Emma Ayers

For Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people plant the seeds of miracles at New York tomb

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, always brings more Jewish people than usual to the burial place of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a towering figure in the 20th century.

October 1, 2024

From ‘Eras’ to elections: How Taylor Swift is shaping Gen Z politics and the gender divide

Pop megastar Taylor Swift has sway -- and not just in a musical sense. As her record-breaking world tour winds down, she once again has made headlines by sparking a surge in voter registration.

October 1, 2024

North Carolina residents resort to mule trains to deliver aid in wake of Hurricane Helene

Emergency responders have resorted to using mule trains to deliver supplies and aid in North Carolina's mountainous western areas, where mudslides and raging waters brought by the remnants of Hurricane Helene washed away roads.

September 30, 2024

Actor Will Ferrell says transgender skeptics are simply fearful of the unknown

Comedian and actor Will Ferrell recently offered his two cents on the national transgender conversation, telling the British publication The Independent that "we fear what we don't know."

September 27, 2024

Catholics in U.S., Latin America lean toward liberal ways in the church

Catholics in the United States and six Latin American countries are taking a more liberal attitude on key issues such as birth control, women's ordination and priestly celibacy, a new report says -- signaling a shift away from long-standing church teachings..

September 27, 2024

Social media’s glamorous TradWife fad bemuses ‘real’ traditional American wives

Since kicking into high-gear around 2020, the #tradwife trend on TikTok and Instagram has painted a polished, pleasing picture of domesticity for modern women.

September 26, 2024

Biblical worldview can solve mental health issues, new report finds

A religious worldview could be just the medicine America needs for its mental health crisis, according to a new study.

September 24, 2024

Southern Baptist Convention selling its headquarters as coffers dry amid sex abuse scandal

The Southern Baptist Convention is selling its Nashville headquarters after having spent more than $12 million to address clergy sexual abuse scandal over the past three years.

September 19, 2024

Less-educated, poor people face a future of personal isolation without help, researchers say

Poor, less-educated Americans -- especially women -- increasingly are facing the prospect of growing old alone amid declining overall marriage rates and mounting financial pressures, a variety of researchers say.

September 19, 2024

Pope Francis says both U.S. presidential candidates are ‘against life,’ urges vote for ‘lesser evil’

Pope Francis laid into Donald Trump and Kamala Harris over the weekend, saying that neither U.S. presidential candidate is really pro-life.

September 17, 2024

Pope Francis draws criticism for saying all religions are a path to God

Pope Francis has ruffled the feathers of some religious leaders in the United States by saying that all religions provide a path to God.

September 16, 2024

Christians, Hindus, Buddhists seek secular state in Bangladesh in response to violence against them

Christians in Bangladesh are joining Buddhists and Hindus in calling for a secular state in their fight against religious oppression in the Muslim-led nation.

September 16, 2024

Pope Francis completes 12-day visit to Southeast Asia, ending longest tour of his papacy

Pope Francis wrapped up a 12-day tour across the Southeast Asia region on Thursday, marking the longest international trip of his papacy.

September 12, 2024

From many, one: Montgomery County is most religiously diverse county in country, report says

Maryland's most populous jurisdiction is also the nation's most religiously diverse county, according to a new analysis by a nonprofit research group.

September 10, 2024