Doctrine & Practice
United Methodists vote to restructure worldwide church
By Yonat Shimron — April 25, 2024
(RNS) — The plan, called ‘regionalization,’ must now go before each region, called an annual conference, for ratification by the end of 2025.
Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile
By Nancy E. Berg — April 24, 2024
At a time of deep divisions, American Jews will celebrate Passover in multiple tones
By Yonat Shimron — April 22, 2024
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War, hostages, antisemitism: A somber backdrop to this year’s Passover observances
By David Crary — April 22, 2024
(AP) – This year, for many Jews, the holiday’s mood will be somber due to the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the rise of antisemitic incidents elsewhere.
Tunisian Jews scale back annual pilgrimage to ancient synagogue because of security concerns
By Massinissa Benlakehal — April 22, 2024
TUNIS, Tunisia (AP) — Thousands regularly make the journey to Djerba — the North African island where many of Tunisia’s remaining 1,500 Jews reside — to celebrate the Jewish holiday Lag B’Omer.
From sumptuous engravings to stick-figure sketches, Passover Haggadahs − and their art − have been evolving for centuries
By Rebecca J.W. Jefferson — April 22, 2024
(The Conversation) — A scholar highlights some of the most interesting versions of the Passover text and how they’ve met communities’ changing needs around the world.
Hiking, disc golf, flower arranging: UMC initiative connects people around non-church interests
By Yonat Shimron — April 19, 2024
NORWOOD, N.C. (RNS) — 'Fresh Expressions' is a denominational initiative intended to connect people who may not be interested in church but are interested in learning a new skill or making new friends.
3 things to learn about patience − and impatience − from al-Ghazali, a medieval Islamic scholar
By Liz Bucar — April 19, 2024
(The Conversation) — In religious traditions, patience is more than waiting, or even more than enduring a hardship. But what does patience look like? And when should we not exercise patience?
Hindu Lord Ram road-trips through the United States
By Richa Karmarkar — April 17, 2024
(RNS) — For the first time in North America, an image of Lord Ram is being paraded from temple to temple on a two-month-long road trip, just in time for the deity’s birthday, Ram Navami.
After traditionalist churches left, UMC may be more — not less — diverse
By Yonat Shimron — April 16, 2024
(RNS) — Even after the departures, 24% of North Carolina clergy remaining in the denomination disagree with allowing LGBTQ people to get married and ordained within the denomination.
Solar New Year celebrations unite religious groups across the South Asian diaspora
By Richa Karmarkar — April 15, 2024
(RNS) — This week, people of all South Asian backgrounds celebrated the Hindu Solar New Year in their unique, regional ways. But common threads between the holidays, many say, have the power to unite those living in the diaspora.
The worship of Shiva, Hinduism’s ‘inconceivable’ deity, finds a home in the tech sector
By Richa Karmarkar — April 11, 2024
(RNS) — Often cast as the most transcendent sect of Hinduism, Shaivism’s appeal to scientific-minded Hindus is becoming more visible.
At Yale, Christian pastors sign a declaration opposing religious nationalism
By Yonat Shimron — April 9, 2024
(RNS) — The declaration commits Christian leaders to preaching on moral issues and rejecting a political movement it says is exploiting traditional values to undermine democracy.
Why Sikhs celebrate the festival of Baisakhi
By Anshu Malhotra — April 9, 2024
(The Conversation) — The spirit of Baisakhi for Sikhs is reminiscent of the ideals of their gurus, who encouraged them to work toward building a just society.
A dramatic schism over social issues? The United Methodist Church has been here before – but this time, America’s religious landscape is far different
By Christopher H. Evans — April 9, 2024
(The Conversation) — The United Methodist Church will hold its General Conference, delayed several years by the pandemic, in April 2024. The meeting comes amid a dramatic divide over LGBTQ+ rights.
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