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Crossroads Podcast: Have Abortion Clinics Become More Sacred Than Churches?

Crossroads Podcast: Have Abortion Clinics Become More Sacred Than Churches?

On Jan. 18, a cell of anti-ICE demonstrators crashed a Sunday service at the Cities Church, a Southern Baptist congregation in St. Paul, Minnesota. Debates about the legality of this protest have been defined by the Red vs. Blue divide in American politics, which has dominated the Donald Trump era. On the cultural right, this protest was seen as a violation of the First Amendment religious-liberty rights of the worshippers. On the left, efforts to prosecute the activists were seen as a violation of their First Amendment free-speech rights.

UN Probes Religious Violence in Nigeria: Here’s What They Should Do

UN Probes Religious Violence in Nigeria: Here’s What They Should Do

(OPINION) An international investigator will visit Nigeria to assess the religious persecution occurring across the country, and there are so many issues that it’s hard to know where she should begin. Will she detail the mass kidnappings that have occurred regularly over the past decade? The religious and tribal fighting? The terrorist organizations wreaking havoc on the country?

‘Is God Is’ Wants Catharsis Through Violence, Replacing Forgiveness With Vengeance

‘Is God Is’ Wants Catharsis Through Violence, Replacing Forgiveness With Vengeance

(REVIEW) “Is God Is” follows twin sisters on a quest to kill their father, who disfigured them as children. Unfortunately, the movie does more than simply offer fictional frontier-style justice to typically underrepresented audiences. It goes so far as to renounce the virtue of forgiveness altogether.

Christianity, Conflict, Film & TV, Religion, Religion News, ReviewJoseph HolmesMay 29, 2026movie review, "is god is", Aleshea Harris, Joseph Holmes, film and TV, forgiveness, religion, revenge, ChristianityComment

‘Cast Aside The Clouds’ Shines A Light On Iran And The Bahá’í Faith

‘Cast Aside The Clouds’ Shines A Light On Iran And The Bahá’í Faith

(REVIEW) A “Romeo and Juliet” style love story, “Cast Aside The Clouds” that protests how religious intolerance — such as the kind regularly levied against the Baháʼí people in Iran — threatens love by targeting innocent people for oppression.

A New African Country Faces Conflict And Poverty. Missionaries Are Stepping In.

A New African Country Faces Conflict And Poverty. Missionaries Are Stepping In.

The fledgling country has yet to hold its first democratic general election, while the South Sudanese suffer from extreme poverty, ethnic violence, lack of water and more. Local and international faith groups lend a measure of stability, working to meet everyday needs while providing a measure of hope.

Why 2 Saints Are At The Center Of A Church-State Legal Battle

Why 2 Saints Are At The Center Of A Church-State Legal Battle

At a time when statues are coming down, this is a case about two that are proposed to go up. A city in Massachusetts plans to erect two statues featuring Catholic saints, but some residents have said that it shows favoritism to one religion. Now, it’s up to the courts to decide what to do next in a case that could reach the Supreme Court.

Clemishire Act, Trey’s Law Measures Die In Oklahoma Legislature

Clemishire Act, Trey’s Law Measures Die In Oklahoma Legislature

A national movement to void agreements that silence sex abuse victims slammed into a barrier Thursday when the Oklahoma Legislature killed two reform measures, one named after a state resident who accused Gateway Church founder Robert Morris of sexually abusing her.

Hijab Disputes Expose Legal Gap In Kenya’s Faith-Based Schools

Hijab Disputes Expose Legal Gap In Kenya’s Faith-Based Schools

Earlier this year, a 15-year-old walked through the gates of her high school in Kenya, wearing her hijab. The student and her parents had been assured by the principal that she could continue wearing it, just as she had throughout primary school. A few weeks later, that assurance fell apart. It has become part of a broader fight regarding religious freedom in the country.

Christian Nationalism Or Just Regular Old Patriotism? Americans Can’t Agree.

Christian Nationalism Or Just Regular Old Patriotism? Americans Can’t Agree.

In just a few days, crowds are expected to descend on Washington for an explicitly Christian event, celebrating the U.S. 250th anniversary. Later this month, many churches will swap hymns for patriotic songs and dress their sanctuary in American flags, mingling patriotism and Christianity. When do these patriotic actions cross over into Christian Nationalism?

Inside The Traveling Ministry Assisting Africa’s Persecuted Christians

Inside The Traveling Ministry Assisting Africa’s Persecuted Christians

Maria lives in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with her husband and four children, content with being farmers and living in the fields. But the 27-year-old woman, who did not want to be identified by her full name, has always faced persecution for being Christians. She isn’t alone. It’s the type of violence many in Africa have had to deal with for years.

