Data released Tuesday shows the number of abortions ticked up slightly in the year following the high court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. That ruling, from June 2022, ended federal protections for the procedure, and paved the way for some 16 states to ban many or most abortions. (Kusisto & Calfas, The Wall Street Journal)
Read MoreMajority-Korean churches looking for a way out of the United Methodist Church (UMC) fear they’re at risk of losing not only their land but also their leadership; a handful of Korean pastors say they were removed from their conservative congregations after the churches began the process to disaffiliate. (Fowler, Christianity Today)
Read MoreLike many American Jews, Jonah Goldman sides politically with the left, including its push for the rights of Palestinians. But in the aftermath of Hamas’ gruesome raid on Israel this month, Goldman has never felt so isolated from people he long considered his allies. (Kaleem, Los Angeles Times)
Read MoreDiscussions about women’s ordination to the priesthood have become livelier in the waning days of the synod on synodality, Pope Francis’ month-long summit to discuss pressing issues facing the church. While there’s a consensus that women’s roles need to be promoted, participants remain divided on how to achieve that goal. (Giangravé, Religion News Service)
Read MoreLaw enforcement agencies reported 11,643 incidents of hate crimes in 2022 motivated by bias against race, religion or sexual orientation, according to the FBI. While the number of hate crime incidents is up by 7% from 2021, the spike in incidents is partially due to more law enforcement agencies reporting their data. (Chernikoff, USA Today)
Read MoreTotal Halloween spending is expected to reach a record $12.2 billion, exceeding last year’s record of $10.6 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. A record number of people (73%) will participate in Halloween-related activities this year, up from 69% in 2022. (Watts, National Retail Federation)
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