Liam Adams

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Liam Adams

@liamsadams.bsky.social

Religion reporter at The Tennessean. From New England to D.C. to Colorado to Tennessee.
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The UMC got its first glimpse at the impact of General Conference through local actions to ordain and reinstate LGBTQ+ clergy and to create new allowances for churches to continue exiting. A review of those actions and the major themes throughout… www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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The first four (of six) defendants in the felony convictions of Christian protesters who blockaded a Mt. Juliet abortion clinic faced up to 10.5 years in prison. Most of them ultimately received no additional prison time, @evanmealins.bsky.social reports: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
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An emerging rightwing movement, including among the Christian right, aims to create hyperlocal ideologically homogenous havens. A more intentionally planned one will be just outside of Nashville. @ruthgraham.bsky.social interviewed Josh Abbotoy about it. www.nytimes.com/2024/07/04/u...
Why a New Conservative Brain Trust Is Resettling Across Americawww.nytimes.com Pro-Trump professionals aren’t just talking about remaking Western civilization. Some are uprooting their lives to show that they mean it.
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In the next major series of policy developments for the #UMC, the 5 U.S. jurisdictions are meeting starting tomorrow to primarily decide on bishop elections and appointments. It's gotten more interesting than earlier expectations, says this UM News preview: www.umnews.org/en/news/2-ne...
2 new U.S. bishops to be elected this weekwww.umnews.org After two unexpected vacancies in U.S. bishop offices, the Western Jurisdiction now has plans to elect two new bishops.
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A test to measure kidney function only banned in 2022 exacerbated health disparities for Black patients for transplants. Nashville HBCU Meharry is taking a leading role in conversations on how to address the gaps. Todd Price talks with students in the field: www.tennessean.com/story/news/2...
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A principal-led prayer during a graduation ceremony at a random Maury County middle school prompted a stern letter from the national advocacy group the Freedom From Religion Foundation. It's not the first time this has happened, @angelelatham.bsky.social reports: www.tennessean.com/story/news/l...
Spring Hill middle school faces pushback for religious prayer at graduationwww.tennessean.com Battle Creek Middle School is facing pushback from a secular nonprofit for holding a religious prayer at a May graduation.
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If you're reporting on the intersection of religion + state politics, I highly encourage you to check out this story. Similar to the push for school chaplains or the Ten Commandments in classrooms, @angelelatham.bsky.social has done the homework on this lesser-known, yet influential group.
TN is the first state to designate as an official state book the Aitken Bible, which is known for its historical significance. But an @angelelatham.bsky.social investigation found a network behind the book pushing for the erosion of the separation of church & state.
Tennessee-endorsed Aitken Bible tied to national movement to erode church and statewww.tennessean.com Tennessee has named the Aitken Bible an official state book. The Bible has ties to a movement seeking to erode the separation of church and state.
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TN is the first state to designate as an official state book the Aitken Bible, which is known for its historical significance. But an @angelelatham.bsky.social investigation found a network behind the book pushing for the erosion of the separation of church & state.
Tennessee-endorsed Aitken Bible tied to national movement to erode church and statewww.tennessean.com Tennessee has named the Aitken Bible an official state book. The Bible has ties to a movement seeking to erode the separation of church and state.
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Trevecca Nazarene University will be accepting students from its closing sister school Eastern Nazarene College. I spoke with Trevecca president Dan Boone about the significance of this teach-out arrangement, especially since he once helped jointly oversee ENC. www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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@keithsharontn.bsky.social's murder/music corruption serial, "Murder on Music Row," is nearing its conclusion on our website, but is just warming up on streaming services. ICYMI his penultimate installation about a sting operation on Kevin Hughes' former bosses: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
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Andy Ogles and Americans for Prosperity have long been closely aligned. Federal election law bars AFP's PAC from coordinating with the congressman's reelection bid, but the libertarian advocacy group declined to show Vivian Jones its firewall policy. www.tennessean.com/story/news/p...
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A new state law requires automatic commitment for anyone deemed mentally unfit to stand trial. But it could further strain Tennessee's already overwhelmed mental health infrastructure for inmates. From Kelly Puente, for a Sunday issue package: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
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For a segment on the state of reproductive rights two years after Dobbs, I spoke yesterday with Anna Staver on the SBC passing a resolution condemning the use of IVF at the recent SBC annual meeting. Thanks WOSU for having me! (At about the 8:00 mark). www.wosu.org/show/all-sid...
The state of reproductive healthcare in Ohio two years after reversal of Roe vs. Wadewww.wosu.org We’re talking today about IVF, medication abortion and the future of reproductive rights.
