Speaking to a refashioned National Prayer Breakfast gathered at the Capitol with a new board and in a new location, President Joe Biden encouraged leaders of Congress to find ways to unify despite their political and religious differences. (Banks, Religion News Service)
Read MoreEngulfed by civil war, famine and now floods, the world’s youngest country has been plagued by schisms and thwarted by leaders who pocketed its considerable oil wealth. No Western leader has ever made a public visit, leaving many South Sudanese feeling forgotten. (Walsh, The New York Times)
Read MoreIs lab-grown meat truly meat? The question is increasingly being asked as consumers prepare for the proliferation of cultivated meat, which is grown from animal cells in a lab, no slaughter involved. But whether it qualifies as meat is being debated not just by vegetarians and vegans. Faith leaders are grappling with how to treat it under religious dietary guidelines. (Reiley, The Washington Post)
Read MoreOhio’s education department said it would investigate the apparent use of fascist materials by a home-schooling network after reports that the pro-Nazi group is run by a couple living in the state. The course materials denigrate the intelligence of African Americans and celebrate Adolf Hitler. (Meckler, The Washington Post)
Read MoreOn its face, the National Prayer Breakfast is a serene, bipartisan event full of spiritual reflection. But over the years, the breakfast has also been a source of controversy — full of shadowy fundraising, behind the scenes lobbying and even infiltration by a Russian spy. (Montanaro, NPR)
Read MoreTwo board members of American Atheists, one of the nation’s best-known atheist advocacy organizations, resigned in the past month after ethical concerns were raised about their actions at conferences for nonbelievers. (Smietana, Religion News Service)
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