Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

The case of Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis and same-sex marriage has raised questions about the limits of religious freedom; residents in San Juan County, Utah are fighting a proposal to create a national monument that protects Native American land; and Jews in the Reform movement begin using a new prayer book for the High Holy Days

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty provides world-class heart surgery that even India's poorest can afford; and a farming fellowship offers young Jewish adults the chance to "cultivate the soil and their soul"

A small African-American town in Louisiana has been overrun by petrochemical plants and pollution; in Alabama, churches confront predatory short-term loans at exorbitant rates that target and trap the poor; and renowned jazz trumpeter Terence Blanchard talks about Hurricane Katrina, music, meditation, race, and excessive police violence.

Rebuilding continues a decade after the devastating floods, and New Orleans communities of faith see hope amidst the tragedy; and old age has not diminished the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader's role as an advocate for world peace and inner happiness

The US has more people in prison than any other country in the world, and a disproportionate number of them are African Americans; and faith groups like Urban Village Church in Chicago are reaching out and welcoming transgender individuals

Growing social acceptance of same-sex marriage and other LGBT issues poses new challenges for evangelicals; Britain's former chief rabbi leads a global effort against religious extremism and violence; an ancient vision in Mexico of the Virgin Mary inspires millions of religious pilgrims.

The spiritual leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims speaks about poverty, peace, philanthropy, and religious understanding; a chart-topping album conveys the music that is central to Benedictine monastic life.

The Cuban government is showing signs of being more open to religious life in Cuba; women lead prayers and preach sermons at a new all-female mosque; and a Hindu boy's rite of passage.

A madrasa in Pakistan is proving that an Islamic school can offer a useful education while avoiding politics and extremism; members of the Choral Society of Grace Church in New York say singing as a group feeds their souls and creates community; and after a month of fasting, Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan with a three-day festival of food and friendship.

In South Carolina, a symbol of racial hatred and violence has been removed, but deep divisions remain, says Howard School of Divinity theology professor Harold Dean Trulear; First Corinthian Baptist Church, a historic African-American congregation in Harlem, is becoming more racially diverse; and volunteer doctors travel on a converted airplane to developing nations to perform low-cost eye surgeries and to teach other doctors to do the same.

The Supreme Court's decision upholding same-sex marriage sharply divided communities of faith; a veteran community developer and urban activist advocates models of charity that let the poor thrive; and a new medical technology allows scientists to repair and replace defective genes in order to treat genetic diseases, but ethicists are concerned about the risks of gene alteration for future generations.

The Supreme Court upholds Obamacare and recognizes same-sex marriages nationwide; philosopher Nancy Sherman says combat veterans are coming home from our recent wars with deep moral injuries as well as physical wounds; and while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints responds openly to contentious issues in its history, many Mormons continue to have doubts about the Mormon past and to leave the church behind.

In south Louisiana, faith-based activists are trying to help vulnerable communities affected by climate change; and we look back at the legacy of liberation theology, a movement begun in Latin America that sided with the poor and oppressed over the rich and powerful.

A law that provides the poor with free access to contraceptives in the Philippines is at the center of a national debate about Catholic Church teaching, sexuality, and poverty; a community of Benedictine nuns in Colorado live a life of prayer and work on a 300-acre cattle ranch; and Muslim hip-hop group Native Deen describes what it's like to observe Ramadan when they're far away from home.

The growing number of Latino converts to Islam face challenges inside and outside their communities; West Virginia state senator John Unger is a legislator and the pastor of three mainline Protestant churches of different denominations; and a Buddhist ritual held in New York City honors people who have dedicated their lives to the cause of peace.