1+ week, 5+ day ago (596+ words) The study groups consisting of experts, clergy and laypeople were established in March 2024, after the Synod on Synodality, a gathering of bishops and lay Catholics at the Vatican to promote a more welcoming and missionary church. Since then, the groups have worked with the Vatican on implementing decisions made at the synod." The group is also charged with studying the possibility of allowing women to be ordained permanent deacons, which would let them preach the Gospel and lead baptisms, weddings and funerals, but not celebrate Mass or the Eucharist or hear confessions and anoint the sick. In the update, the group said it submitted its findings to the Second Study Commission on the Female Diaconate. It's unclear whether the group's final report will include a pronouncement on female deacons. The Second Study Commission was created by Francis in 2020 and resumed…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (256+ words) Past winners include AP, Atlantic, CBC, Harper Collins, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, Netflix, NPR, Penguin Random Home, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Religion News Service, RTE, 60 Minutes, and more. After the Wilbur Awards Ceremony, all entrants will receive judges" ballots, with comments and scores on their entry. Each winning entry receives a hand-crafted stained glass award. All entries must be received by January 31, 2026. The award, which is named for the late Marvin C. Wilbur, a pioneer in religious public relations, longtime council leader and former Presbyterian Church executive, will be presented Friday, April 17, in Cincinnati during the RCC"s annual convention, "Coming Together, Charting Our Course." For more information about the 2026 Wilbur Awards, including the entry form, please visit wilbur-awards-entry-form. Questions may be directed to: [email'protected] The Religion Communicators Council has presented Wilbur Awards annually since 1949. Juries of media professionals, coordinated by council…...

2+ day, 21+ hour ago (134+ words) A playful deep-dive into angels, ghosts, fairies, and why even rational people still crave the mystical. The post Best of SBTC: A Ross Douthat Guide to Fairies, UFOs " and Church appeared first on RNS. Exploring the mystical, the skeptical, and the spiritually surprising with Ross Douthat. What's your woo level? In this episode, Katelyn and Roxy run through their most mystical instincts'angels, ghosts, manifesting, energies, astrology'and ask whether modern Christians have grown a little too allergic to spiritual experience Then New York Times columnist and noted UFO enthusiast Ross Douthat joins to talk about the persistence of the supernatural, why he thinks religion is still the most rational bet, and the dangers of patchwork spirituality A funny, curious, and unexpectedly grounding conversation about what might be lurking just beyond the empirical....

1+ week, 2+ day ago (499+ words) Sixteen years later, Palestinian Christians say the world has changed so dramatically that a new moment of truth has arrived. Hence, the release of Kairos II this week. The updated document states plainly that "we live now in a time of genocide, ethnic cleansing and forced displacement unfolding before the eyes of the world." That recognition, its authors argue, marks a fundamental shift. Kairos II emerges "from the heart of the assault on Gaza " mass displacement, starvation, the destruction of every sector of life, and the burial of families under rubble." It speaks, the authors write, as "a cry of hope in a time of genocide," insisting that faith, hope and love can and must be renewed even in the darkest hour. Lamma Mansour, a policy researcher in Jerusalem, said that Kairos Palestine II is a necessary update to the…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (862+ words) VATICAN CITY (RNS) " Pope Leo XIV addressed Artificial Intelligence, polarization and spiritual questions during a live event on Friday (Nov. 21), broadcast to over 16,000 U.S. Catholic teenagers gathered at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the National Catholic Youth Conference. Organizers described the event as the "first digital visit to the United States" by the pontiff, who was born in Chicago, Illinois. Leo could be seen smiling as the roaring crowd welcomed him for the online event. Five young people took turns asking questions to the pope, with Catholic speaker and podcast host Katie Prejean McGrady moderating the conversation. The tone was informal and direct, with the pope even joking that he only wears white socks " a nod to his favorite Chicago baseball team " and that he uses a different opening word for The New York Times Wordle game every…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago (157+ words) As a nation, we have often failed to live up to the ideals of equality and justice that safeguard the foundation of a free society. Yet throughout our history, in periods of great struggle and division, people of faith and good will have come forward to defend the very values that define American democracy. It is from that religious legacy that we speak'today. Our transgender, intersex, and nonbinary beloveds offer a singular gift. They invite us to witness our broken world through the knowledge that, when we lead in truth and love, nothing is beyond'transformation. Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President Union for Reform'Judaism The Rev. Jihyun Oh, Stated Clerk and Executive Director Presbyterian Church'(U.S.A.) The Rev. Teresa "Terri" Hord Owens, General Minister and President Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and'Canada Presiding Bishop Sean W. Rowe The Episcopal'Church The…...

2+ week, 4+ day ago (35+ words) (RNS) " This week's photo gallery includes opening the world's largest Orthodox church, Dev Deepawali commemorations and more. The post Photos of the Week: World's largest Orthodox church, Dev Deepawali appeared first on RNS....

3+ week, 3+ day ago (406+ words) BOULDER, Colo." New research from the State of the Church initiative by Barna Group and Gloo reveals a national rebound in Bible reading among U.S. adults. In 2025, weekly Bible reading has climbed to 42%, up 12 points from a 15-year low of 30% in 2024. Among self-identified Christians, the rate is 50%, which is the highest level in over a decade. "Bible reading is rising again across generations, marking a reset to faith engagement levels we haven't seen in a decade," said David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group. "People aren't just curious about faith " they're opening Scripture for themselves. This trend aligns with other signs of renewal we've seen in our research, like growing commitments to Jesus and increased church attendance." The data also reveals a striking reversal in gender patterns. While women have historically been more likely to read the Bible weekly, 2025 data shows that…...

3+ week, 4+ day ago (245+ words) Soendker Nicholson, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, has served as a pastor for several congregations in the Missouri Annual Conference, and currently teaches at Saint Paul School of Theology. She anticipates completing a PhD in 2026 at Wesley House Cambridge (UK), where her research focuses on Christian nationalism and public theology. "Trista's deep commitment to connecting theology with the pressing issues of our public life makes her an ideal leader for this next chapter of the Center for Religion in Public Life," said President F. Douglas Powe Jr., PhD. Before entering ordained ministry, Soendker Nicholson worked on Capitol Hill for U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Ike Skelton, later combining her background in public policy and theology to advocate for faith-based justice initiatives. At Phillips, she will develop and guide programs to help faith leaders, congregations and the community engage…...

2+ week, 2+ day ago (612+ words) ISTANBUL (RNS) " Pope Leo XIV is set to touch down in Istanbul at the end of November before visiting Lebanon for his first international trip since his papal election in May. The pontiff will visit eight cities from Nov. 27 to Dec. 2, sitting down with both political and faith leaders and leading Masses for Catholic locals and pilgrims." Though Leo will first meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo'an and various religious leaders, one of the most significant aspects of his visit will be joint ceremonies with Bartholomew I, ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople and one of Eastern Orthodox Christianity's chief spiritual leaders. The anniversary of Nicaea isn't just a historical moment. It's a symbol around which ecumenically minded leaders in both Orthodox and Catholic churches have continued to work on bridging the centuries-old divisions between the churches." First Council of Nicaea…...