Religion Newswriters Association was founded
in 1949 by 12 religion beat journalists gathered to cover a denominational meeting
of Presbyterians. RNA grew steadily throughout the years and by 2006 included
more than 500 members and subscribers, about two-thirds of whom are journalists.
The association
helps journalists cover religion with balance, accuracy and insight. It does
so by providing tools and training, including this stylebook.
RNA’s foundation,
created in 1999, serves to improve the public’s understanding of religion.
Its projects and services reach more than 7,000 journalists each week.
The Religion Newswriters
Association and its Foundation provide dozens of resources. (As of this printing,
all services are free, although some services are restricted to members only).
Click here to visit rna.org.
Q
qawwali (kuh-WAH-lee):
Devotional songs of the Sufi tradition of Islam. Do not capitalize.
Quakers:
This Christian group’s formal name is the Religious Society of Friends,
but Quakers can be used in all references. Their worship and business
gatherings are called meetings. Although there is no recognized ranking
of clergy over lay people, meeting officers are called elders or ministers,
and these terms should be capitalized when used before a name. Many Quaker ministers
in the Midwest and West use the Rev. before their names.
Quran
(ku-RAHN): The holy book of Islam, which Muslims believe is the direct
word of God as dictated in Arabic to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel during the
month of Ramadan beginning in 610 to about 632. The Quran contains laws for
society, as well as descriptions of heaven and hell and warnings on the end
of the world. It also includes stories of figures found in the Hebrew and Christian
Scriptures, but Muslims believe the Quran supersedes those holy writings. Quran
is the preferred spelling and is capitalized in all references. The spelling
Koran should only be used if it is in a specific title or name.
