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Thomas Reese

@thomasreesesj.bsky.social

Senior Analyst at Religion News Service, Jesuit priest, author of "Inside the Vatican: The Politics and Organization of the Catholic Church" https://religionnews.com/author/tomreese/ https://bsky.app/profile/rns.org

1,486 Followers  |  61 Following  |  2,607 Posts  |  Joined: 11.09.2024  |  1.762

Latest posts by thomasreesesj.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition (The Conversation) — Zionists draw on the military imagery of Hanukkah, while others look to the synagogue prayers that focus on the miracle of divine light.

Hanukkah celebrates both an ancient military victory and a miracle of light – modern Jews can pick from either tradition religionnews.com/2025/12/12/h...

12.12.2025 18:32 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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In post-Assad Syria's chaos, Alawite women face sexual violence LATAKIA, Syria (AP) — Rights groups say the attacks on Alawite women appear to be the acts of individuals, not systematic. But rights workers and victims say Syria's new authorities are not doing enou...

In post-Assad #Syria's chaos, Alawite women face sexual violence religionnews.com/2025/12/12/i...

12.12.2025 18:30 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Faith leaders embrace sound baths to connect with spiritual seekers LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sound baths are no longer confined to yoga centers, crystal healing studios or other new age spaces. They have crossed over to mainstream worship spaces, including churches, temples...

Faith leaders embrace sound baths to connect with spiritual seekers religionnews.com/2025/12/12/f...

12.12.2025 18:28 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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In Advent, Isaiah has a political message for us (RNS) — Isaiah would ask why we continue spending billions of dollars for weapons and tax cuts while cutting aid to the hungry, the sick, the unemployed and victims of wars and climate disasters.

My @rns.org column: In #Advent, Isaiah has a political message for us religionnews.com/2025/12/12/i...

12.12.2025 18:25 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Jeffrey Epstein was the exception. Here’s the rule in human trafficking. (RNS) — In the world’s poorest countries, and even in the U.S., trafficking often unfolds in plain sight.

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/j... Updates

12.12.2025 13:35 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Pope criticizes US bid to 'break apart' US-Europe alliance, insists on Europe role in Ukraine peace ROME (AP) — Leo was asked about the U.S. peace proposal and the seeming sidelining of European powers in the process.

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/p... Updates

12.12.2025 13:34 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Rabbi Angela Buchdahl shows Asian American Jews they can lead in Jewish spaces SAN FRANCISCO (RNS) — The closest thing the United States has to a celebrity rabbi, the Korean-born Buchdahl is also a role model for the tiny community of Asian American Jews.

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/r... Updates

12.12.2025 13:33 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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With mantras and a tricycle, Buddhist nun supports Denver’s unhoused DENVER (RNS) — Pedaling a tricycle loaded with water, food and harm-reduction supplies, Kelsang Virya moves through Denver’s hardest-hit areas looking for anyone who needs help.

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/w... Updates

12.12.2025 13:32 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1
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Mosque cafes brew community for younger, less religious generations of Muslims OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (RNS) — A growing number of U.S. mosques are adding cafes or similar ‘third spaces’ for young Muslims to gather without the formality of religious events.

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/4... Updates

12.12.2025 13:29 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Ford’s Car of the Future, Hatched in a Skunk Works Near Los Angeles

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/b...

12.12.2025 02:03 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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US Gen Zers and millennials are leaving the LDS church, data confirms (RNS) — LDS church leaders have said it is merely a ‘narrative’ that more young adults are leaving the faith. But in the US at least, it’s a narrative driven by data.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/u...

11.12.2025 17:39 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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The feds are asking universities to provide lists of Jews. This is never a good thing. (RNS) — One University of Pennsylvania professor notes, ‘This is how Nazis found many of my family members.’

religionnews.com/2025/12/11/t...

11.12.2025 17:37 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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Massive menorah installed in New York City ahead of Hanukkah NEW YORK (RNS) — The public menorah tradition began in 1973, through an initiative by the Chabad Jewish movement’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, to showcase Jewish pride and enco...

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/n... @fiona-ndre.bsky.social

11.12.2025 17:35 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Confronting abuse cases in Dallas, survivors and Jesuits take path of reconciliation "I don't want to hurt Jesuit Prep," said one former student alleging abuse by a priest at the Dallas high school. But he and other survivors wanted to see accountability and change.

www.ncronline.org/news/confron...

