President Barack Obama
Save persecuted religious minorities first (COMMENTARY)
By James S. Robbins — November 18, 2015
It’s not un-American to save Assyrian Christians, Yazidis and others from genocide at the hands of the Islamic State group.
Obama denounces religious test for refugees: ‘That’s not who we are’
By Kimberly Winston — November 16, 2015
(RNS) The president strongly restated his -- and his predecessor's -- belief that a war against ISIS is not a war against Islam.
Obama names 18 new faith-based council advisers
By Adelle M. Banks — September 25, 2015
(RNS) They include a former president of a historic black denomination, the head of an anti-hunger group and an executive of a Sikh organization.
Pope at White House: Fight global warming, protect religious freedom
By David Gibson — September 23, 2015
WASHINGTON (RNS) In his first remarks on American soil, Pope Francis told President Obama and a huge crowd at the White House that the U.S. must safeguard religious freedom and stressed the “urgency” of battling global warming.
Native Americans want name change for Wyoming’s Devils Tower
By Reuters — September 23, 2015
(Reuters) Chief Arvol Looking Horse, spiritual leader of the Great Sioux Nation, said the name is offensive and suggests that Indian religious rituals practiced for centuries in the Black Hills were forms of devil worship.
Pope Francis arrives, reassures US: ‘I’m a Catholic, not a communist!’ (ANALYSIS)
By David Gibson — September 22, 2015
(RNS) Francis is a force to be reckoned with. It’s just that no one is sure exactly how, or whether, the reckoning will happen, or what effect it could have. But everyone is scrambling to try to keep ahead of an unpredictable pontiff.
Pope calls for ‘revolution of tenderness’ in Cuba
By Rick Jervis — September 22, 2015
"Generation after generation, day after day, we are asked to renew our faith,' the pope said. "We are asked to live the revolution of tenderness as Mary, our Mother of Charity, did."
Conservatives outraged at gays on White House guest list for Pope Francis! (Vatican, not so much)
By David Gibson — September 21, 2015
(RNS) It looks like American conservatives and Obama critics are more upset than anyone else. "I would love to visit and talk to gay and lesbian people," Francis recently told a visiting American priest.
Ben Carson: Muslims unfit to be US president
By Reuters — September 20, 2015
GOP hopeful Carson overlooks Article Vl (no religious test for office), saying a U.S. president's faith should be "consistent with the Constitution" and Islam is not.
Pope Francis’ real challenge to Washington’s pols: Be politicians, not partisans! (ANALYSIS)
By David Gibson — September 18, 2015
(RNS) As Washington prepares to welcome the pontiff, pols and pundits are trying to figure out if Francis’ appearances will help, or hurt, one party or the other.
The student behind viral #IStandWithAhmed: ‘I had to’
By Monica Hernandez — September 18, 2015
DALLAS -- The viral Twitter hashtag supporting the clock-making Texas teen arrested as a terror suspect was launched by a college student, Amneh Jafari.
Muslim student’s creative clock draws police — and White House invitation
By John Bacon — September 17, 2015
IRVING, Texas – The Dallas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said Ahmed was targeted because of his religious and racial identity.
Poll: 29 percent still think Christian Obama is Muslim
By David Jackson — September 15, 2015
"Birthers" also hold sway with some. New survey finds 20 percent don't believe or are unsure Barack Obama was born in the U.S.
Keep faith-based hiring discrimination, religious leaders tell Obama
By Adelle M. Banks — September 11, 2015
(RNS) The request comes less than a month after a coalition of religious and secular organizations sent Obama a letter saying the current policy will tarnish his legacy of fair and equal treatment for all Americans.
Critics petition Obama to abolish faith-based hiring bias
By Adelle M. Banks — August 21, 2015
WASHINGTON (RNS) Signatories of the new letter say a 2007 memo is being cited by some government-funded groups to refuse medical care to some sexual abuse victims or discriminate against LGBT employees.
