Asia
(ANALYSIS) The Rev. Stephen Tong is a polymath and multitalented person whose stunning range of activities remain firmly and deeply rooted in his Christian faith. He is perhaps most alive in his preaching, which consistently challenges his hearers to follow Jesus Christ to the point of death. This remarkable man is now 85 and rather than slowing down, he asks for prayer that he might live until at least the age of 90 so that he can complete a series of Farewell Gospel Rallies worldwide.
Cambodia Christian Ministries models the medical missions it hosts after Jesus’ example, Meierhofer said, referencing Matthew 4:23. About 93% of Cambodia’s 17 million people are Buddhist, making it essential that the Christian nonprofit work within government systems to spread the Gospel.
Kabir’s ability to transcend religious and social boundaries is why his poetry continues to resonate today, even 500 years after his death. According to legend, when Kabir died, both Hindus and Muslims fought over his body, each wanting to claim it according to their respective religious customs. When the shroud covering his body was removed, however, only flowers were found beneath, symbolizing the unity that Kabir’s teachings continue to inspire.
(PHOTO EASSY) On Sunday, Cambodians and Americans gathered under tents to worship together in “The Eyes of God.” That’s a literal translation of the Khmer words Preah Netr Preah, a district in western Cambodia.
When Varsha and Shein first discovered rap, they were teenagers inspired by mainstream artists like India artists Honey Singh and Raftaar. Their classmates loved their performances of secular rap. As daughters of a pastor, they soon felt a calling to use their musical talents differently. "In 2012, our rap journey started,” Shein said. “We performed at school events, local meetings and in churches, and people loved it.”
(ANALYSIS) On Feb. 13, a federal criminal court in Buenos Aires, Argentina, ordered arrest warrants against 25 Myanmar military leaders and officials for their involvement in the crime of genocide and crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingya community.
Twenty years after dual disasters, Nias is reshaped again. Churches of Christ have dedicated thousands of dollars and hours to relief efforts and medical missions. Christians launched Jochebed’s Hope, a ministry that oversees a children’s home and programs to help islanders get a good education.
(ANALYSIS) In international law, territorial integrity would mean a country’s right to “sovereignty” over its entire territory, prohibiting external interference or attempts to alter its borders. In Manipur, the term refers to preserving the territory of the state as it existed at the end of the British Raj in 1947. Protecting a state’s “territorial integrity” is largely a political concern with little constitutional basis.
(ANALYSIS) Freedom of worship is tenuous around the globe. The Pew Research Center’s latest annual report found “high” or “very high” levels of government constraints on religion in 59 of the 198 countries and territories it analyzed – a new record. When Pew began releasing reports on the issue in 2007, just 40 countries’ restrictions on religion were classified that way.
Called the world’s largest religious gathering, the event has already drawn 148 million people. Attendance is expected to exceed 400 million by the time it ends on Feb. 26, and surging crowds have already claimed dozens of lives at the sacred site. Attendees range from Indian business tycoons and members of parliament to social media personages, film stars and celebrities.
(ANALYSIS) Nearly two decades have passed since the 26-year civil war ended in Sri Lanka. Yet, Muslims displaced from the island nation still face significant challenges in returning to their homes and reclaiming their land. The civil war between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Tamil guerrilla separatists, displaced around 300,000 Tamils and 70,000 Muslims.
(ANALYSIS) The Feb. 9 resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, which conveys little remorse or admission of failure, must at least be followed by swift and constitutionally sound action from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ensure that this potential first step toward resolving the prolonged conflict is somewhat effective.
In an era of secularism, where discussions often center around the decline of religious belief, going on a pilgrimage may seem outdated. However, the reality is quite the opposite. The appeal of religious tourism attracts people of all ages. As many make plans for the coming summer, this type of tourism has become big business in a post-pandemic world.
(ANALYSIS) As 2025 begins, Russia ends its official “Year of the Family.” But the state has been promoting what it calls “traditional” or “pro-family” values for more than a decade — and looks likely to continue.
