Nigerian Priest On A Mission To Help Those With Alcohol And Drug Abuse

Growing up, Catholic priest Jack Yali watched his parents consume plenty of alcohol. This experience later formed part of his interest in drinking, which he eventually started consuming at age 15. He soon became an alcoholic. He eventually made it his mission to get better — and to help others.

Read More
‘O Come, O Come Emmanuel’: Tracing The Religious Origins Of Popular Christmas Carols

(ANALYSIS) Each carol, like those who sing them, carries a unique backstory filled with history, hope and sometimes even heartbreak. They are, in many ways, a reflection of life itself. Together, they remind us that Christmas isn’t just about celebration — it’s about honoring the moments, both light and dark, that shape who we are.

Read More
Faith Voters, Men, Women And The Gender Identity Debate

(ANALYSIS) In the 2024 presidential election campaign there were hundreds of millions of dollars spent on advertising to convince voters to back either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris. But there was one spot that ran on television in a seeming loop.

Read More
Advent And Christmas Help Us See The Good, The True And The Beautiful

(ANALYSIS) One of the things I love about the Christmas season is the music. The ancient music is, of course, powerful. Time-tested hymns and carols still satisfy. But I am also impressed with a current crop of creators using their gifts to “make all things new.” An artist who bears special consideration in this conversation is Andrew Peterson.

Read More
How To Know Whether Your Religious Group Is Healthy Or Toxic

(OPINION) I’ve seen a whole bunch of religion, good and bad. Maybe the one thing I’ve come to understand is what good faith looks like. You may or may not agree, which is your privilege, but here are my signs any particular religious organization — megachurch or storefront, famous or obscure — is spiritually healthy:

Read More
Holy Infant Jesus Of Prague: A Tourist Icon In A City Of Unbelievers

The Infant Jesus of Prague is a tourist symbol that attracts parishioners and the curious. The Catholic icon, located in the Church of Our Lady of Victorious, seems to defy statistics that rank the Czech capital as the most atheistic city in the world. The clay statue attracts believers and non-believers from across the world at Christmastime and during other times of the year.

Read More
From The Church Puppet Room To The Muppets, He’s Living A Green Dream

You know those weirdos who seem to stumble backward into success? Lucas Ross is one of them. Just ask his boss, Kermit the Frog. For the past four years, Ross, a member of the Memorial Road Church of Christ in Oklahoma City, has worked as a banjo consultant for the lean, green CEO of the Muppets. Recently, the two shared the stage at the University of Maryland during a celebration of Jim Henson.

Read More
3 Killed In Clashes Between United Methodist Members In Nigeria

A dispute between members of the United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN) and the Global Methodist Church (GMC) escalated to violence Sunday, resulting in three fatalities.

Read More
DOJ Sues Georgia City for Interfering With Homeless Ministry

The United States Department of Justice filed a complaint against the city of Brunswick, Georgia, on Dec. 16 because of the city’s actions to close The Well ministry to homeless persons. The Well is a faith-based ministry operated by FaithWorks, an organization of the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Read More
Crossroads Podcast: Will It Be Safe This Christmas For Syria’s Christians?

(ANALYSIS) Anyone who is interested in the roots of Christian history is familiar with the following, drawn from the 11th chapter of Acts. Where is Antioch today? That biblical city now known as Antakya, located on the Orontes River about 12 miles from the Syrian border. The history of the church in Antioch was at the heart of the news in this week’s “Crossroads” podcast.

Read More
Why ‘The War Of The Rohirrim’ And Its Agnostic ‘LOTR’ Anime Just Doesn’t Work

(ANALYSIS) The news cycle hasn’t been kind to “Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim.” The film made headlines as the lowest-grossing (and worst-reviewed) entry in the Peter Jackson series. The film made $5 million on its opening weekend, finishing fifth at the box office and earning a 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. But none of it really matters because the point of this movie was never this movie. Let me explain.

Read More
Following 2nd Accusation, Michael Brown Admits ‘Emotional’ Relationship

Faced with accusations from the widower of a second alleged victim of his sexual misconduct, Messianic teacher and apologist Michael Brown posted a video online admitting to an “emotional” relationship with a woman.

Read More
In Presidential Election, Many Christian Voters Split Along Racial Lines

President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have many fans, if any, at the Metropolitan Church of Christ in this urban community south of Los Angeles. No one interviewed at the predominantly Black congregation on a recent Lord’s Day voted for the Republican candidate.

Read More
Ancient Stone Tablet Inscribed With Ten Commandments Sells For $5 Million At Auction

An inscribed marble slab featuring the Ten Commandments sold for $5.04 million at Sotheby’s auction house in New York. The stone — written in archaic Samaritan Hebrew script — is the oldest known text of the Decalogue of its kind and estimated to have been carved sometime between the period spanning 300 and 800 C.E.

Read More
Amid Government Excesses, Kenya’s Catholic Bishops Regain Their Voice

As Ruto’s regime enters a new year struggling to win public acceptance, it is clear that the voice of the Catholic bishops is back and their political clout will increasingly reverberate in the corridors of power.. “A culture of lies is swiftly replacing integrity and respect in government,” said Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, adding, “Kenyans deserve better!”

Read More
California Revokes Olivet University’s Approval To Operate

The California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education has ordered that Olivet University’s approval to operate be revoked. The order also requires the school to pay $64,432 to cover the costs of the investigation and prosecution. Because of this action, Olivet must cease enrolling new students and must propose a plan “teach out” current students.

Read More
Watch: A Haven For Refugees in India’s Christian-Majority Mizoram State

Refugee crises have been on the rise in many parts of the world for over a decade, often met with widespread hostility and indifference. Yet, in the midst of this global pattern, Mizoram, a small Christian-majority state in northeast India, has been quietly providing not only aid but a sense of dignity to those fleeing a violent conflict in neighboring Myanmar.

Read More
New Global Pew Survey Shows Rising Religious Intolerance

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.

Read More