Religion

Angie Cox, left, and Joelle Henneman hug after an approval vote at the United Methodist Church General Conference that repealed their church's longstanding ban on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings.

Religion

United Methodist Church lifts bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings

3:33pm May 01, 2024

by Jason DeRose

Meeting at their worldwide General Conference in Charlotte, N.C., United Methodist delegates voted overwhelmingly to allow LGBTQ clergy and for Methodist ministers to officiate at same-sex weddings.

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Alice Kitchen, 81, canvasses for signatures at a Costco parking lot in Kansas City, Mo. She and other abortion rights advocates are trying to collect 172,000 valid signatures by May 5 to ensure a statewide ballot measure in November on whether to enshrine abortion rights in Missouri's constitution.

For many Missouri Catholics, abortion rights means choosing between faith, politics

5:01am May 01, 2024

by Katia Riddle

The state is shaping up to be big battleground over abortion rights in November. Research shows a majority of U.S. Catholics supports abortion rights — even though church leadership does not.

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6 out of 10 Catholics support abortion rights despite church's stance, study shows

5:38pm April 30, 2024

by Katia Riddle

Abortion is almost entirely illegal in some states. The Catholic church hopes to keep it that way, but many Catholics support abortion rights. How do they reconcile their politics with their faith?

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Voters take to the polls in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, during the 2022 Midterm Elections at Ladue City Hall in Ladue, Mo.

Abortion rights on the ballot may not be bad news for Republicans everywhere

5:01am April 30, 2024

by Jason Rosenbaum

More states than ever are gearing up to vote on abortion rights this fall, including Republican-led Missouri. There, voters could show the issue isn't a down-ballot Democratic dream everywhere.

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Despite there being official bans on LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings, many local geographic conferences of the church â especially in the U.S. â chose not to enforce them.

United Methodist Church begins reorganization over LGBTQ+ issues

7:12am April 26, 2024

by Jason DeRose

The United Methodist Church has voted to restructure itself in a way that could allow for LGBTQ+ clergy and same-sex weddings.

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Unpacking the truth of antisemitism on college campuses

8:15pm April 25, 2024

Colleges have become a flashpoint in discussions about rising antisemitism. But some on those campuses say the alarm from politicians and groups distorts reality and their motives should be examined.

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Remembering Rev. Cecil Williams, champion of equality in San Francisco, dead at 94

6:24pm April 24, 2024

by Scott Shafer

The legendary pastor of Glide Church died this week at the age of 94. He was known as a champion of racial equality, LGBTQ rights and San Francisco's most impoverished residents.

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A grassroots effort in Michigan is raising reparations — while the government lags

5:26pm April 23, 2024

by Sophia Saliby

When state and federal legislation is slow, if at all, a Michigan church in East Lansing is gathering money and making plans to distribute funds.

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American Jewish Committee issued a report earlier this year that found that 94% of Jews and 74% of all U.S. adults say antisemitism is a very serious or somewhat serious problem.

Concerns over antisemitism rise as Jews begin observing Passover

2:28pm April 23, 2024

by Jason DeRose

Protests on college campuses related to the Israel-Hamas War have many Jews nervous heading into the holiday.

A quarter of U.S. congregations in the United Methodist Church have left the denomination as of December due to disagreements over whether to ordain LGBTQ clergy and perform same-sex weddings.

United Methodists will again debate LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings

1:01pm April 23, 2024

by Jason DeRose

The United Methodist Church is holding its first General Conference since the pandemic and will consider whether to change policies on several LGBTQ issues.

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