Today's religion and world affairs news from the United States and around the globe: evangelicals and Catholics meet at Georgetown to discuss poverty, Christianity in China and Cuba, and ceasefire in Yemen.
GEORGETOWN IN THE NEWS
Have Faith Groups Been Too Absent in the Fight on Poverty? A Q&A with Robert Putnam
by Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/11/on-poverty-faith-groups-have-been-mis...
Dozens of top evangelical and Catholic leaders will gather in Washington starting Monday, coming together for a cause the Bible mentions hundreds of times. The summit happening Monday to Wednesday at Georgetown University is such a big deal that President Obama will join Tuesday for a conversation with two policy bigwigs – Robert Putnam of Harvard on the progressive side and the American Enterprise Institute’s Arthur Books on the conservative side. Helping us understand the backdrop for the summit, Putnam spoke with The Washington Post about whether churches and other faith groups can be players in fighting poverty in a nation that’s looking increasingly askance at religious institutions.
AROUND THE WORLD
Chinese Province Issues Draft Regulation on Church Crosses
by Michael Forsythe
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/world/asia/china-church-crosses.html?_r=1
New regulations put new legal force behind a continuing campaign in Zhejiang to remove crosses from the tops of churches, as the government works to hide the most visible sign of Christianity’s explosive growth in the province.
Can Pope Francis Get the Catholic Church's Mind Off of Sex?
by Colum Lynch
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/11/can-pope-francis-get-the-catholic-churchs-mind-off-of-sex/
Pope Francis wants to move away from divisive fights over sex, abortion and gay rights. Behind the scenes at the U.N., Vatican diplomats are focusing on little else.
In Germany, are Anti-Muslim Terrorists the Real Threat?
by Rick Noack
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/05/09/in-germany-are-anti-muslim-terrorists-t...
While U.S. agencies continue to focus on anti-Western Islamist terrorists, their German counterparts have recently been forced to investigate the opposite: anti-Muslim terrorism. On Wednesday, authorities raided homes across Germany and took four anti-Muslim terrorism suspects into custody. They are accused of having planned attacks on mosques and asylum seekers.
Raul Castro Meets with Pope Francis at Vatican
by Jim Yardley
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/world/europe/raul-castro-meets-with-pope-francis-at-vatican.html
President Raúl Castro of Cuba visited Pope Francis at the Vatican on Sunday, praising the Argentine pontiff for helping to broker last year’s diplomatic breakthrough between Cuba and the United States while declaring that Francis had inspired him to consider returning to the Roman Catholic Church.
Houthi Rebels Agree to 5-Day Cease Fire in Yemen
by Mohammed Ali Kalfood and Kareem Fahim
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/world/middleeast/houthi-rebels-agree-to-5-day-cease-fire-in-yemen....
Houthi rebels said on Sunday that they had agreed to a five-day cease-fire proposed by Saudi Arabia that would allow humanitarian relief supplies to be delivered to the country, according to statements carried by a Houthi news agency.
DOMESTIC
Birthright for Evangelicals? Hobby Lobby Family Funds New Israel Trips
by Sarah Pulliam Bailey
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/08/birthright-for-evangelicals-hobby-lob...
The trips, called Covenant Journey and intended to build bridges with Israelis, were unveiled Friday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington’s Annual Christian Solidarity Event. Taglit-Birthright Israel offers Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26 10-day trips to Israel with their peers.
Muslim Call to Prayer in 50 States Ends in Michigan
by Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/05/08/muslim-call-prayer-states-ends/27017965/
"I don't like throwing religion in people's faces," Jameel Syed said. Instead, he would casually interact with people he met on his trip, finding that many were curious to learn more.
Have Faith Groups Been Too Absent in the Fight on Poverty? A Q&A with Robert Putnam
by Michelle Boorstein
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/11/on-poverty-faith-groups-have-been-mis...
Dozens of top evangelical and Catholic leaders will gather in Washington starting Monday, coming together for a cause the Bible mentions hundreds of times. The summit happening Monday to Wednesday at Georgetown University is such a big deal that President Obama will join Tuesday for a conversation with two policy bigwigs – Robert Putnam of Harvard on the progressive side and the American Enterprise Institute’s Arthur Books on the conservative side. Helping us understand the backdrop for the summit, Putnam spoke with The Washington Post about whether churches and other faith groups can be players in fighting poverty in a nation that’s looking increasingly askance at religious institutions.
AROUND THE WORLD
Chinese Province Issues Draft Regulation on Church Crosses
by Michael Forsythe
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/09/world/asia/china-church-crosses.html?_r=1
New regulations put new legal force behind a continuing campaign in Zhejiang to remove crosses from the tops of churches, as the government works to hide the most visible sign of Christianity’s explosive growth in the province.
Can Pope Francis Get the Catholic Church's Mind Off of Sex?
by Colum Lynch
Foreign Policy
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/05/11/can-pope-francis-get-the-catholic-churchs-mind-off-of-sex/
Pope Francis wants to move away from divisive fights over sex, abortion and gay rights. Behind the scenes at the U.N., Vatican diplomats are focusing on little else.
In Germany, are Anti-Muslim Terrorists the Real Threat?
by Rick Noack
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/05/09/in-germany-are-anti-muslim-terrorists-t...
While U.S. agencies continue to focus on anti-Western Islamist terrorists, their German counterparts have recently been forced to investigate the opposite: anti-Muslim terrorism. On Wednesday, authorities raided homes across Germany and took four anti-Muslim terrorism suspects into custody. They are accused of having planned attacks on mosques and asylum seekers.
Raul Castro Meets with Pope Francis at Vatican
by Jim Yardley
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/world/europe/raul-castro-meets-with-pope-francis-at-vatican.html
President Raúl Castro of Cuba visited Pope Francis at the Vatican on Sunday, praising the Argentine pontiff for helping to broker last year’s diplomatic breakthrough between Cuba and the United States while declaring that Francis had inspired him to consider returning to the Roman Catholic Church.
Houthi Rebels Agree to 5-Day Cease Fire in Yemen
by Mohammed Ali Kalfood and Kareem Fahim
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/11/world/middleeast/houthi-rebels-agree-to-5-day-cease-fire-in-yemen....
Houthi rebels said on Sunday that they had agreed to a five-day cease-fire proposed by Saudi Arabia that would allow humanitarian relief supplies to be delivered to the country, according to statements carried by a Houthi news agency.
DOMESTIC
Birthright for Evangelicals? Hobby Lobby Family Funds New Israel Trips
by Sarah Pulliam Bailey
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/05/08/birthright-for-evangelicals-hobby-lob...
The trips, called Covenant Journey and intended to build bridges with Israelis, were unveiled Friday at the Israeli Embassy in Washington’s Annual Christian Solidarity Event. Taglit-Birthright Israel offers Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26 10-day trips to Israel with their peers.
Muslim Call to Prayer in 50 States Ends in Michigan
by Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press
http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2015/05/08/muslim-call-prayer-states-ends/27017965/
"I don't like throwing religion in people's faces," Jameel Syed said. Instead, he would casually interact with people he met on his trip, finding that many were curious to learn more.
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