Religion

Pastor Donte Hickman, seen at Southern Baptist Church in 2015, says he's had some productive conversations with the Trump administration on policy issues.

'Breathe, Pray, Meditate': Born From Resistance, Black Churches Now Leading In Crises

1:30pm June 07, 2020

by Juana Summers

Black America today is facing not just one crisis, but a convergence. African Americans have been hit harder by the virus and job losses. And there's systemic racism and discrimination.

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Sen. Tim Kaine, left, and then-Charlottesville mayor Michael Signer visit a temporary memorial Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, where Heather Heyer was killed when a car rammed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally Charlottesville, Va.

In 'Cry Havoc,' Former Charlottesville Mayor Details A Tragic Day

6:45pm June 06, 2020

by Michel Martin

"The value of having fought for things and standing at the end, having the experience of having fought for them in the real world, there's nothing like it," Michael Signer tells NPR.

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Evangelical Christians traditionally focus on individual sin and salvation. But some are taking a wider view when it comes to addressing systemic racism.

Evangelical Christians Grapple With Racism As Sin

11:45am June 06, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

For many, the Gospel is more about the need for personal salvation than the duty to address societal ills.

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Religion

Why Talking About Systemic Racism Can Be Difficult For Evangelical Pastors

7:07am June 05, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

Evangelical Christians have been traditionally focused on their personal relationship with Jesus. But some are now seeing a need to expand their attention to address the issue of racial justice.

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President Trump asserts "most religious leaders loved" his appearance Monday in front of St. John's Church in Washington. The bishop who oversees the church condemned Trump's photo-op.

Trump Defends 'Law And Order' Symbolism Of Photo-Op At St. John's Church

9:19pm June 03, 2020

by Ayesha Rascoe

"Most religious leaders loved it," the president said in a Fox News Radio interview, defending his visit Monday after protesters were forcibly cleared from the area.

In Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Sister Quincy Howard protests the arrival of President Trump to the Saint John Paul II National Shrine in Washington.

Pope Francis Prays For George Floyd, Decries 'The Sin Of Racism'

1:11pm June 03, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life," the pope said.

President Trump's photo opportunity in front of St. John's Episcopal church in Washington has set off criticism, as law enforcement used tear gas and force to clear a path for him to walk from the White House.

'He Did Not Pray': Fallout Grows From Trump's Photo-Op At St. John's Church

7:51pm June 02, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"He did not offer a word of balm or condolence to those who are grieving," says the bishop who oversees the church. Washington's mayor was more direct: "Shameful!"

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Catholic Archbishop Criticizes Trump's Visit To St. John Paul II Shrine

7:02pm June 02, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"I find it baffling and reprehensible that any Catholic facility would allow itself to be so egregiously misused and manipulated," says Washington Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory.

President Trump Visits John Paul II Shrine To Promote International Religious Freedom

5:31pm June 02, 2020

by Tom Gjelten

President Trump has visited a Catholic shrine Tuesday to promote religious freedom. The D.C. Archbishop criticized this visit and another president's controversial church visit Monday.

Peaceful Protesters Tear Gassed To Clear Way For Trump Church Visit

5:58am June 02, 2020

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington about the president's visit to St. John's Church amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd.