamic ideology and unstoppable seizure of Nigerian territory is quickly emerging as the Islamic..
Marcus Borg, leading liberal theologian and historical Jesus expert, dies at 72
(RNS) Marcus J. Borg, a prominent liberal theologian and Bible scholar who for a generation helped popularize the intense debates about the..
Supreme Court upholds religious rights of prisoners
WASHINGTON (RNS) A Supreme Court that has extended the reach of religion into public life in recent years ruled Tuesday (Jan. 20)..
Churches in Niger and other former French colonies torched over Charlie Hebdo cartoons
NAIROBI, Kenya ( RNS) Cartoon depictions of the Prophet Muhammad are proving costly for Christians in majority-Muslim countries in Africa. At least..
Rabbi Jack Moline to head the Interfaith Alliance
WASHINGTON (RNS) Rabbi Jack Moline, a congregational rabbi who briefly led the nation’s top Jewish Democratic group, is the new head of the Interfaith Alliance,..
Ralph Abernathy: Martin Luther King Jr.’s overlooked ‘civil rights twin’
(RNS) In a scene in the movie “Selma,” the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. sits in a jail cell wondering where the..
Hundreds of Duke students rally with Muslims at Friday’s call to prayer
DURHAM, N.C. (RNS) In the end, the Muslim call to prayer was broadcast from a small black speaker perched on the..
Oklahoma pastors will preach in hoodies to protest proposed state bill banning hoods
OKLAHOMA CITY (RNS) On the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, many Oklahoma pastors will preach not in robes, but hooded..
Supreme Court will decide fate of state bans on gay marriage
WASHINGTON (RNS) The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday (Jan. 16) to resolve the national debate over same-sex marriage once and for all. The..
Duke cancels Muslims’ call to prayer after Franklin Graham leads revolt
(RNS) Officials at Duke University abruptly dropped plans to broadcast the Muslim call to prayer from the iconic bell tower of Duke..
Pope Francis on free speech: ‘You cannot insult the faith of others’
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis on Thursday (Jan. 15) condemned last week’s terrorist attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo but..
Supreme Court weighs a church’s right to advertise services
WASHINGTON (RNS) The Supreme Court on Monday (Jan. 12) considered a tiny church’s curbside sign in a case that could raise the bar on..
Nun is named first female head of Catholic Charities USA
(RNS) A nun has been chosen as the next president of the Catholic Charities USA, the first time that a woman..
Pope Francis to moms: It’s OK to breast-feed in public
VATICAN CITY (RNS) While baptizing 33 babies in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday (Jan. 11), Pope urged mothers to breast-feed their infants..
Police chief to black churches: ‘We can’t do this without you guys’
(RNS) Bishop Talbert W. Swan II has worked with police departments in western Massachusetts for two decades, speaking to new cadets and..
Contemporary gospel music pioneer Andrae Crouch dead at 72
(RNS) Andrae Crouch, a Grammy-winning gospel composer and singer whose music remains a staple in many church hymnals, died Thursday (Jan. 8)...
Conservative Jews question notions on dating, marrying only Jews
(RNS) Whether Jews should only date and marry other Jews is not a new question, but it’s one that has come into stark..
Muslims on edge after Paris terrorist attack on satirical magazine
PARIS (RNS) A horrific attack on a satirical magazine that mocked Islam left 12 people dead Wednesday (Jan. 7) and put the..
United Methodists settle complaint against bishop over same-sex wedding
(RNS) The United Methodist Church is dropping a complaint against a retired bishop who performed a 2013 same-sex wedding in Alabama, offering at least..
Terror attack at Paris magazine known for controversial Muslim sketches leaves 12 dead
(RNS) At least 12 were killed and 10 wounded in Paris on Wednesday (Jan. 7) in an apparent terror attack on the..
Jordan welcomes throngs of tourists at site where believers say Jesus was baptized
AMMAN, Jordan (RNS) For most Americans, Epiphany (Jan. 6) passes with little celebration. Traditionally, the 12th day of Christmas is marked by Eastern Orthodox,..
Jesus may have been tried here: Archaeologists uncover Herod’s palace
JERUSALEM (RNS) The site where Jesus may have been tried, prior to his crucifixion, is now open to the public for the..
Want to see Pope Francis’ vision for the church? Look at his new cardinals
VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Francis reinforced his radical reshaping of the Catholic Church by naming 20 new cardinals from countries as far..