Faith & Family
GOP cheers as jailed China pastor freed after Trump raises case with Xi
Congressional Republicans are celebrating Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri's release from a Chinese prison just weeks after Mr. Trump brought up his case when meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Pope marks July 4 by praying in Lampedusa for migrants who died seeking freedom and prosperity
Pope Leo XIV, who has sparred with the Trump administration over its immigration crackdown, spent the Fourth of July on Saturday in the epicenter of Europe's migration debate to honor the tens of thousands of people who have died trying to reach Europe to find freedom and prosperity.
TikTok livestream kiss triggers public caning under Indonesia’s Sharia law
A couple in the conservative Aceh province in northwestern Indonesia were caned Thursday for violating Sharia law by kissing on a TikTok livestream.
Catholic group that defied pope and caused schism defends its actions and casts itself as the victim
The traditionalist Catholics who defied Pope Leo XIV and caused a schism defended their actions Friday, insisting they were merely saving souls and were victim of an unjust sanction by the Holy See.
Democrats’ bizarre ‘we’re all going to hell’ moment
Democrats have had some truly strange and telling moments when it comes to their handling of God and the Bible in recent years -- and these past few weeks were no exception.
Pope urges U.S. to recommit to founding ideas of protecting life, human dignity on 250th anniversary
Pope Leo XIV prayed Friday for the United States to recommit itself to its founding ideals of protecting life and human dignity as he participated remotely in an event on the eve of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
As Pope Leo faces traditionalists’ schism, a Minnesota church merges old customs with fidelity
With incense wafting to an elevated pulpit and 13 altar boys looking on, the priest at the Church of Saint Agnes preached about merging old Catholic customs with fidelity to the Vatican this week - as Pope Leo XIV tackled a major challenge from a traditionalist breakaway group.
Muslim-rights advocacy group sues Gov. DeSantis over ‘domestic terrorist’ designation
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' anti-terrorism campaign is facing a lawsuit from one of its targets.
Record 1 in 3 young adults under 35 lived with their parents last year
A record 25.2 million adults under 35 lived with their parents in 2025, a recent Realtor.com report shows.
Vatican excommunicates schismatic bishops and priests, and warns their followers
The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist group that consecrated bishops without the pope's consent, declaring the Society of St. Pius X had formally broken with the Catholic Church. It excommunicated its bishops and priests, and warned its faithful that they too face the harshest sanctions in the church.
The idea of separating church and state has deep religious and secular roots
Eds: This story was supplied by The Conversation for AP customers. The Associated Press does not guarantee the content.
Democrats show no sign of budging on transgender athletes, despite Supreme Court loss
The Supreme Court may have obliterated the Title IX case for transgender athletes in female sports, but don't be surprised if biological males continue to show up on girls' varsity volleyball, soccer and basketball teams.
Defying Pope Leo XIV, traditionalists go ahead with bishop consecrations in Switzerland
A group of traditionalist Catholics directly defied Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday by consecrating four bishops without his consent, dismissing the resulting excommunications and break with the Holy See by saying it was necessary to defend the Catholic faith.
What to know about the breakaway traditionalist Catholics defying Pope Leo XIV
The ultratraditionalist Society of St. Pius X is defying Pope Leo XIV by consecrating four bishops without his consent at its seminary in Econe, Switzerland. The move incurs an automatic excommunication for the bishops involved, and amounts to a "schismatic act" - or a willful rupture of unity in the Catholic Church.
500 years ago, the first New Testament in English was published - and stirred up a hornet’s nest
In 1526, books appeared in England that no one had seen before: printed New Testaments in the English language. The public snapped them up.
Pope begs breakaway traditionalist group to back off bishop consecrations
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday begged a breakaway group of traditionalist Catholics to call off its plan to consecrate new bishops without his consent, calling the move a schismatic act and a "sin of extreme gravity."
Pope promotes Italian nun to top migrant role in his first major appointment of a woman to Holy See
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday made his first major appointment of a woman to the Holy See hierarchy, promoting Italian Sister Alessandra Smerilli to head the Vatican office responsible for migrants, the environment and development.
House passes kids online safety package, setting up battle with Senate
The House on Monday passed bipartisan legislation designed to protect kids online, setting up a clash with the Senate over key policy differences that have stymied progress for years.
San Francisco Archdiocese agrees to pay $395 million to settle child sex abuse lawsuits
The San Francisco Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to pay $395 million to settle more than 500 lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse by church officials, plaintiffs' attorneys said Monday.
Army captain sentenced to 12 years for spiking pregnant girlfriend’s drink with abortion pill
Another man has been convicted of slipping the abortion pill to his pregnant girlfriend.