11.12.2025 17:23 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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What 38 million obituaries reveal about how Americans define a ‘life well lived’ (The Conversation) — Obituaries reveal shifting cultural values across time and place. Here’s a glimpse into how the moral vocabulary has evolved over several decades.

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/w...

10.12.2025 21:28 — 👍 2    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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How kosher is beer? As with other products, it's increasingly complicated. (RNS) — New guidance about beer, long considered kosher by default, is the latest evolution in kosher certification.

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/h...

10.12.2025 21:27 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Some LGBTQ Ugandans forced into hiding are finding ways to build faith communities LAGOS, Nigeria (RNS) — Two years after an anti-homosexuality law passed that makes some acts punishable by death, LGBTQ Ugandans reconsider how to practice their faith.

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/s...

10.12.2025 21:25 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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UK Christians challenge Christmas rally organized by far-right provocateur (RNS) — The Church of England has countered with posters at bus stops and other locations that say ‘Christ has always been in Christmas’ and ‘Outsiders welcome.’

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/u... @yonat.bsky.social

10.12.2025 21:22 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Priest says sisters slated for deportation are Christians who could face persecution by Iran WASHINGTON (RNS) — ‘We all feel a wound in our body of Christ, knowing what’s happening to them,’ said the Rev. Fran Gardner-Smith.

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/b...

10.12.2025 21:20 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
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Nicaraguans celebrate Virgin Mary in Miami despite fears at home and in US MIAMI (AP) — The exuberant celebration called “gritería” is especially poignant this year during the ongoing crackdowns on religion in Nicaragua as well as on immigrant communities in the United State...

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/n...

10.12.2025 19:58 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Man who says religious group beat him wants prosecutor removed after long wait for retrial (AP) — Word of Faith is a nondenominational Protestant church that was founded in 1979 by Sam and Jane Whaley in the foothills of Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlotte and Asheville.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/m...

10.12.2025 19:56 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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100 schoolchildren abducted in Nigeria are released but more are still held MINNA, Nigeria (AP) — Details surrounding their release were not made public and the government has not said if any ransom — common in such abductions — was paid.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/1...

10.12.2025 19:54 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Photos of the Week: Immaculate Conception, Christmas preparations (RNS) — This week’s photo gallery includes commemorations of the Immaculate Conception, Christmas preparations and more.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/p...

10.12.2025 19:37 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Celebrity culture distorts the meaning of Marwan Barghouti (RNS) — Can celebrities offer us some moral clarity?

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/c...

10.12.2025 19:37 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Pope Leo XIV’s visits to Turkey and Lebanon were about religious diplomacy (The Conversation) — During his visit to Turkey and Lebanon, Pope Leo XIV met several leaders of Christian communities and worked to promote cooperation between Christians and Muslims.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/p...

10.12.2025 19:34 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Outside the West, the Kundalini tradition presents a model of the ‘divine feminine’ beyond binary gender (The Conversation) — Drawn from tantric traditions, Kundalini points to spiritual practices that go beyond traditionally understood concepts of the masculine and feminine.

religionnews.com/2025/12/10/o...

10.12.2025 19:33 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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The Coast Guard’s fumble on Nazi emblem shows the symbol needs understanding (RNS) — The dark history of one use of the shape should not lead us to ban all uses.

religionnews.com/2025/12/09/t...

10.12.2025 19:32 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Pope Leo on not praying in Istanbul mosque: 'I prefer to pray in a Catholic church' The pope also said that Europe should be involved in security guarantees for Ukraine after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

www.ncronline.org/vatican/vati...

10.12.2025 19:23 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Opinion | Overmatched: Why the U.S. Military Must Reinvent Itself Investing in the old ways of war leaves America at risk.

Overmatched: Why the U.S. Military Must Reinvent Itself www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

10.12.2025 17:55 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Pope urges Trump not to ‘break apart’ US-Europe relationship The American president’s Ukraine strategy is inviting “a huge change in what was for many years a true alliance between the EU and U.S.,” pontiff warns.

Pope urges Trump not to ‘break apart’ US-Europe relationship  – POLITICO www.politico.eu/article/pope...

10.12.2025 17:05 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

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