Current Events
Faith on the ground in Buffalo: Voice Buffalo executive director Denise Walden
‘They are some of the matriarchs and the pillars of our community,’ Buffalo minister says of residents killed in attack.
How Blacks and Jews are bound together in ‘great replacement’ theory
Many are hoping the two groups can come together to fight the onslaught of hate.
Half of churches say Sunday school, other education programs disrupted by pandemic
Sunday school and other Christian education programs have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic, with half of congregations surveyed saying their programs were disrupted
Movement to build affordable housing on church land reaches Florida
As Miami-Dade County in Florida grapples with a housing affordability crisis, houses of worship are being recruited to build affordable homes on vacant or underutilized church land.
Grand Rapids pastors mobilize in wake of fatal shooting of Patrick Lyoya
Pastors in Grand Rapids, Michigan, are taking action as the city reels in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya by a Grand Rapids police officer on April 4.
Faithful Service: An Interview with Stacey Abrams
UrbanFaith sat down with Stacey Abrams for this EXCLUSIVE interview to talk about faith, family, public service, voting rights, and her historic run for governor.
Marcus Garvey’s Dark Mirror
In NPR’s February 17th episode of Throughline, Marcus Garvey takes center stage as an enigmatic, underrated, revolutionary figure on a mad quest to reconnect former American slaves to their motherland via the Black Star Line.
‘Pray for Ukraine’: Religious leaders call for peace and God’s protection
“Pray for Ukraine!” Prayers for Ukraine in the midst of the invasion by Russia echo around the world.
Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson: ‘One can only come this far by faith’
WASHINGTON (RNS) — Immediately after President Joe Biden introduced Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as his nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court at a White House event on Friday (Feb. 25), the federal appeals court judge stepped up to the podium and appealed to the divine. “I...
Whoopi Goldberg awkwardly demonstrates how the idea of race varies by place and changes over time
How did Whoopi Goldberg’s comments on the view become such a spectacle? And what does it tell us about the social norms guiding how we talk about race and violence?
UrbanFaith is Expanding!
UMI has teamed up with HarperCollins Christian Publishing to launch UrbanFaithStudy.com, a subscription-based digital platform with an expanding library of more than 100 video sermons and studies.
Biden Administration’s Rapid-Test Rollout Doesn’t Easily Reach Those Who Need It Most
In the past week, the Biden administration launched two programs that aim to get rapid covid tests into the hands of every American. But the design of both efforts disadvantages people who already face the greatest barriers to testing.
Will my book be banned?
This power of books — to create new realities for readers — is why there’s something particularly heinous about banning books. Right now, regressive forces in our land are coming up with lists of books that should be banned from schools.
As Congress debates, Black Baptist leader calls denial of voting rights ‘evil’
(RNS) — On the day of a major voting rights debate on Capitol Hill, a social justice coordinator for the Progressive National Baptist Convention said fighting for voting rights is an effort to conquer evil. “This convention practices a ministry of erosion,” said the...
Hartford International University expands Black ministries with Howard Thurman Center
Hartford International University for Religion and Peace has launched its new Howard Thurman Center for Justice and Transformational Ministry an expansion of its longtime Black Ministries Program
Rev. Al Sharpton calls for justice in police killing of Valentina Orellana Peralta
LOS ANGELES (RNS) — The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking at the funeral of the 14-year-old fatally shot by a Los Angeles Police Department officer, recalled coming to Los Angeles 30 years ago to protest the beating of Rodney King by police. “We keep seeing LAPD get it...
At Milwaukee church, refugees find welcome from a less suspicious time
Like many churches in the United States, Eastbrook in Milwaukee has felt the pressure of the country’s political polarization inside the church. But they continue to be a refuge for immigrants.
This teen has a lot to tell Eric Adams about the future of NYC schools
In promising to rebuild the department of education from the ground up, Mayor-elect Eric Adams and incoming schools Chancellor David Banks vowed to seek input from students. High school senior Mia Payne, 17, is one of four youth co-chairs on the education transition committee for the new Eric Adams administration.