No images? Click here

The Conversation

Lead story

President Joe Biden speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast. There is a row of American flags behind him. The background is blue with the words "National Prayer Breakfast" in the center.

National Prayer Breakfast breaks from ‘The Family’ with new organization

Editor's note:

The National Prayer Breakfast is under new management. After decades of being run by the secretive “The International Foundation,” better known as “The Family,” the breakfast, which typically features a speech from the sitting U.S. president, will be hosted by the new National Prayer Breakfast Foundation. The annual breakfast, whose origins date back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration, has been dogged by controversy for decades, including an espionage scandal. Additionally, the event has come under fire from secular organizations who see it as blurring the line between church and state. This year’s breakfast,  less formal and significantly smaller under the new organization, was held today, Thursday, February 2. Still, not everyone is convinced the changes mark a significant shift, with some critics concerned they are merely “cosmetic,” and the new leadership still tied to the old, write RNS reporters Jack Jenkins and Adelle M. Banks.

A portrait of Roxanne Stone, Managing Editor for Religion News Service.
Subscribe to This Week in Religion
 

Religion News

Pope consoles Congolese victims: ‘Your pain is my pain’

Pope Francis urged Congo’s people to forgive those who have harmed them as he presided over a Mass before an estimated 1 million people in a country wracked by decades of violence. By Nicole Winfield, Christina Malkia and Jean-Yves Kamale/The Associated Press 

Reconstructionist Jews call for reparations, embark on racial justice pilgrimages

The denominational resolution calls for a ‘deep reflection on the ways in which we have participated in or benefitted from racial injustices in our communities.’ By Yonat Shimron/Religion News Service

Broken baby Jesus statues flood restorers ahead of feast day    

In Mexico City, it is the busy season for the craftsman who can repair Catholic families' beloved but broken baby Jesus figurines. They need to be in good condition for their annual pilgrimage to church for a blessing for Candlemas. By Maria Teresa Hernandez/The Associated Press 

Svalbard Kirke member Lars-Olav Tunheim descends from Plataberget mountain during a hike in Longyearbyen, Norway.

Church helps mining community evolve on remote Norwegian Arctic island 

Social life in the Norwegian village of Longyearbyen —  on a remote Arctic island — has long revolved around its only church. Founded for and by coal miners, Svalbard Kirke is literally a beacon in the dark – especially in winter, when the sun never rises so close to the North Pole. By Giovanna Dell’Orto/The Associated Press 

‘Rosary beads? Yes. But crystals, no.’: Catholic school counselor loses her job

An employee who invited three Wiccan high priestesses to speak to marketing students did not believe that the crystals they handed out nor their religion would cause a stir. By Heather Greene/Religion News Service

 

Commentary and Analysis

How evangelicals moved from supporting environmental stewardship to climate skepticism

It was in the 1990s that the idea of Christian environmental stewardship disappeared from the rhetoric of the religious right, paving the way for the anti-environmental position it holds today. By Neall Pogue for The Conversation

Debates over sacred images in the Byzantine Empire show why it's hard to appease any side

Fierce debates about visual depictions of the sacred have existed for centuries. An art historian explains the controversies in the Byzantine Empire over images of Christ. By Paroma Chatterjee for The Conversation

What will it take for Mormon women and girls to be believed?

Mormon men seem no more prone to abuse than men of other faiths. The failure comes after abuse is reported. By Jana Riess/Religion News Service

It shouldn't seem so surprising when the pope says being gay 'isn't a crime' – a Catholic theologian explains

Catholic leaders' attitudes toward LGBTQ people have shifted dramatically – but the actual theology behind them, not so much. By Steven P. Millies for The Conversation

 
Worshippers at Wong Tai Sin Temple burn their first joss sticks of the new year. There are brightly lit lanterns overhead.

Photos of the Week: Lunar New Year; Quran protests and more

Worshippers burn their first joss sticks of the new year as they offer prayers at the Wong Tai Sin Temple, Saturday, Jan. 21, 2023, in Hong Kong, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, which marks the Year of the Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac. (AP Photo/Bertha Wang)

Did a friend or colleague forward this to you? Click here to subscribe.

About the Global Religion Journalism Initiative
 
 
  • This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
  • The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
 
 
  Share 
  Tweet 
  Share 
  Forward 
You're receiving this because you're subscribed to the This Week in Religion email newsletter from the Global Religion Journalism Initiative. 
Sent by: The Conversation U.S., 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300, Waltham, MA 02451
Unsubscribe