religion

The Southern Baptist Convention's top administrative body voted to cut ties with two congregations on Tuesday — an LGBTQ-friendly church in Greensboro, North Carolina, that had itself quit the denomination decades ago and a New Jersey congregation it cited for “alleged discriminatory behavior.”

The ceremony in St. Peter's Square on Sunday constituted the last formal step in the Vatican before possible sainthood for Albino Luciani, an Italian who died 33 days after he was elected pontiff.

Burnout is affecting faith leaders, many of whom are choosing to leave their ministries. NPR's Scott Simon talks with former pastor Eric Atcheson about the reasons he quit a job he once loved.

"I've been looking forward to this day," said one member of the faith. "When I rang the first doorbell this morning, a total calm came over me. I was back where I needed to be."

A school board in the Dallas-Fort Worth area says it already has enough signs. Critics are testing a recently adopted Texas law that requires public schools to display a poster bearing the U.S. motto.

Attorneys representing Michael Jennings said the release of the body camera video will clear the way for "legal action against the officers and more."

A conservative Christian group is forcing public libraries in South Louisiana to remove books about sexuality, race and gender and targeting the state's Librarian of the Year for her opposition.

Many hospitals and health care clinics in the U.S. are affiliated with the Catholic Church, which means religious directives might limit the types of contraception they can offer.