Religion

Pastor J.P. Conway leads the Acklen Avenue Church of Christ in Nashville. When members started telling him they got vaccinated, he began keeping track. Now, he says 99% have been immunized.

Houses Of Worship Grapple With The Vaxxed And Unvaxxed Divide

5:07am May 17, 2021

by Blake Farmer

Congregations are figuring out how to safely meet in person now that the COVID-19 vaccine is more widely available. But vaccination remains divisive even as it allows them to come together again.

An excavator clears the rubble of a destroyed building in Gaza City on Sunday, following Israeli airstrikes.

U.N. Security Council Meets Over Israeli-Palestinian Violence

6:40pm May 16, 2021

by Dustin Jones

With the death toll nearing 200 and thousands more civilians left homeless, the United Nations is pushing for a cease-fire.

Religion

Lutherans Elect First Openly Transgender Bishop Megan Rohrer

7:54am May 16, 2021

by Melissa Block

Rev. Megan Rohrer has been elected as the first openly transgender bishop within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. They will lead some 200 congregations in California and Nevada.

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Muslim devotees takes a selfie using their mobile phones after offering special prayers at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.

Muslims Mark End Of Ramadan, But COVID Subdues Celebrations For A Second Year

1:07pm May 13, 2021

Some 1.8 billion faithful around the world are marking Eid al-Fitr, but in many places, COVID-19 restrictions and concerns over the spread of virus were putting a damper on festivities.

A priest holds a Holy Communion wafer in Washington, D.C.

Vatican Warns U.S. Bishops About Denying Communion To Supporters Of Abortion Rights

6:14pm May 11, 2021

by Sylvia Poggioli

The possible plan could affect President Biden, among other Catholic political figures. The Vatican is calling for U.S. bishops to reach a consensus and says any such move could sow division.

Bishops Debate Whether Politicians Who Support Abortion Should Receive Communion

4:22pm May 11, 2021

Should Catholic politicians who support abortion rights be able to receive communion? American bishops have been grappling with this since Biden became the second Catholic president in U.S. history.

The Rev. Megan Rohrer became the first openly transgender bishop to be elected in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on Saturday.

Megan Rohrer Elected As 1st Openly Transgender Bishop In U.S. Lutheran Church

10:13pm May 09, 2021

by Emma Bowman

Rohrer, a pastor in San Francisco, will serve as bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Sierra Pacific synod, which includes congregations across Northern California and Nevada.

Shaman Jeong Soon-deok holds up a fan, bells and other ceremonial objects during an initiation ceremony at a temple in Seoul.

Shamanism Endures In Both Koreas — But In The North, Shamans Risk Arrest Or Worse

7:01am May 08, 2021

by Anthony Kuhn

Combining elements of animism, ancestor worship and folk religion, shamanism remains popular on both sides of the border. But it's illegal in the North, and some who practice it have been executed.

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While Fasting During Ramadan, Muslims Question Whether To Get Vaccinated

7:19am May 06, 2021

by Lisa Ryan

Some Muslims have wondered if they should get the COVID-19 vaccine during Ramadan, when they're fasting. Islamic scholars and vaccine clinics have been offering reassurance and workarounds.

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg addresses the Silicon Slopes Tech Summit in Salt Lake City in January 2020.

Tech Sees Bigger Opportunity In Utah — If The State Works On Its Image

7:11pm May 04, 2021

by Sonja Hutson

Utah's tech sector is growing, but the industry says the state has a reputation problem that makes it hard to attract workers. So, it's lobbying state lawmakers to push socially inclusive legislation.

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