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Articles by Peter Smith
Cardinal Dolan fires back at VP J.D. Vance over immigration policy comments
Less than a week after sharing the inauguration stage, Timothy Cardinal Dolan is pushing back against Vice President J.D. Vance, after the latter criticized the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, who do not support all of President Donald Trump's immigration policies. Trump's immigration crackdown sparks dispute What we know: Vance, a Catholic convert, has accused the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops of resettling "illegal immigrants" to receive federal funding.
Southern Baptists narrowly reject formal ban on churches with any women pastors
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Southern Baptists narrowly rejected a proposal Wednesday to enshrine a ban on churches with women pastors in the denomination's constitution after opponents argued it was unnecessary because the denomination already has a way of ousting such churches. The vote received support from 61% of the delegates, but it failed to get the required two-thirds supermajority. The action reversed a preliminary vote last year in favor of the official ban.
United Methodists remove anti-gay language from their official teachings on societal issues
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - United Methodist delegates on Thursday removed a 52-year-old declaration from their official social teachings that deemed "the practice of homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching" - part of a wider series of historic reversals of the denomination's longstanding disapproval of LGBTQ activity.
United Methodists remove anti-gay language from their official teachings on societal issues
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - United Methodist delegates on Thursday removed a 52-year-old declaration from their official social teachings that deemed "the practice of homosexuality ... incompatible with Christian teaching" - part of a wider series of historic reversals of the denomination's longstanding disapproval of LGBTQ activity.
Southern Baptists pick a California seminary president to lead its troubled administrative body
A top Southern Baptist administrative body has selected its first permanent leader in nearly two-and-a-half years, a time when it has navigated a tumult of controversies ranging from a sexual abuse scandal to financial struggles — to its own stumbling efforts to find a new president.
Southern Baptists oust one church for having woman pastor, two others over sexual-abuse policy
The Southern Baptist Convention's top administrative body has ousted four congregations — one for having a woman as senior minister, two for what it said were failures related to the denomination's sexual-abuse policy and one for lack of financial participation. The SBC's Executive Committee announced the decision after a closed-door session Tuesday at the end of its two-day meeting in Nashville.
Founder of far-right Catholic site resigns over breach of its morality clause, group says
The founder of a far-right, unofficial Catholic media group has resigned for an unspecified violation of the organization’s morality clause, the group said in a statement Tuesday.
Catholic bishops’ president calls for better border management, continued care for immigrants
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — The leader of the nation’s Catholic bishops weighed in on ongoing immigration issues Thursday, calling for effective border management while emphasizing the church’s need to help migrants — and questioning political leaders who are transporting them to faraway states.
Pittsburgh synagogue trial is proving the obvious, but ultimately focused on the death penalty
Sign up for our Newsletters This photo of bullet-damaged prayer book in the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh was entered May 30, 2023, as a court exhibit by prosecutors in the federal trial of Robert Bowers. He faces multiple charges in the killing of 11 worshippers from three congregations and the wounding of seven worshippers and police officers in the building on Oct. 27, 2018. The charges include the obstruction of the free exercise of religion, resulting in death.
Saddleback Church appealing its ouster from the Southern Baptists on issue of women pastors
Sign up for our Newsletters FILE - Congregants arrive at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022. Saddleback Church is appealing its ouster from the Southern Baptist Convention for having women pastors on staff, according to the denomination. The Executive Committee of the nations largest Protestant denomination had voted to expel the church earlier this year.
Southern Baptists oust Saddleback Church over woman pastor
The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted its second-largest congregation — Saddleback Church, the renowned California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren — for having a woman pastor. The vote by the convention's Executive Committee culminates growing tension between the nation's largest Protestant denomination — which officially opposes women as pastors — and a congregation whose story has been one of the biggest church-growth success stories of modern times.
U.S. bishops call Catholics to unite in mourning the death of retired pope
WASHINGTON – Across the U.S., Catholic bishops called on the faithful to unite in mourning for retired Pope Benedict XVI, who died on the eve of the new year. “While we grieve that he is no longer with us here, I join Catholics everywhere in offering my profound gratitude to the Lord for the gift of Pope Benedict XVI and his ministry,” said Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
US Catholic Bishops Worry About Abortion Views in the Pews
By PETER SMITH, Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — Even as they signaled a continued hardline stance on opposing abortion and same-sex marriage, the nation’s Catholic bishops acknowledged Wednesday that they’re struggling to reach a key audience: their own flock. The members of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops rounded out their leadership bench during the last day of public sessions of their fall annual meeting in Baltimore, which concludes with private meetings Thursday.
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