Religion and Belief

On fifth anniversary of Pittsburgh synagogue shootings, lawmakers continue push for change

BY: - October 27, 2023

Friday is the anniversary of the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that left 11 people dead and the Jewish community reeling, struggling to find answers in the wake of one the worst anti-Semitic attacks in the nation's history.

The ceiling of the main Rotunda inside Pennsylvania’s Capitol building. May 24, 2022. Harrisburg, Pa. (Photo by Amanda Berg, for the Capital-Star).

Pa. House bill would double grant funding for nonprofits to guard against hate crimes

BY: - October 18, 2023

Funding would double for a state program that provides grants for nonprofit organizations vulnerable to hate crimes, to tighten security around their buildings under legislation passed by a state House committee on Wednesday. Launched in 2019, in the wake of a deadly synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh the year before, the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund has […]

Deluzio asks DOJ to investigate incident at Ambridge church as a possible hate crime

BY: - August 31, 2023

U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-17th District, has requested that the U.S. Department of Justice conduct a federal civil rights investigation into a Sunday incident in which a man allegedly tried to bring a gun into a predominantly Black church in Ambridge, near Pittsburgh.  Deluzio, whose district includes the area where the alleged incident occurred, wants […]

Jury sentences gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting to death

BY: - August 2, 2023

Robert Bowers, 50, was convicted of killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018. The jury decided he should receive the death penalty.

After sentencing, Pgh synagogue shooter will fade from the public eye. Here’s why

BY: - July 16, 2023

Whatever sentence he gets, survivors say they want to make sure the message of hate stops with him.

Sunlight streaming through church window

States weigh child abuse reporting vs. clergy’s duty of confidentiality

BY: - May 15, 2023

Some bills would require clergy to disclose knowledge gleaned through religious rites such as confession.

Fairness Act protections for LGBTQ+ people clears Pa. House with bipartisan support

BY: - May 2, 2023

‘The passage of this act of the House is yet another step to ensuring that every Pennsylvanian is treated with dignity and respect,’ Rep. Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny, said.

COMMENTARY

What Ramadan means to Muslims: 4 essential reads | Analysis

BY: - April 17, 2023

Here are four ways to understand what Ramadan means for Muslims, and in particular for American Muslims.

COMMENTARY

Passover is a time to recognize tragedies of the past and offer hope for the future | Opinion

BY: - April 10, 2023

This story came to function as a powerful narrative of persecution and liberation for Jewish people.

COMMENTARY

Why Easter is called Easter, and other little-known facts about the holiday | Analysis

BY: - April 7, 2023

In all of these holidays, Christian and non-Christian (pagan) elements have continued to blend together.

COMMENTARY

Why Palm Sunday’s donkey is an important part of the Holy Week story | Opinion

BY: - April 2, 2023

The image of the quiet, patient, and unassuming donkey has communicated humility in art and in practice.

COMMENTARY
The exterior view of the Bethel African American Methodist Episcopal Church at 125 S. 6th St. in Philadelphia. Breton, William L., circa 1773-1855 Artist via the Library of Congress, World Digital Library.

A brief history of the Black church’s diversity, and its vital role in our politics | Analysis

BY: - February 6, 2023

The image of the Black church as the nation's moral conscience has always been a complicated matter