Churches & Religion

ALHAMBRA, CA - MARCH 26, 2021 - - Around 200 residents, students and Alhambra and San Gabriel city leaders participate in a rally to denounce anti-Asian sentiment, racism and hate crimes that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Alhambra on March 26, 2021.

Asian American Christians confront racism and evangelical ‘purity culture’ after Atlanta spa shootings

April 11, 2021, 2:45pm Churches & Religion

Before Robert Aaron Long burst into three Atlanta massage spas and allegedly killed eight people — six of them women of Asian descent — he was a teenager struggling to conform with Evangelical teachings on “purity culture” and abstinence from sex. Read story

Rev. Graylan Hagler, center, speaks outside the National City Christian Church in Washington, Monday, April 5, 2021. A coalition of interfaith leaders and activists met in Washington and online to demand an end to the filibuster, calling it an arcane and racist tactic that blocks the passing of moral policies.

Faith leaders call for the end of the filibuster

April 10, 2021, 6:02am Churches & Religion

A coalition of faith leaders and activists on Monday demanded the elimination of the Senate filibuster, wading into a crucial debate in Washington with a 50-50 Senate and President Joe Biden eyeing ambitious legislation on expanding voting rights, stemming gun violence and other proposals that face opposition from Republicans. Read story

Mosque member Asie Late's granddaughter Emma watches as a Northwell Health registered nurse inoculates her with the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccination site inside the Albanian Islamic Cultural Center, Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the Staten Island borough of New York.

Islamic leaders battle misconception about vaccines, fasting

April 9, 2021, 4:45pm Churches & Religion

Islamic leaders are using social media, virtual town halls and face-to-face discussions to spread the word that it’s acceptable to be vaccinated for the coronavirus during daily fasting that happens during Ramadan, the most sacred month of the year for Muslims. Read story

Sister Rose Nellivila sits for morning prayer at St. Anne Home in Greensburg, Pa., where she serves as a nurse for residents of the nursing facility, on Thursday, March 25, 2021. Nellivila contracted the coronavirus last fall and made a full recovery, but a fellow nun, Sister Mary Evelyn Labik, died in October.

‘How many of us will be left?’ Catholic nuns face loss, pain

April 9, 2021, 11:40am Churches & Religion

At the front desk, the kindly nun who greeted visitors is missing, and in the chapel, where stained glass paints the walls with pastels, she no longer waves hello from the last pew on the left. In the convent’s living room, Sister Mary Evelyn Labik isn’t resting in a tan… Read story

ARK stands for Acts of Random Kindness, according to Rabbi Shmulik Greenberg.

Chabad Jewish Center of Clark County’s yellow arks help to foster change for the better

April 8, 2021, 6:02am Churches & Religion

According to the Old Testament, when all of life on Earth needed a reset, an ark carried survivors to safety. Read story

Mormon leaders decry abortion as evil, call out racism

FILE - In this Oct. 5, 2019 file photo, President Russell M. Nelson speaks during The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' twice-annual church conference in Salt Lake City. For the third consecutive time, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold its signature conference this weekend without attendees in person as the faith continues to take precautions amid the pandemic. Members of the Utah-based faith will instead watch on TVs, computers and tablets from their homes around the world Saturday, April 3, 2021 to hear spiritual guidance from the religion's top leaders, who will be delivering the speeches in Salt Lake City.

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decried abortion as evil and issued another plea for members to combat prejudice and racism during the first day of a church conference taking place Saturday without attendees because of the pandemic. Read story

In Easter speech, pope calls wars in pandemic ‘scandalous’

Pope Francis delivers his Urbi et Orbi blessing after celebrating Easter Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican Sunday, April 4, 2021, during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Pope Francis in his traditional Easter Sunday address denounced as “scandalous” how armed conflicts continue to rage even as the coronavirus pandemic has triggered severe social and economic suffering and swollen the ranks of the poor. Read story

Hymns through masks: Christians mark another pandemic Easter

Pope Francis leaves after celebrating Easter Mass at St. Peter's Basilica at The Vatican Sunday, April 4, 2021, during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Christianity’s most joyous feast day was celebrated worldwide with the faithful spaced apart in pews and singing choruses of “Hallelujah” through face coverings on a second Easter Sunday marked by pandemic precautions. Read story