Religion : NPR https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1016 NPR's stories on U.S. and world religion, spirituality, ethics, and moral issues affecting society and culture. Subscribe to NPR Religion RSS feeds. en Copyright 2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:26:00 -0400 https://media.npr.org/images/podcasts/primary/npr_generic_image_300.jpg?s=200 Religion https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1016 A Kandahar mosque attack exposes the Taliban's security challenges NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with George Washington University's Andrew Mines on what the suicide blast at a mosque in Afghanistan which killed dozens says about the Taliban's ability to maintain security. Fri, 15 Oct 2021 16:26:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1046519762/a-kandahar-mosque-attack-exposes-the-talibans-security-challenges https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1046519762/a-kandahar-mosque-attack-exposes-the-talibans-security-challenges NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with George Washington University's Andrew Mines on what the suicide blast at a mosque in Afghanistan which killed dozens says about the Taliban's ability to maintain security.

]]> Ailsa Chang Hindu priestesses fight the patriarchy, one Indian wedding at a time The priestesses are part of a feminist push to make Hinduism more inclusive. Some have begun officiating at Indian weddings stripped of patriarchal traditions: No more "donating" brides to in-laws. Fri, 15 Oct 2021 05:09:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1045954728/hindu-priestesses-indian-weddings https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1045954728/hindu-priestesses-indian-weddings

The priestesses are part of a feminist push to make Hinduism more inclusive. Some have begun officiating at Indian weddings stripped of patriarchal traditions: No more "donating" brides to in-laws.

(Image credit: Sharmistha Chaudhuri)

]]> Lauren Frayer Southern Baptist leader resigns amid internal division over sex abuse review President and CEO of the SBC's Executive Committee Ronnie Floyd announced his departure Thursday in a statement critical of recent decisions related to the third-party review. Fri, 15 Oct 2021 01:04:07 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1046263333/southern-baptist-leader-resigns-amid-internal-division-over-sex-abuse-review https://www.npr.org/2021/10/15/1046263333/southern-baptist-leader-resigns-amid-internal-division-over-sex-abuse-review

President and CEO of the SBC's Executive Committee Ronnie Floyd announced his departure Thursday in a statement critical of recent decisions related to the third-party review.

(Image credit: Mark Humphrey/AP)

]]> The Associated Press Why a popular Tibetan Buddhist monastery is under investigation Red City Monastery was a thriving Tibetan Buddhist institution that attracted tens of thousands of wealthy pilgrims a year. Now it's under investigation. Tue, 12 Oct 2021 16:47:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/12/1045380605/why-a-popular-tibetan-buddhist-monastery-is-under-investigation https://www.npr.org/2021/10/12/1045380605/why-a-popular-tibetan-buddhist-monastery-is-under-investigation Red City Monastery was a thriving Tibetan Buddhist institution that attracted tens of thousands of wealthy pilgrims a year. Now it's under investigation.

]]> Emily Feng In India, boy meets girl, proposes — and gets accused of jihad New state laws make it harder for interfaith couples to marry. The idea is to halt forced marital religious conversions. But they've emboldened extremists to interrupt weddings. Sun, 10 Oct 2021 07:00:58 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1041105988/india-muslim-hindu-interfaith-wedding-conversion https://www.npr.org/2021/10/10/1041105988/india-muslim-hindu-interfaith-wedding-conversion

New state laws make it harder for interfaith couples to marry. The idea is to halt forced marital religious conversions. But they've emboldened extremists to interrupt weddings.

(Image credit: Manjunath Kiran/AFP via Getty Images)

]]> Lauren Frayer A Hispanic church in Tennessee is grieving the loss of its charismatic founder German Castro died last month at the age of 57 — part of an avoidable surge of COVID-19 deaths across the South where vaccination rates lag. Fri, 08 Oct 2021 06:22:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1044285394/a-hispanic-church-in-tennessee-is-grieving-the-loss-of-its-charismatic-founder https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1044285394/a-hispanic-church-in-tennessee-is-grieving-the-loss-of-its-charismatic-founder German Castro died last month at the age of 57 — part of an avoidable surge of COVID-19 deaths across the South where vaccination rates lag.

]]> Blake Farmer Pope encourages religious leaders to appeal for humanitarian needs over weapons Pope Francis hosted an ecumenical prayer service with religious and world leaders in Rome, calling on the world to spend money on food and vaccines rather than military needs. Fri, 08 Oct 2021 05:08:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1044267569/pope-encourages-religious-leaders-to-appeal-for-humanitarian-needs-over-weapons https://www.npr.org/2021/10/08/1044267569/pope-encourages-religious-leaders-to-appeal-for-humanitarian-needs-over-weapons Pope Francis hosted an ecumenical prayer service with religious and world leaders in Rome, calling on the world to spend money on food and vaccines rather than military needs.

