Much of France is focused on the trial of eight people stemming from the 2020 beheading of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty by Abdoullah Anzorov, an 18-year-old Muslim immigrant from Chechnya. Anzorov is not on trial since he was shot dead by police after his butchery. The focus now is on those who encouraged and enabled him. This raises difficult questions about legal limits on speech, especially where religion is concerned.
Read MoreSerbian judo star Nemanja Majdov was slapped with a five-month ban for making the sign of the cross before he competed at the recent Paris Olympics. He was accused by the International Judo Federation of violating its code of conduct for “having shown a clear religious sign when entering the field of play” and barred from participating in tournaments and other events.
Read MoreWe’re talking about the Olympics. As you would expect, we focused on the role that religious faith can play in the lives of many athletes in a global event of this kind.
Read MoreWith the Olympic Games opening in Paris later this week, Southern Baptists have already been working in and around the city, capitalizing on the event as a bridge to spread the Gospel.
Read MoreAt the Summer Games, lots of skin is on display and many athletes use it as a testament to faith. There’s Anthony Davis — usually playing for the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers — with a cross and praying hands across his forearm. Fellow basketball pro Jayson Tatum, of the Boston Celtics, has a collection of religious tattoos, including “God’s will” and “Proverbs 3:5-6” across his back.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Sadly, France has barred its athletes from wearing a hijab while taking part in the Paris-based Olympic and Para-Olympic games. In so doing it continues its radical campaign to ban religion from anything other than the most private matters. This ban does not apply to athletes from other countries, and many women participants from the Muslim world will have still their heads covered, even though their own country, unlike France, might not require it.
Read MoreOlympic wrestler Aaron Brooks holds nothing back. You don’t have to encounter Brooks long to know the top priority in his life. His Instagram posts regularly reference Scripture verses. In his media interviews, he frequently and repeatedly talks about his commitment to Christ, sometimes while wearing a headband with the phrase “100% Jesus.”
Read MoreDespite opposition from Catholic bishops across the continent, the European Union voted on Thursday to enshrine access to abortion as a “fundamental right” in its charter. The proposal — approved 336 votes for to 163 against — was passed in Brussels with support coming primarily from left-wing and centrist members.
Read More(EXPLAINER) French officials said they will bar children in public schools across the country from wearing the “abaya,” a full-length robe used by some Muslim women to convey modesty. The rationale for the ban, they said, was to stem a growing number of disputes in its secular schools.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The World Cup in Qatar continues to roll along into the semifinals. So far, the premier soccer tournament — and arguably the planet’s biggest sporting event — has showcased skill, drama and even some upsets. Aside from all that, what the World Cup has also generated are plenty of different kinds of storylines to focus on.
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