Deepa Bharath
The Associated Press
California, United States
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Past articles by Deepa:
OC’s Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors – San Bernardino Sun
Stacie Wood credited her Southern Baptist upbringing for shaping her faith but stood firm on heeding her calling despite being “at the center of the discussion.” → Read More
Seattle Council to vote on outlawing caste discrimination
SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle City Council members are preparing to vote on whether to add caste to the city’s anti-discrimination laws. If approved, Seattle would become the first city in the Unite… → Read More
Seattle considers historic law barring caste discrimination
The national debate in the United States around caste has been centered in the South Asian community, causing deep divisions within the diaspora. → Read More
Asian faiths try to save swastika symbol corrupted by Hitler
Sheetal Deo was shocked when she got a letter from her Queens apartment building’s co-op board calling her Diwali decoration “offensive” and demanding she take it down. “My decoration said ‘Happy D… → Read More
New Saddleback pastor sees women clergy in church’s future
Last month, Andy Wood took the reins of Lake Forest-based Saddleback Church from founding pastor Rick Warren. → Read More
Religious polarization in India seeping into US diaspora
In Edison, New Jersey, a bulldozer, which has become a symbol of oppression of India’s Muslim minority, rolled down the street during a parade marking that country’s Independence Day. At an e… → Read More
Knock, knock: Jehovah’s Witnesses resume door-to-door work
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jehovah’s Witnesses have resumed knocking on doors again after a 30-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. From coast to coast, members of the Christian denomination fanned out in cities and towns Thursday to share literature and converse about God for the first time since March 2020. Members have continued evangelizing during […] → Read More
Knock, knock: Jehovah’s Witnesses resume door-to-door work
Jehovah’s Witnesses have restarted their door-to-door ministry after more than two and a half years on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, reviving a religious practice that the faith considers… → Read More
Lag in slavery reparations from US Jesuits irks descendants
Last year, the U.S. branch of the Jesuits pledged to raise $100 million for a reconciliation initiative in partnership with descendants of people once enslaved by the Catholic order. On Tuesday, a … → Read More
River chief imprisoned for fishing fights for sacred rights
THE DALLES, Oregon (AP) — Wilbur Slockish Jr. has been shot at, had rocks hurled at him. He hid underground for months, and then spent 20 months serving time in federal prisons across the country —… → Read More
Columbia River’s salmon are at the core of ancient religion
ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER (AP) — James Kiona stands on a rocky ledge overlooking Lyle Falls where the water froths and rushes through steep canyon walls just before merging with the Columbia River. … → Read More
U.S. houses of worship increase security after shootings
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Rev. Steven Marsh never thought he would see the day his church in Laguna Woods, California — a town of 16,500 populated largely by retirees — would be spending $20,000 a mon… → Read More
Black Jewish leader works to boost community, inclusiveness
Nate Looney is a Black man who grew up in Los Angeles, a descendant of enslaved people from generations ago. He’s also an observant, kippah-wearing Jew. → Read More
Black Jewish leader works to boost community, inclusiveness
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nate Looney is a Black man who grew up in Los Angeles, a descendant of enslaved people from generations ago. → Read More
Southern Baptist leaders release secret accused abuser list
(AP) -- In response to an explosive investigation, top Southern Baptists have released a previously secret list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse. The 205-page database was made public late Thursday. It includes more than 700 entries from cases that largely span from 2000 to 2019. → Read More
Top Southern Baptists plan to release secret list of abusers
(AP) -- Top administrative leaders for the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, said Tuesday that they will release a secret list of hundreds of pastors and other church-affiliated personnel accused of sexual abuse. → Read More
Top Southern Baptists stonewalled sex abuse victims, shocking details revealed
Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, stonewalled and denigrated survivors of clergy sex abuse over almost two decades while seeking to protect their own reputations, according to a scathing 288-page investigative report issued Sunday. → Read More
Top Southern Baptists stonewalled sex abuse victims: report
Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, stonewalled and denigrated survivors of clergy sex abuse over almost two decades while seeking to protec… → Read More
Authorities: Hate against Taiwanese led to California church shooting
LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (AP) — A gunman in a deadlyshooting at a Southern California church was a Chinese immigrant motivated by hate for Taiwanese people, authorities said. The shooter killed Dr. John Cheng, 52, and wounded five others during a lunch held by Irvine Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, which worships at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Laguna Woods, authorities said at a Monday news… → Read More
Parishioners stop gunman in deadly California church attack
LAGUNA WOODS, Calif. (AP) — A man opened fire during a lunch reception at a Southern California church, killing one person and wounding five older people before a pastor hit the gunman on the head with a chair and parishioners hog-tied him with electrical cords. Jerry Chen had just stepped into the kitchen of the church's fellowship hall around 1:30 p. m. Sunday when he heard the gunshots. → Read More