Posts tagged Christianity
‘Hand Of God’ Goal 40 Years Later: Should It Be Celebrated?

(ANALYSIS) Memorable goals are generally linked to the players who scored them. Few can be recalled without mention of the individual — or even the team — involved. Yet, two goals in one game 40 years ago have attained that status. One is known universally as the “Hand of God,” and the other is widely acknowledged as the “Goal of the Century.” Both were scored by Diego Maradona.

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Faith And Voting: How Trump’s Approval Is Trailing The 2024 Share

(ANALYSIS) It’s the “cry more, libs” approach for Republicans. A Democrat will demonize or mischaracterize the other side of the argument because this helps them justify their own voting choices. It really goes both ways. But now that we have data from the 2025 Cooperative Election Study, we can actually dig into how vote choices are relating to approval ratings of Donald Trump.

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65 Years Later, My Childhood Baseball Glove Still Catches Memories Of My Dad

(OPINION) Like many guys my age, I credit my dad for a love of the game that punctuated my formative years and beyond. It is because of his influence that I have successfully passed on an appreciation for baseball to my adult children and my grandchildren. While I’m grateful for that success, what matters to me more is helping them catch my love for their Creator.

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Crossroads Podcast: Bible Rainbow Vs. Pride Rainbow

Please rise, for the hymn of the day: “Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd; Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back. Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don’t win, it’s a shame. For it’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out, At the old ball game.”

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Oklahoma Pastor Ends Congressional Bid After Texting Scandal

Jackson Lahmeyer, the Tulsa pastor endorsed by President Donald Trump in the race for an open Oklahoma congressional seat, suspended his campaign Wednesday shortly after losing the president’s backing.

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New Study Reveals Americans Want A Religiously Diverse Nation

The multicultural excitement around soccer’s World Cup feels palpable in host cities across the nation and a recent survey shows that most Americans want the U.S. to be multicultural. But the celebrations at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey stand in stark contrast with the alleged inhumane conditions at the ICE facility just a few miles away.

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50% Of Pastors Support Special Church Observances For America 250

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, half of Protestant pastors say their churches should mark the occasion with special celebrations, according to Lifeway Research. While support for patriotic elements in worship continues to decline, most churches still recognize veterans, military families, or America’s heritage around Independence Day.

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‘SNL’ Alum Victoria Jackson Is Not Dead … Yet!

To understand what it’s like to be a Christian while approaching death, Culture Critic Joseph Holmes spoke with actor and writer Victoria Jackson. Jackson suffers from terminal breast cancer, and, with the knowledge that her life is going to end, she recently wrote “Not Dead Yet,” which tells the story of her life, her faith and how she is dealing with dying.

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A Shared Mourning Ritual Helped A US Soldier And Iraqi Find Common Ground

(ESSAY) As an anthropologist who studies social bonding during times of crisis, I now understand how cultural religious traditions — even when they seem different — can create unexpected connections. Many years after my military service, during the final days of my father’s life, my large family kept vigil beside him. Sitting with my siblings, mother and dozens of nieces and nephews, I told them this story.

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As Talarico Eyes Senate Bid, Religion Becomes A Texas Battleground

(ANALYSIS) Democrats hope Texas state legislator and Presbyterian seminarian James Talarico can win a U.S. Senate seat by appealing to religious voters. Republicans are highlighting his progressive positions on gender, sexuality, abortion, and church-state issues as evidence he is out of step with Texas conservatives.

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Chinese Police Raid Early Rain Covenant Church During Sunday Worship

Authorities in southwestern China launched a large-scale raid against Early Rain Covenant Church during its Sunday worship service on June 14, detaining dozens of believers, according to reports received by ChinaAid and a subsequent church statement.

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Prayers Continue For Centuries-Old Kievan Lavra In Kyiv

(ANALYSIS) I am back home, writing at my desk in the Southern Highlands after two weeks visiting Scotland, Ireland, Wales and thereabouts. I remain a bit jet-lagged, as is common for folks of my age, but there is work to be done.

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Religious Freedom Faces Growing Pressures Worldwide

A new Pew Research Center study found religious hostilities increased sharply around the world in 2023, driven by harassment of religious minorities and fallout from the Israel-Hamas war. Government restrictions on religion remained near record highs, an issue affecting billions of people across dozens of countries.

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The Pentagon’s Mormon Classification Revives Debate Over Christian Identity

(ANALYSIS) A recent decision by the U.S. Department of Defense has reopened one of the longest-running religious disputes in American history: Whether members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should be considered Christians. The controversy emerged after the Pentagon revised a list of religious affiliations available to military personnel.

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Donor-Advised Fund Foundation to Acquire Salem Media

For-profit Christian multimedia company Salem Media Group may soon become the property of a 501(c)(3). The Texas-based broadcaster — which owns the Salem Radio Network, the Salem Web Network, Salem Publishing, and conservative news websites RedState and Townhall — announced in a May press release that its board has approved a buyout by Waterstone, a Christian donor-advised fund foundation.

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Washington’s National Cathedral Serves As A Place For Reflection

As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday on July 4th, the neo-Gothic cathedral has emerged once again as one of the nation’s most symbolic gathering places. It’s not just a church, but also a civic sanctuary where Americans wrestle with questions of identity, memory, grief, hope and democracy.

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In Divided Sri Lanka, Monks Create Display Of Interfaith Unity

(ANALYSIS) A delegation of 12 Buddhist monks recently walked across Sri Lanka along with their adopted dog Aloka. People of all faiths in Sri Lanka, who have witnessed riots and bloodbaths in the past decade, welcomed them. Apart from Buddhist monks, Christian, Muslim and Hindu leaders joined the U.S.-based delegation during their week-long peace walk across the island nation.

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California-Based Christian University Launches $1 Billion Fundraising Campaign

A Pepperdine University spokesperson said the money raised will go toward strengthening academic programs, supporting faculty excellence, advancing scientific research and ethical AI innovation.

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Crossroads Podcast: Talarico’s Theology Draws Scrutiny During Senate Run

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico's theological views are drawing attention as he campaigns while preparing for Presbyterian ordination. Questions about the resurrection, abortion, sexuality, gender identity and denominational controversies could test whether his blend of progressive politics and Christianity resonates with voters.

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The Orthodox Book Lover Whose Store Affected Believers

(ANALYSIS) Metropolitan Saba Esper, leader of the Antiochian Orthodox archdiocese of North America, was searching for a rare book by Oliver Clement of Paris — the translation of a complex work written in French. While in Wichita two years ago, he went to Eighth Day Books to consult with owner Warren Farha.

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