The failure of church authorities to police their own clergy has led lay Catholics and civil authorities to move on their own. After Pennsylvania, other state attorneys general have launched investigations.
NPR's Melissa Block speaks with Karen Swallow Prior of Liberty University about how evangelicals reconcile supporting a president like Donald Trump and the importance of Brett Kavanaugh's nomination.
NPR's Scott Simon talks to David Soares, district attorney of Albany County, about the legal hurdles to investigating the Catholic Church and child sex abuse in New York state.
In 34 states and the District of Columbia, there are religious exemptions that allow parents to forgo medical treatment for a child if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the top body for religious orders in the country formally rejected the recommendation contained in a landmark government report issued late last year.
The $800,000 lawsuit contends that Ryan Coleman, 34, was required to attend weekly meetings against his wishes. The company said the requirement was not illegal and employees were paid to attend.
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with BuzzFeed contributor Christine Kenneally about her article investigating physical and sexual abuse by nuns at St. Joseph's Orphanage in Burlington, Vt.
In the era of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, mudslinging between rival church factions is now occurring in the open. Key unanswered questions have emboldened some of the pope's critics.