(ANALYSIS) Red envelopes, known as hongbao in Mandarin, are a cherished cultural tradition in China and many other parts of Asia. In China, the vibrant red color symbolizes good fortune and joy. Hongbao can be given during many various festive and joyful occasions, and they are a prominent feature of Lunar New Year.
Traditionally performed barefoot in a circle, Margam Kali narrates the life and missionary work of St. Thomas, the apostle believed to have brought Christianity to India. Over the centuries, this ancient dance form has evolved while retaining its devotional essence, while also embodying the spiritual and cultural identity of the Syrian Christian community.
The United States has a “relatively low level of religious nationalism” compared to other countries, but its impact on politics and society is particularly notable among high-income nations. The Pew Research Study released on Tuesday examined the role of religion worldwide by surveying people across 36 countries.
Africa, with more Christians than any other continent, has in Nigeria the deadliest nation for believers at the hands of Islamic terrorists and suffers persistently high violence in a dozen countries in its sub-Saharan region. Add to that the civil war in Sudan that has created the largest displacement crisis in the world, as well as lingering civil wars elsewhere, and it’s no wonder that an additional 15 million Christians are suffering high levels of persecution.
(ANALYSIS) Could it possibly have been coincidence? The very day Congress certified Donald Trump’s election as the next U.S. president, the Vatican announced the transfer of San Diego’s Cardinal Robert McElroy to become the politically significant archbishop of Washington, D.C. There’s no doubt Pope Francis wants McElroy to keep an eye on Trump.
Khairunissa, along with her siblings and parents, spent years living in a multi-religious and multicultural apartment in Gujarat state’s Ahmedabad city. When communal tensions and targeted violence against Muslims erupted in the Indian city on Feb. 28, 2002, her family initially felt secure, confident that their neighbors would be able to protect them.
Global Christian Relief (GCR), the watchdog group launched in 2023 when Open Doors USA reorganized, has released its first persecution report, citing top five countries persecuting Christians in select categories. The 2025 GCR Red List is marketed as a “first-ever quantifiable and verifiable index” of incidents in five key areas.
The second season of the global streaming sensation “Squid Game” introduced viewers to several new characters. One of the most intriguing has been Player 044 due to her strong religious beliefs. Player 044 is a shaman whose role was to curse others and deliver prophecies as the players moved from one deadly game to another.
(ESSAY) Over the course of our hour together, Sokyu had walked me through the 16-year journey which had taken him from a mundane life n Budapest to a Hungarian witch who claimed to see angels and healed by waving her hands over him, then finally to an 18th-century Zen monastery in the mountains of rural Japan.
It may be the start of a new year, but many of the same issues and concerns will dominate the news cycle in 2025. From Pope Francis’ health from the erosion of religious freedom in many parts of the globe to the moral implications that come with the widespread use of AI, here’s what to watch for in the new year.
(ANALYSIS) Almost two decades ago, the reigning editor of The New York Times admitted, during a speech to the National College Media Association, that the world’s most influential journalism cathedral had changed one of its core doctrines.
As 2024 draws to a close, the Christian community in India reflects on a year marked by increasing challenges and persecution. Data from various organizations paint a sobering picture of the difficulties faced by this religious minority, which comprises approximately 2.3% of the country’s population of 1.45 billion people.
While the global median score on the Government Restrictions Index (based on several factors) held steady in 2022 at 3.0 out of 10, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government religious restrictions rose to 59, which accounts for 30% of the 198 countries and territories Pew Research Center studied.
(ANALYSIS) A recent government report has revealed that there has been a significant rise in the number of students in madrasas — religious schools — in Bangladesh. The data revealed by the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics stated that the number of students in madrasas increased to 2.75 million in 2023 from the previous 2.4 million recorded in 2019.
(ANALYSIS) Technology, AI and social media have been developed for the common good, to make our lives easier, one way or another. However, they can also be abused — and this is precisely what we have seen across contemporary cases of genocide.
In many countries around the world, a fifth or more of adults have left the religious group in which they were raised. Christianity and Buddhism have experienced large losses from this “religious switching,” while rising numbers of adults have opted to have no affiliation, according to Pew Research Center surveys of nearly 80,000 people across 36 countries.