Religion News Selection
May 31 – June 7, 2020
A selection of religion news stories from Australia
(Research: Greg Spearritt)
INTERNATIONAL STORIES
In battle for soul of America, Biden meets with black leaders at church (The Age, Melbourne)
June 2 – Wilmington: Joe Biden met with community leaders at a predominantly African American church in Delaware on Monday morning, leaving home for a second consecutive day to address exploding racial tensions that have begun to reshape the upcoming presidential election.
‘Outrageous’: bishop of Washington DC rejects Trump use of church as prop during protests (The Guardian, Australia)
June 2 – The Episcopal bishop of Washington DC has said she is “outraged” after officers used teargas to clear a crowd of peaceful protesters from near the White House to make way for Donald Trump.
Also: ‘He wears the armor of God’: evangelicals hail Trump’s church photo (The Guardian, Australia)
June 3 – No one accuses Donald Trump of subtlety.
RELIGION & SOCIETY
Rio Tinto investors ‘shocked’, want answers on rock shelter blast (WAToday.com.au)
June 2 – Rio Tinto is under pressure to explain the destruction of a 46,000-year-old Aboriginal rock shelter site in Western Australia with a leading investor group saying its members were shocked and wanted answers.
Also: WA Government rules out further protections for Aboriginal heritage sites at risk of demolition (ABC News)
June 4 – Western Australia’s Government has ruled out further protections for Aboriginal heritage sites at risk of demolition following the destruction of a 46,000-year-old site in the Pilbara.
Why I’m offended by Trump using the Bible as a stage prop (Brisbane Times)
June 4 – (Opinion: Michael Jensen) As someone who proudly owns the name “Bible-believing Christian”, I don’t think I’ve ever been more offended by a political leader than by President Donald Trump’s waving around of the Bible as a stage prop in his pantomime of power.
