President José Antonio Kast has elevated the Catholic chapel at La Moneda, expanding Masses to four times a week and regularly attending with First Lady María Pía Adriasola. His visible faith marks a shift from predecessor Gabriel Boric, highlighting religion’s renewed prominence within Chile’s presidential palace and in public life.
Read MoreEarlier this year, a 15-year-old walked through the gates of her high school in Kenya, wearing her hijab. The student and her parents had been assured by the principal that she could continue wearing it, just as she had throughout primary school. A few weeks later, that assurance fell apart. It has become part of a broader fight regarding religious freedom in the country.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As the United States approaches its 250th birthday this summer, the fight over “Rededicate 250” underscores a deeper question about the future of American democracy: Can a nation that is religiously diverse maintain a shared civic identity without elevating one tradition — in this case Christianity — above all others?
Read MoreThree Kuki-Zo Christian pastors were shot dead on May 13 after armed gunmen ambushed two vehicles travelling through Kangpokpi district in Manipur. The murders led Kuki-Zo organizations to suspect that a Naga militant faction may have carried out the attack in coordination with valley-based Meitei insurgent groups.
Read MoreIn just a few days, crowds are expected to descend on Washington for an explicitly Christian event, celebrating the U.S. 250th anniversary. Later this month, many churches will swap hymns for patriotic songs and dress their sanctuary in American flags, mingling patriotism and Christianity. When do these patriotic actions cross over into Christian Nationalism?
Read More(ANALYSIS) For centuries, stargazers of many kinds have debated the meaning of unidentified objects in the heavens and encounters with mysterious beings on earth. “Each new discovery, even every new theory, is held at first to have the most wide-reaching theological and philosophical consequences.
Read MoreMaria lives in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, along with her husband and four children, content with being farmers and living in the fields. But the 27-year-old woman, who did not want to be identified by her full name, has always faced persecution for being Christians. She isn’t alone. It’s the type of violence many in Africa have had to deal with for years.
Read MoreU.S. Protestant churchgoers say they’ve established several friendships with others in their church and are trying to use those relationships to grow their faith. Building relationships is one of eight areas that measure characteristics evident in believers who are progressing in spiritual maturity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Abortion has become a defining partisan issue, with Republicans generally anti-abortion and Democrats pro-abortion rights. Yet lawmakers like Charlie Baker, Susan Collins and Bob Casey show exceptions can succeed in some states. At the same time, long-term polling reveals growing support for abortion access across most religious groups.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Russell Brand, the erudite Englishman, is scheduled to stand trial in the U.K. on three counts of rape, three of sexual assault and one of indecent assault. He has pleaded not guilty to everything. He has also, in the meantime, become a Christian, moved to Florida and now he wants you to buy his book.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Mother’s Day in the U.S. now drives about $34 billion in spending, but its founder, Anna Jarvis, envisioned it as a day honoring mothers’ social and moral influence. From ancient traditions to modern activism, mothers have long been seen as protectors and advocates for peace — a legacy often overshadowed today.
Read MoreReligious minorities in India are in dire straits, facing persecution, lynching and other violence, according to a U.S. watchdog group. “Every day violence and calls for violence have become routine,” said Stephen J. Rapp, Former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice. “Throughout this grim history, it is seldom that the perpetrators have been held to account.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) When he was elected pope last May, Robert Prevost, who took the name Leo XIV, greeted the crowd with Christ’s words to his disciples: “Peace be with you.” Peace has become a central theme of the pontificate of the first American pope. In recent months, opposing the war in the Middle East, Leo has said that the “world is being ravaged by a handful of tyrants.”
Read MoreAn Alabama town honors Vietnam veterans during a memorial ceremony, reflecting deep ties between faith and military life in this part of the country. Residents and leaders have increasingly used Christian rhetoric to frame U.S. military actions in the Middle East, drawing both support and criticism over religion’s role in government and war.
Read MoreA massive amount of research confirms what your grandma has always told you: Go to church. It’s good for you. And if a church isn’t your scene, a temple, mosque, synagogue or gurdwara would also do. In fact, religious involvement is strongly associated with better mental, physical and social health outcomes, according to a new study.
Read More(ESSAY) Located in the countryside of Burgundy, it attracts over 50,000 guests a year — mostly young people between ages 16 and 35 — from all around the world. Together with the brothers, they follow a traditional monastic way of life: Three prayer times a day, characterized by silence and the well-known Taizé chants, simple meals, practical work and Bible study in the mornings.
Read MorePope Leo XIV’s first international apostolic journey was clouded by heated disputes with President Donald Trump, criticisms of appearing to appease the Islamist persecution of Christians and ongoing conflicts over homosexuality and polygamy among those who are members of the Catholic Church.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In India, Muslims and other religious minorities remain under attack. A new report identified credible evidence of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Assam and Uttar Pradesh states — violations which may amount to international offenses, including crimes against humanity.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Gen Z is driving a renewed interest in in-person life — from bookstores to churches — as a response to digital isolation. But this revival is fragmented, fueled by online subcultures and personal choice. While community is returning, it’s splintered into niche groups, creating connection within silos rather than a shared cultural or social life.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The popularity of musical biopics across both Hollywood and faith-based industries reflects the deep connection between religion and music in the shaping modern culture. It also reveals two different frameworks for interpreting that influence. Ideally, audiences can engage both and think more deeply about what each suggests for their own lives.
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