After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, pastors found themselves in a difficult position — whether or how to address the event from the pulpit. Todd Fisher, executive director of Oklahoma Baptists, received messages from pastors confused by their congregations’ reactions, prompting him to address the issue. Many pastors were unaware of Kirk’s cultural influence, especially among younger members.
Read MoreRastafarians celebrate Emperor Haile Selassie I because they believe he is the living God, or Jah, who appeared in human form to bring salvation to people of African descent. His coronation in 1930 was seen as the fulfillment of a prophecy that a Black king would be crowned in Africa, signaling the beginning of deliverance from oppression.
Read MoreIn her 30-minute testimony, Erika Kirk said her husband knew his life was in danger, but he stressed the biblical message in a verse from Isaiah: “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” Kirk said she once told him: “‘Charlie, baby, please talk to me next time before you say that statement.’ ... When you say, ‘Here I am, Lord. Use me,’ God will take you up on that.’ ... God accepted that total surrender from my husband, and then called him to His side.”
Read MoreA federal lawsuit filed against Gateway Church alleging fraud, misrepresentation, and breach of contract arising out of their alleged misappropriation of church members’ tithe funds can continue.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In his first major interview as pope, Leo XIV offers a glimpse into a papacy shaped by his American identity and a diplomatic, morally grounded approach. Speaking to Crux for an upcoming biography, the first U.S.-born pontiff addressed global issues including President Trump, artificial intelligence, and the crisis in Gaza.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It’s my tendency to couch things, to provide all kinds of caveats, or downplay a finding so that I’ve got a bit of wiggle room. And in a lot of areas of social science, that’s still pretty sound advice.
Read MoreIt’s the Jewish High Holiday season, and Jews the world over are preparing to visit their local synagogues — for community, for prayer, and to hear the arresting, soulful sounds of the shofar. An animal horn — typically a ram’s horn — used as a wind instrument, the shofar is featured over 70 times in the Torah.
Read MoreFor nearly two years, the ongoing war in Gaza has disrupted one of the most sacred traditions for thousands of Christians worldwide — pilgrimages to the Holy land. Israel’s war in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, has led to the near collapse of a once-thriving pilgrimage and tourism sectors within Israel and the Palestinian territories. This disruption came some three years after the same pilgrimages were affected by the pandemic.
Read MoreThe following remarks were made by Erika Kirk, wife of the late Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk, on Sept. 21 during his memorial service held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Read More(ANALYSIS) These so-called “Jesus glow-up” posts, and their influencer authors, communicate a message that a relationship with Christ provides a “blessing of heightened physical beauty.”
Read MoreU.S. adults don’t think God changes. Their beliefs about the divine have basically stayed the same, as well. The latest State of Theology study from Lifeway Research and Ligonier Ministries finds significant stability across a wide range of theological beliefs.
Read More(ANALYSIS) More recently, a 2021 study from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative looked at 200 popular movies and found that Muslim characters were either completely missing or shown as violent. Despite the consistency of negative representations of Muslims on television following the rise in Islamophobia, the post-9/11 climate actually saw the introduction of more diverse Muslim characters.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As Algeria tries to assert itself on the international stage as a civilizational bridge, the country’s Christian community continues to face renewed challenges. In late July, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune traveled to Italy to meet with both Pope Leo XIV and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The latter meeting produced a joint initiative to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for several historic sites in Algeria linked to early Christianity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Recognition of a Palestinian state is likely to dominate proceedings at the U.N. beginning this week when world leaders will gather for the annual general assembly. Of the 193 existing U.N member states, 147 already recognize a Palestinian state. But that number is expected to swell in the coming days, with several more countries expected to officially announce such recognition.
Read More(OPINION) America is dangerously polarized. We are split into camps with different facts, values and even realities. Kirk often stepped into that arena as a kind of devil’s advocate — lobbing provocative challenges and daring opponents to prove him wrong. If his death teaches us anything, it may be that endless condemnation cannot heal us.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In general, criticisms of “profits over people,” poor treatment of employees, scandals, lavish spending, lawsuits and accusations or convictions of fraud characterize many of our Machiavellian CEOs.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the biggest limitations of the kind of work I do is that it’s often at the aggregate level. In layman’s terms, that’s when I use every respondent in a survey sample.
Read MoreA 3,000-year-old basalt stone bearing the earliest known extrabiblical reference to the “House of David” is on display at the Museum of the Bible through Nov. 3 at no cost to viewers, the museum has announced.
Read MoreIn the past decade, leaders in America’s newsrooms have tried to find journalists who can help them understand the language, symbols and beliefs of Americans with different cultural backgrounds. An editor in Miami will want a large percentage of the staff to speak Spanish. What about reporters who can speak conversational “evangelical” or what some call “Christianese”?
Read MoreChina has introduced sweeping new regulations that strictly control how clergy from the country’s five state-recognized religions can operate online. The 18-article “Code of Conduct for Religious Clergy on the Internet” bans livestreaming, social media preaching, AI-generated religious content and all online outreach to minors.
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