Religion

Religion

Recent SCOTUS Decisions On Religion Open Up New Questions

7:54am July 11, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

The Supreme Court says LGBTQ persons have civil rights, but new rulings also gives religious institutions more freedom from the government. Critics see an erosion of church-state separation.

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Istanbul's Byzantine-era landmark has been used as a museum since 1934 and is widely regarded as a symbol of peaceful religious coexistence. A court ruling Friday revoked its museum status.

Turkey Converts Istanbul's Iconic Hagia Sophia Back Into A Mosque

7:22pm July 10, 2020

The Byzantine-era architectural marvel has been used as a museum since 1934 and is widely regarded as a symbol of peaceful religious coexistence. A court ruling Friday revoked its museum status.

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Reporter On Catholic Church Getting Over $1 Billion In Coronavirus Aid

3:46pm July 10, 2020

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Michael Rezendes of The Associated Press on its investigation into the U.S. Roman Catholic Church receiving over $1 billion in coronavirus aid.

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Wednesday's decision seems to be an extension of a 2012 ruling in which the Supreme Court unanimously found that a fourth-grade teacher at a Lutheran school who was commissioned as a minister could not sue over her firing.

Justices Rule Teachers At Religious Schools Aren't Protected By Fair Employment Laws

8:28pm July 08, 2020

by Nina Totenberg

The 7-2 decision carving out a religious exemption could potentially affect other employees of religious hospitals, universities and charities.

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The Supreme Court Allows Employers To Opt Out Of Contraception Coverage

3:56pm July 08, 2020

by Sarah McCammon

The Supreme Court on Wednesday has sided with the Trump administration, ruling that employers with religious objections can decline to provide contraception coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

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'Unholy' Examines The Alliance Between White Evangelicals And Trump

1:27pm July 08, 2020

by Terry Gross

The president isn't known for his faith. Instead, author Sarah Posner says he connects with Evangelicals by voicing the legal, social, religious and cultural grievances of the Christian right.

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Pastor Jay Wolf leads a prayer service at First Baptist Church in Montgomery in 2019. He says he has "no idea" how many African Americans are in his congregation. "We are the body of Christ, and we need Jesus, and that's all I need to know," he says.

White Supremacist Ideas Have Historical Roots In U.S. Christianity

8:33pm July 01, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

Beginning in the days of slavery and Jim Crow segregation, elements of racist ideology have long existed in white churches. How Christians could promote such views is a point that upsets many people.

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Supreme Court: Montana Can't Exclude Religious Schools From Scholarship Program

8:49pm June 30, 2020

by Nina Totenberg

The 5-4 decision, in which Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court's other conservatives, is a win for parents who wanted to use the state tax credit to help send children to religious schools.

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Evangelical Leader On Role Of Church In Moment Of Upheaval

5:58pm June 28, 2020

NPR's Michel Martin speaks to Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, about how his faith informs his perspective during two national crises.

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Park describes his experiences as a child soldier during an interview in his office in Yeongju.

Thousands Of Child Soldiers Died In The Korean War. Survivors Want More Recognition

4:17pm June 25, 2020

by Anthony Kuhn

South Korea conscripted more than 30,000 soldiers between the ages of 14 and 17 for the war. An estimated 3,000 of them died. One survivor prays daily for their souls.

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