[ad_1] Buddha was not the only holy man teaching in India around the 5th century B.C.E. At the same time, one called Mahavira was also accumulating disciples for a religion that had predated him by, some say, 5,000 years or more, but which marks its historic beginnings with him: Jainism. Jainism and Buddhism have their […]

[ad_1] (RNS) — It took a little more than a day for Father Justin, an artificial intelligence avatar posing as a priest, to be defrocked. After Catholic Answers, a site devoted to evangelizing for Catholicism, introduced the character to answer questions about the faith, Catholics on social media called the character a “scandalizing mockery of […]

[ad_1] (RNS) — The 1864 Arizona law criminalizing abortion except to save the woman’s life is now history, Gov. Katie Hobbs having signed the bill overturning it on Thursday. But Arizona is not done deciding on the issue: A referendum has been added to November’s ballot that would do away with the state’s 2022 ban […]

[ad_1] WASHINGTON (RNS) — Calling the White House “a symbol of ongoing support for destruction of human lives,” Catholic Bishop John Stowe appeared at a prayer vigil outside the presidential mansion on Friday (May 3), joining a group of religious demonstrators as they urged President Joe Biden to back a permanent cease-fire in Gaza and […]

[ad_1] (RNS) — Five days before her death on April 23 at the age of 44, historian and author Melissa Inouye was interviewed by the Salt Lake Tribune. She spoke about the responsibilities of the people who would be left behind. She indicated that it’s not enough to cry our tears and mourn an individual […]

[ad_1]  “You can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.” With that powerful quote from former US Rep. Pat Schroeder, host Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush teed up an in-depth look at strategies for protecting the vote and religious freedom for all, as well as an introduction to a series […]

[ad_1] (RNS) — Six churches are among 39 projects being awarded grants from the National Park Service to preserve historical examples of the Civil Rights activism of African Americans. The recipients of the $23.4 million in awards include the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church Selma AL Legacy Foundation. The foundation will receive $744,545 to help protect […]

[ad_1] (RNS) — On Thursday (May 2), the Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and all of Africa ordained in Zimbabwe the first deaconess of any patriarchate in the global Eastern Orthodox Church, marking the culmination of years of efforts to revive the female diaconate in the Church. The Archbishop of Zimbabwe, Metropolitan Serafim, ordained Angelic Molen […]

[ad_1] CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (RNS) — United Methodists concluded their General Conference on Friday (May 3) by removing the last barriers to full equality of LGBTQ+ members in the life of the church. After repealing a 52-year-old declaration on Thursday that the practice of homosexuality is “incompatible with Christian teaching,” delegates on Friday went further, […]

[ad_1] VATICAN CITY (RNS) — After five days of meetings and an audience with Pope Francis in the past week (April 28-May 2), more than 200 parish priests from around the world are preparing to return home and bring the pope’s mission of synodality to their local communities. The Rev. Clinton Ressler, a parish priest […]