]]> The remnants of one of the nation's oldest Black churches have just been found The discovery of the First Baptist Church in Colonial WIlliamsburg comes as the living history museum is reckoning with its storytelling about the country's origins and the role of Black Americans. Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:54:23 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/07/1043964120/colonial-williamsburg-remnants-of-one-of-the-nations-oldest-black-churches https://www.npr.org/2021/10/07/1043964120/colonial-williamsburg-remnants-of-one-of-the-nations-oldest-black-churches

The discovery of the First Baptist Church in Colonial WIlliamsburg comes as the living history museum is reckoning with its storytelling about the country's origins and the role of Black Americans.

(Image credit: Ben Finley/AP)

]]> The Associated Press A report finds French clergy sexually abused over 300,000 children since 1950 NPR's Rachel Martin talks to David Gibson of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University about French children sexually abused by people in the Catholic Church. Wed, 06 Oct 2021 05:03:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/06/1043600164/a-report-finds-french-clergy-sexually-abused-over-300-000-children-since-1950 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/06/1043600164/a-report-finds-french-clergy-sexually-abused-over-300-000-children-since-1950 NPR's Rachel Martin talks to David Gibson of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University about French children sexually abused by people in the Catholic Church.

]]> A Southern Baptist panel has voted to open legal records to investigators of abuse The denomination's executive committee reversed two previous votes that would have maintained attorney-client privilege and kept the files closed. Tue, 05 Oct 2021 16:51:30 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043471111/southern-baptist-vote-sexual-abuse-records https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043471111/southern-baptist-vote-sexual-abuse-records

The denomination's executive committee reversed two previous votes that would have maintained attorney-client privilege and kept the files closed.

(Image credit: Mark Humphrey/AP)

]]> The Associated Press French Catholic clergy abused hundreds of thousands of children, report finds A new report in France says hundreds of thousands of children have been abused by priests and others working in the Catholic Church over the last 70 years. Tue, 05 Oct 2021 16:34:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043458054/french-catholic-clergy-abused-hundreds-of-thousands-of-children-report-finds https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043458054/french-catholic-clergy-abused-hundreds-of-thousands-of-children-report-finds A new report in France says hundreds of thousands of children have been abused by priests and others working in the Catholic Church over the last 70 years.

]]> Eleanor Beardsley As he steps down as the head of NIH, he has a warning about future pandemics Francis Collins has served longer than any other director of the National Institutes of Health since 1971. He tells NPR he did not anticipate the culture wars taking over scientific fact. Tue, 05 Oct 2021 08:59:59 -0400 https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/10/05/930886479/nih-francis-collins-resigns-national-institutes-health https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/10/05/930886479/nih-francis-collins-resigns-national-institutes-health

Francis Collins has served longer than any other director of the National Institutes of Health since 1971. He tells NPR he did not anticipate the culture wars taking over scientific fact.

(Image credit: Sarah Silbiger/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

]]> Nell Greenfieldboyce About 333,000 children were abused within France's Catholic Church, a report finds The report states that the abuses were committed by some 3,000 priests and other people involved in the church — wrongdoing that Catholic authorities covered up over decades. Tue, 05 Oct 2021 08:23:55 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043302348/france-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-report-children https://www.npr.org/2021/10/05/1043302348/france-catholic-church-sexual-abuse-report-children

The report states that the abuses were committed by some 3,000 priests and other people involved in the church — wrongdoing that Catholic authorities covered up over decades.

(Image credit: Thomas Coex/AP)

]]> The Associated Press Judging 'sincerely held' religious belief is tricky for employers mandating vaccines As religious exemptions are now being sought in droves, their use raises concerns that they pose a serious public health risk. But some say vaccine mandates are too much, too soon. Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:55:00 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/04/1042577608/religious-exemptions-against-the-covid-19-vaccine-are-complicated-to-get https://www.npr.org/2021/10/04/1042577608/religious-exemptions-against-the-covid-19-vaccine-are-complicated-to-get

As religious exemptions are now being sought in droves, their use raises concerns that they pose a serious public health risk. But some say vaccine mandates are too much, too soon.

(Image credit: Mario Tama/Getty Images)

]]> Laurel Wamsley France's Catholic Church had 3,000 child abusers, finds independent investigation A commission has been investigating sex abuse within the country's Roman Catholic Church for 2 1/2 years. Its full findings are scheduled to be released on Tuesday. Sun, 03 Oct 2021 23:47:50 -0400 https://www.npr.org/2021/10/03/1042923933/france-catholic-church-sex-abuse https://www.npr.org/2021/10/03/1042923933/france-catholic-church-sex-abuse A commission has been investigating sex abuse within the country's Roman Catholic Church for 2 1/2 years. Its full findings are scheduled to be released on Tuesday.

]]> The Associated Press