Religion and Faith

United Methodist Church faces fractured future
The decision by United Methodist delegates to reaffirm a traditional stand on homosexuality and marriage leaves the church's future unclear.
Supreme Court appears ready to let cross stand, but struggles with church-state test
The American Humanist Association is challenging the existence of a 40-foot cross on government-owned land, but the Trump administration hopes a newly conservative majority will agree to let it stand.
United Methodist delegates defeat bid to ease LGBT bans
Delegates of the United Methodist Church, America's second-largest Protestant denomination, Tuesday rejected a move to ease the faith's ban on same-sex marriage and ordination of LGBT clergy.
Most senior Catholic charged with child sex abuse convicted
The most senior Catholic cleric ever charged with child sex abuse has been convicted of molesting two choirboys moments after celebrating Mass, dealing a new blow to the Catholic hierarchy's credibility after a year of global revelations of abuse and cover-up.
At least 28 priests are credibly accused of having sexually abused more than 100 boys and girls while working for a Roman Catholic diocese in Iowa, church officials announced Monday.
Pope vows to end abuse cover-ups, but survivors disappointed by summit
Pope Francis closed out his summit on preventing clergy sex abuse by vowing to confront abusers with "the wrath of God." But his failure to offer a concrete action plan to hold bishops accountable when they failed to protect their flocks from predators disappointed survivors.
United Methodist Church to debate LGBTQ clergy and same-sex weddings
United Methodists are among the last mainline Protestant denominations to address the issue, and some worry it could cause a major rift in the church.
Twin Cities archbishop says Vatican summit can learn from Minnesota
Hebda says the archdiocese's "crisis" has led to restorative practices involving lay people that regional and national church organizations should consider.
Catholic leaders from around the world are gathered at the Vatican today for the start of a four-day summit on clergy sex abuse. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Frank Meuers about his expectations for the summit. Meuers leads the Minnesota chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP.
As Pope holds sex abuse summit, U.S. Catholics not hopeful for 'bold moves'
American Catholics have become disappointed as Pope Francis described the meeting as featuring "prayer and discernment" — hardly an ambitious vision for what could have been a momentous event.