When Amy Coney Barrett was nominated to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, it wasn’t all that surprising when her Notre Dame Law School colleagues offered high praise for her work. Earlier, when she was nominated to the 7th Circuit in Chicago, every single member of that faculty signed an endorsement letter stating, in part: “Amy is a role model for all of us, and will be a model of the fair, impartial, and sympathetic judge."
Read MoreDeMeco Ryans’ sermon coincided with the start of Vacation Bible School at Fifth Ward, just off heavily traveled Interstate 10 in view of high-rises and Daikin Park, home of MLB’s Houston Astros. The church — about 11 miles from NRG Stadium, where the Texans play — traces its roots to the 1930s tent revivals of the famous traveling evangelist Marshall Keeble.
Read MoreAt a Virginia church, Minister Chess Cavitt preached a message emphasizing the importance of the Lord’s Supper before worshipers — about 50 in all — rose from their seats and gathered on all sides of four tables. Believers greeted fellow Christians with handshakes and hugs — and gazed into each other’s eyes as they ate of the bread and drank of the cup.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of the crucial services the Rev. Tony Marr provides as the leader of the Higher Ministries consulting firm is to connect young pastors — fresh out of seminaries and Bible colleges — with churches that need new leaders. There's a problem. Most of these churches seeking pastors have fewer than 150 members and are considered “small churches” in the Protestant marketplace.
Read MoreLike father, like son — or in the case of Kenneth Copeland, like grandfather, like grandson. Which may be why Jeremy Pearsons, Copeland’s grandson, is “believing God” — and his Legacy Church congregation in a tiny Colorado mountain town — for a $2 million private jet.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If we agree that on-screen depictions of Jesus that add things to Scripture aren’t automatically evil, then “The Chosen” actually comes out seeming like something of a miracle. It sticks pretty darn close to Scripture when it comes to Jesus’ own words and actions, mostly developing other characters. And what it does add to Jesus’ words is within the realm of typical Christian orthodoxy.
Read More(REVIEW) When it comes to U2, perhaps the only thing harder to find than a nuanced opinion of them is an accurate portrayal of their faith. It was a shock to some that the Dublin-based band — who became big in the 1980s — refused to be pigeonholed as apologists for Irish nationalism. Anyone who looks at their religious makeup shouldn’t have been surprised.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The central government’s gazette notification for India’s upcoming 2027 census omits the word “caste.” This, despite earlier public assurances that caste data would be collected. The absence of explicit mention has triggered accusations of deliberate evasion. Is the reluctance tied to the disruptive potential of a full caste enumeration—one that could unsettle the ideological foundations of Hindu nationalist politics?
Read More(OPINION) It’s all untelling, this God thing. The whole weekend I had an inexpressible sense of God’s realness, God’s omnipresence, God’s utter majesty. God is a mystery. If you think you’ve got the answers … well, no, you don’t.
Read More(ANALYSIS) All that and more underscores the significance of a long-awaited and definitive new biography, out now: “Joseph Smith: The Rise and Fall of an American Prophet” (Yale University Press) by historian John G. Turner of George Mason University. It is the first biography to benefit from official publication of the 27-volume Joseph Smith Papers.
Read MoreWhile only 20% of U.S. adults currently identify as Catholic by religion, millions more hold cultural, familial or historical ties to the church. Among those who identify as Catholic by religion, levels of observance differ. Only 13% reported never or rarely engaging in any of the faith’s core practices. The vast majority — 74% — fall somewhere in between, the report said.
Read MoreAfter a half-decade marked by upheaval, many Christian communities across the United States are showing signs not only of recovery but of renewed vitality, a new study released on Monday revealed. The report looks at a large and diverse sample of American churchgoers say their faith is stronger, their churches more vibrant and their involvement more consistent than at any point.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Compared to Europe, where many sainthood causes benefit from institutional support, funding and access to the Vatican, Africa faces unique challenges. Canonization is a complex and costly process. It requires documentation, verification of miracles and years of advocacy. Local dioceses may lack the resources to keep these causes moving forward. In the end, many African Catholics feel like their voices and stories have been left on the margins.
Read More(OPINION) As a historian of Christianity, I have studied how religion has been manipulated to bless empires. In the year 325, Constantine declared himself Christian and forged the Christian Empire. In 800, the Pope crowned Charlemagne, merging the power of church and state. During colonial expansion, Christianity was exported alongside conquest and commerce.
Read MoreThe canonizations of the two young saints — one from the early 20th century, the other the first 21st-century saint — have been greatly anticipated due to the great devotion among the faithful.
Read MoreAt its annual meeting in the Dallas, the nation’s largest Protestant nomination tackled social issues such as same-sex marriage, online porn and sports betting.
Read MoreSouthern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley spoke with reporters about unity, transparency and Gospel mission during a press conference held minutes following the SBC Annual Meeting.
Read MoreFor nearly 100 years, the Central Church of Christ preached the Gospel and welcomed the vulnerable. Now, the one-time downtown anchor — founded by A.M. Burton, great-grandfather of Grammy-winning singer Amy Grant — faces an uncertain future. Former members attribute the changes to Shawn Mathis, who became the Central church’s third elder in 2017.
Read More“Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta” is on display at the Stanley Spencer Gallery, in the former Wesleyan chapel on Cookham High Street, where the artist worshipped as a child. But, for the first time, this exhibition brings together drawings, studies and related paintings from his Regatta series that give insight into how he planned and painted it.
Read MoreAs African migration — driven largely by economic hardship and the search for better opportunities — continues to grow, churches are becoming more than just places of worship. In fact, churches have evolved into spiritual lifelines and vital community hubs that help preserve cultural identity, reinforce moral values and provide a sense of belonging far from home.
Read More
