The Briefing 06-18-14

1) Basis of theological authority cause of rifts now evident in Iraq

Obama Pushes Iraqis to Mend Sectarian Rifts, New York Times (Mark Landler and Michael R. Gordon)

The Origins Of The Shiite-Sunni Split, NPR (Mike Shuster)

2) Gallup poll on Bible reflects residue of cultural Christianity in America

Three in Four in U.S. Still See the Bible as Word of God, Gallup (Lydia Saad)

3) Union Seminary divests endowment of fossil fuels to avoid participation in ‘sin’

Union Becomes the World’s First Seminary to Divest from Fossil Fuels, TIME (Serene Jones)

Union Seminary pulls investments from the ‘sin’ of fossil fuels, Religion News Service (Sarah Pulliam Bailey)