Faith & Family
Pope Leo XIV will visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in his first Latin American trip as pontiff
Pope Leo XIV will make his first trip to Latin America as pontiff in November, returning to a region where he spent much of his ministry, with visits to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru, the Vatican announced Wednesday.
Judge allows clergy abuse claimants to sue for parish assets in Vermont Catholic bankruptcy case
A U.S. bankruptcy court will allow clergy abuse claimants to sue for an estimated half-billion dollars in parish assets to fund settlements under the Vermont Roman Catholic Diocese's current financial reorganization case.
A rare glimpse into Tibet, where some hope to preserve language and customs despite China’s new law
Kalsang Lhamo traces a series of vertical strokes, slow but firm, practicing Tibetan calligraphy. A 73-year-old retired nurse, she has spoken Tibetan all her life but never learned to write it. Now, in classes at a center for older adults, she immerses herself in the script.
Actor Stephen Baldwin says faith, not fame, drew him away from Hollywood
Actor Stephen Baldwin says he never particularly wanted blockbuster stardom, and after becoming a born-again Christian in 2001, he eventually stepped away from mainstream Hollywood to pursue ministry work.
The financial dilemma that wound up helping U.S. churches thrive
Disestablishment was not just a cornerstone of American democracy. It was also an engine for the extraordinary growth of philanthropy, which played an important role in fueling American churches' growth and innovation.
School backpack overload: Heavy bags can strain kids’ bodies
Backpacks can be fashionable and functional, but they can also be too heavy - weighed down by digital devices, musical instruments, sports equipment and more. Some kids carry home a laptop or tablet and textbooks, too.
Massachusetts is close to giving doctors the final word on whether to perform late abortions
Massachusetts is on the way to giving doctors the final say on whether an abortion should be allowed late in pregnancy, a move expected to affect few cases but that supporters say is needed because hospitals are now turning away women they should be serving.
Social media companies sued over deaths of four teens as pressure, lawsuits over child safety mount
The families of four teenagers who died by suicide are suing Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube over what they describe as "years of escalating harms" from using their platforms that eventually resulted in their deaths.
A giddy Patti Smith meets fellow Chicago legend, Pope Leo XIV
Rock legend Patti Smith was giddy and almost at a loss for words when she met Friday with Pope Leo XIV.
Israelis worry about weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans
Israelis across political and religious lines are worried about the weakening connection with younger Jewish Americans - who, according to a recent AP-NORC poll, tend to consider support for Israel less crucial to their Jewish identity than older adults.
The Catholic principle guiding popes through tech upheavals, from the Industrial Revolution to AI
While the technology might be new, the principles guiding the pope's perspectives have deep roots. In particular, the encyclical invokes the concept of "subsidiarity," a core tenet of Catholic social teaching that has guided the church's response to technological upheavals for almost a century.
As progressives seek to take on inequality, some cite religion as a motivating factor
The jokes practically wrote themselves as an eclectic group of progressive pastors, imams and a rabbi walked into a room, finding their seats around a table to talk about religion and politics.
Senate panel punting on broader AI legislation as it takes up kids online safety bills
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee is postponing plans to take up a series of AI bills until after the summer recess but is proceeding with a markup of child online safety bills next week.
Holy ghostwriter: Pastors turn to AI to help write sermons — and feel torn about it
A recently released survey from the evangelical research firm Barna Group found that most pastors are using artificial intelligence in their ministry.
Get rare look inside Tibet, 75 years after what China calls a ‘peaceful liberation’
This year marks the 75th anniversary of what China calls the "peaceful liberation" of Tibet in 1951, which critics describe as an invasion that has widely curtailed the rights and culture of Tibetans.
Historic divinity school is offering the first doctoral degree in ‘AI and Moral Agency’
Starting next year, Shaw's divinity school plans to offer a new degree track: a Doctor of Education (or Ed.D) in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency.
God, Country and the American Story: How prayer helped shape American history
Congressman Barry Loudermilk joins Billy Hallowell to discuss his new book, "And Then They Prayed: Moments in American History Impacted by Prayer."
Bosnian authorities investigate desecration and fire damage at Medjugorje Virgin Mary shrine
Authorities in Bosnia on Tuesday investigated the desecration of a Virgin Mary statue and a shrine damaged by fire overnight in a southern Bosnian village, a popular destination for Roman Catholic pilgrims.
Federal judge dismisses a lawsuit over makeup of Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission
A federal judge tossed out a lawsuit Monday from an interfaith group that challenged the legitimacy of President Trump's Religious Liberty Commission, dismissing claims that its overwhelmingly conservative Christian makeup lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints.
Orthodox monks are the first to live and pray at a monastery in Estonia for 80 years
The ancient words of the Divine Liturgy echo in Estonian as Bishop Damaskinos, clad in flowing white and gold vestments, intones prayers in a small, dark chapel separated only by curtains from the bustling daily life of a new monastery nestled within a farmhouse.