(ANALYSIS) For decades, the Turkish government has sent imams to work in mosques across Germany. But the German Ministry of the Interior recently announced that it had reached an agreement with the Turkish government to put an end to the practice.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Vatican’s decision to allow priests to bless couples in what they called “irregular relationships” continues to get lots of media attention, especially since it involves same-sex couples. Here’s how some Catholic priests who are active on social media and YouTube are explaining what it all means.
Read More(TRAVEL) In addition to its charming architecture, close proximity to nature and signature miniature canals, the city is known for the well-respected University of Freiburg. During my exchange program, I spent quite a bit of time in the university’s energy-efficient, futuristic-looking library.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in provides the latest details on a mass shooting at a Jehovah’s Witnesses hall in Germany. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreA small Yiddish music workshop in the 1990s became a wild success. So composer Alan Bern founded what is now known as Yiddish Summer Weimar, a five-week summer institute and festival for the study, creation and performance of Yiddish culture and music in the heart of Germany.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Despite Berlin’s reputation as Europe’s most secular city, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many Berliners have sought solace in religious communities and their rituals as a means of connection and control in a time of isolation and confusion.
Read More(ANALYSIS) German bishops have brought what they call reforms back to the forefront over the past few weeks with a series of moves that could forever change Roman Catholicism.
Read MoreBerliners are debating renaming Pacelliallee – a major street named after Rome-born Eugenio Pacelli, better known as Pope Pius XII, to honor former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (1898-1978). Pius XII served as a Vatican ambassador in Berlin and has been accused of anti-Semitism and sympathizing with Nazis during the Holocaust. Meir was Israel’s first and only female prime minister.
Read More(EXCERPT) “Jesus. A World History,” by Markus Spieker, is both a biography of Jesus and a historical narrative of his influence across the world.
Read More(OPINION) A husband and wife are being tried for their roles in the campaign of atrocities that ISIS, also known as Daesh, committed. Their prosecutions should serve as models for other justice systems.
Read MoreGermany’s influx of refugees since 2015 tends to spark discussions about how the country will change. Overlooked is the number of Christian immigrants, like many Eritreans. A group of Eritrean Orthodox Christians are borrowing an empty church for their services and helping orient the latest arrivals to their new lives in Germany.
Read MoreCOMMENTARY -- Can a non-believer write religion news stories? Here is evidence that they can, and can do so with professional skill.
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