Gateway Church And Morris Agree On Arbitration To Settle Retirement Fight

Gateway Church And Morris Agree On Arbitration To Settle Retirement Fight

Gateway Church and its disgraced founder Robert Morris have agreed to arbitration to settle their multimillion-dollar retirement dispute, rather than continue battling in court. Morris, 64, resigned as Gateway’s senior pastor in 2024, after reports surfaced that he had molested 12-year-old Cindy Clemishire in 1982 while a traveling evangelist in Oklahoma. In May 2025, Morris sued Gateway to get millions in retirement benefits.

Christianity, Conflict, News, North America, negotiation, protestants, Women, womenMark A. KellnerMay 13, 2026Mark A. Kellner, news, Christianity, Secondary feature, Robert Morris, sex abuse, women, rechargeComment

Apple TV Thriller ‘Unconditional’ Is Less Propaganda And More A Mirror

Apple TV Thriller ‘Unconditional’ Is Less Propaganda And More A Mirror

The Israeli thriller “Unconditional” has sparked accusations of “hasbara” before release, but the series proves more complicated than simple propaganda. Following a young Israeli woman imprisoned in Russia, the show explores national image-making, Israeli behavior abroad, and the moral gray zones surrounding identity, war, and public perception.

India’s Hindu Nationalist Policies Have Made ‘Violence Routine’ Against Christians

India’s Hindu Nationalist Policies Have Made ‘Violence Routine’ Against Christians

Religious minorities in India are in dire straits, facing persecution, lynching and other violence, according to a U.S. watchdog group. “Every day violence and calls for violence have become routine,” said Stephen J. Rapp, Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice. “Throughout this grim history, it is seldom that the perpetrators have been held to account.”

A Chronic US Blind Spot: Iran’s Religious Motivations For War

A Chronic US Blind Spot: Iran’s Religious Motivations For War

(ANALYSIS) The United States is on the verge of being burned again for not seeing the importance of religious belief driving human behavior in global conflicts. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is not defending Iran as a state but its version of Islam as a global religion.

‘In The Name Of Jesus’: Iran War Rhetoric Splits Christians

‘In The Name Of Jesus’: Iran War Rhetoric Splits Christians

An Alabama town honors Vietnam veterans during a memorial ceremony, reflecting deep ties between faith and military life in this part of the country. Residents and leaders have increasingly used Christian rhetoric to frame U.S. military actions in the Middle East, drawing both support and criticism over religion’s role in government and war.

Baptist Roots Meets Modern Pressures: Baylor Confronts Its Defining Tension

Baptist Roots Meets Modern Pressures: Baylor Confronts Its Defining Tension

(ANALYSIS) Across American history, many colleges have attenuated or dropped their original religious purposes. Harvard University stripped down its 17th-century Latin motto, “Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae” (Truth for Christ and the Church) to simply “Veritas.” However, Baylor still proclaims “integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment” as its core mission.

Why Are Some Americans Vaccine-Hesitant? A New Book Says It’s Their Religion.

Why Are Some Americans Vaccine-Hesitant? A New Book Says It’s Their Religion.

In a new book, a religious studies scholar discusses how the concepts of conversion, testimony and purity can be used to study the vaccine hesitancy movement. Author Kira Ganga Kieffer explains how the vaccine hesitancy movement became bound up with religious liberty activists in trying to preserve their rights.

What We Learned From Pope Leo XIV’s 11-Day Africa Trip

What We Learned From Pope Leo XIV’s 11-Day Africa Trip

Pope Leo XIV’s first international apostolic journey was clouded by heated disputes with President Donald Trump, criticisms of appearing to appease the Islamist persecution of Christians and ongoing conflicts over homosexuality and polygamy among those who are members of the Catholic Church.

Crimes Against Humanity: India Continues To Persecute Muslims And Other Religious Minorities

Crimes Against Humanity: India Continues To Persecute Muslims And Other Religious Minorities

(ANALYSIS) In India, Muslims and other religious minorities remain under attack. A new report identified credible evidence of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Assam and Uttar Pradesh states — violations which may amount to international offenses, including crimes against humanity.

Uganda Demolishes ‘Unapproved Churches’ In Effort To Clean Up Cities

Uganda Demolishes ‘Unapproved Churches’ In Effort To Clean Up Cities

After several churches and other places of worship were demolished, a public outcry forced Uganda to pause a project that aimed to clean up cities and enforce zoning regulations. But now, government officials say, the project is back on, and more unsanctioned structures might be on the chopping block.