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After it pressed pause on the search for a new permanent president of Tennessee State University earlier this month, the new state-appointed board of Nashville's largest HBCU named Ronald A. Johnson the new interim head, @rachelannwegner.bsky.social reports: www.tennessean.com/story/news/e...
Tennessee State University taps Ronald A. Johnson as interim presidentwww.tennessean.com The moves comes after months of upheaval and the appointing of a new board at TSU.
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For fans of or those who are curious about my colleague @keithsharontn.bsky.social's big project, the serial Murder on Music Row, episodes are now starting to stream on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. You can also find the landing page to the project at: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
Murder on Music Row: The Nashville story two bullets stopped Kevin Hughes from tellingwww.tennessean.com From The Tennessean, Murder on Music Row is an eight-part investigative podcast and an eight-part narrative series.
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Voters are always required to provide a valid photo ID, but Tennessee's coordinator of elections is sending letters seeking proof of citizenship in a move that advocates are saying is voter intimidation. Vivian Jones breaks it down: www.tennessean.com/story/news/p...
14,000 Tennesseans sent letters requesting proof of citizenship ahead of electionwww.tennessean.com Tennesseans across the state received letters dated June 13, requesting them to mail in proof of citizenship.
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In addition to a whistleblower lawsuit and a class action lawsuit alleging Johnson City policy ignored the actions of serial rape suspect Sean Williams, Mikayla Evans filed a federal lawsuit after Williams pushed Evans out a window, Kelly Puente reports: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
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A confusing 1995 law has left a lot of Tenn prisoners with life sentences & who may be eligible for parole in limbo. In a long reported Sun. issue story, @evanmealins.bsky.social traced the journey of those prisoners and their lawyers to overcome these challenges. www.tennessean.com/story/news/2...
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Tennessee's ban on certain medical treatment for trans youth will now go before the Supreme Court amid a broader debate in which major medical associations have supported gender transition health care as evidence-based medicine. From @itsmelissabrown.bsky.social: www.tennessean.com/story/news/h...
U.S. Supreme Court to review Tennessee's gender-affirming care ban for minorswww.tennessean.com The Tennessee law drew a lawsuit last year from parents and trans youth who argue it discriminates based on sex and infringes on parental rights.
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David Plazas' latest delves into controversy surrounding a proposed Metro Council resolution on the war in Gaza, whether local officials should speak to this international crisis, and what it means for the current state of local interfaith dialogue. www.tennessean.com/story/opinio...
If Nashville calls for cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war, it should be for the right reasonswww.tennessean.com Opinion: Cities like Nashville are being asked to enact resolutions calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Will that do more harm or good?
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Shane Scott is the new pastor of FBC, Capitol Hill, which is known for its history of civil rights activism and is close to so many newsy parts of Nashville. Scott spoke with me about upholding that legacy of activism but that's also true to his strengths. www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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The Tennessee-Western Kentucky Annual Conference last week was a window into this larger "big tent" idea that United Methodists have been promoting since the UMC General Conference. My summary of major legislation and conversations showing how: www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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ICYMI: Amid a growing awareness of misconduct and calls for accountability measures in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the denomination took up proposals at last week's General Assembly. The proposals failed or passed with major revisions. www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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Former Franklin priest Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza faces new counts of sexual battery per superseding grand jury indictment. SNAP has raised questions about the timing between initial accusations and Garcia's ouster. From Gabrielle Chenault: www.tennessean.com/story/news/c...
Nashville-area Catholic pastor faces 10 child sex charges after June indictmentwww.tennessean.com Franklin pastor Rev. Juan Carlos Garcia-Mendoza has been indicted on new charges this month, bringing the total count he's facing to 10.
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The PCA General Assembly yet again rejected overtures to require background checks & expand witness eligibility for church courts. Advocates for abuse reform are concerned the inaction follows a lack of awareness about cases happening in real-time. www.tennessean.com/story/news/r...
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The late Catholic humanitarian Fr. Charlie Strobel, founder of Nashville's Room In The Inn, authored on his death bed a series about the people who taught him to love unconditionally. That series will be published posthumously, reports Brad Schmitt: www.tennessean.com/story/news/l...
A memoir from Room in the Inn founder Charlie Strobel will be released posthumouslywww.tennessean.com As he was dying, Father Charlie Strobel finished writing and putting together a series of stories about the people who taught him to love unconditionally