Under Pressure, D.C. Shelter Ends Church-service Requirement

WASHINGTON (RNS) Prompted by civil liberties groups, a taxpayer-supported homeless shelter in the nation’s capital will no longer require its clients to attend religious services. “We’re pleased that the D.C. government will no longer be supporting such religious...

In Senate Muslim Hearings, a Decided Change in Tone

WASHINGTON (RNS) It was billed as the first-ever congressional hearing on the civil rights of American Muslims. But it played more like an Act II than a premiere. In many ways, the hearing led by Senate Democrats on Tuesday (March 29) was the dramatic antithesis of...

Appeals Court: OK to Eliminate Religious Jurors

Overtly religious people may not serve as jurors, according to a recent New Jersey state appeals court ruling. Because the decision was not unanimous, 2-1, chances are likely that the case will be heard by the state Supreme Court, the Philadelphia Enquirer reported....

Beyond False Choices, Towards a New Way of Thinking

Either/or thinking permeates American life. As an unrecognized form of thinking, it distorts reality, presenting false choices that constrict moral complexity and narrow the range of practical options. As an unrecognized form of thinking, it distorts reality,...