Global South Anglicans are experiencing a "volcano of growth" and remain "at loggerheads" with the shrinking churches of the United Kingdom, North America and other Western nations. While most Global South bishops serve growing flocks — roughly 75% of active worshippers in the 77-million-member Anglican Communion — many Western bishops lead what Goodhew called "micro-dioceses" with under 1,000 active members or "mini-dioceses" with fewer than 5,000.
Read MoreAmid increased attacks against migrants, faith-based groups around South Africa are launching several projects to counter xenophobia. The interfaith community has developed a national Hate Crimes Working group that is speaking out against violent attacks and providing practical help to victims.
Read MoreFor years, Fairfax church members — including older Christians such as Harrington, Jan Johnson and Juanita Wheeler — have connected in person with immigrants through FriendSpeak. But when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown came in the spring of 2020, face-to-face studies with friends from China, El Salvador, Syria and elsewhere became impossible.
Read More(OPINION) Religious and political ethics lecturer Andrew DeCort writes extensively on the issues Ethiopia is facing with the expressed interest to be a bridge-builder. While I applaud his passion for being a bridge-builder and advocating for peace, I disagree, particularly, with his bold claim that “Christian nationalism is tearing Ethiopia apart.”
Read MoreCatholic leaders in Africa said Pope Francis’ visit to South Sudan is long awaited and could help push the political players to a settlement. The wider Catholic community in Africa is in a state of frustration over Francis’ decision to cancel and postpone his planned visit to the crises-ravaged nations of Congo and South Sudan after opting to go ahead with his trip to Canada.
Read MoreReligionUnplugged.com interviewed 11 children celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18 from Botswana, South Africa, Nigeria and India about the late president of South Africa. Mandela spent 27 years of his life incarcerated for his fight against racial discrimination against Black people by the South African apartheid government.
Read More(OPINION) A massacre occurred during a Sunday mass, but it wasn’t an ordinary Sunday — this was the great feast of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. What’s more, the gunmen didn’t strike in tense northern Nigeria, where Christian communities are isolated in a majority-Muslim region. This 30-minute attack was inside St. Francis Catholic Church, located in the safer southwestern state of Ondo.
Read MoreKenyan Christians are organizing prayer caravans to quell violent hostilities during the country’s presidential campaign season. This time around, denominational leaders are remaining politically neutral in their public statements. This empowers the church to be a force for civility and peace.
Read MoreSome churches and religious organizations have adopted the government’s theme in their events and preaching. To highlight the importance of education, it has become a norm for the older generation to go to work or attend church services and business meetings wearing school uniforms. This significant event has drawn the world’s attention to South Africa since 1976.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Tom Catena, an American Catholic, has worked as a doctor for 14 years in the the Nuba Mountains in Sudan — a desolate, rebel-held area that was bombed repeatedly from 2011 until 2018 by the Khartoum government when Omar al-Bashir was president.
Read More(OPINION) On June 2, the U.S. State Department delivered its annual report to Congress on international religious freedom. The report identifies the numerous challenges to the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized some of the main findings of this in-depth research into the situation around the world.
Read More(OPINION) On Pentecost Sunday in Owo, Nigeria, a horrifying massacre took place at St. Francis Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the St. Francis church massacre is only the latest outrageous account of anti-Christian terrorism in Nigeria. There have been countless others.
Read MoreIn Kenya, an especially noxious scandal involved “pastors” making robocalls to people promising miracles in exchange for donations. The harder the miracle, the larger the donation. In 2014, in the wake of a fake miracle spree, the government of Kenya tried to sharply curtail the freedom of fake pastors to operate.
Read MoreAmerican journalists have been fascinated by Kalenjin runners for decades, and their explanations for Kenyan dominance in running have included training, culture, biology and diet. However, one factor remains little explored or understood in media coverage: The spiritual lives of the Kalenjin runners have received scant attention.
Read MoreWeekend Plug-in features a reporter roundtable on this week’s bombshell news: the leaked draft of a Supreme Court opinion that would reverse Roe v. Wade. Plus, as always, catch up on all the week’s best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom launched its annual report describing events in 2021 — a detailed document focusing on more than two dozen countries that are engaging in or tolerating religious freedom violations. Their report also offers suggestions and recommendations, while providing information regarding 15 specific prisoners of conscience for whom USCIRF commissioners have personally advocated.
Read More(ANALYSIS) As a child, the late Mwai Kibaki was taken to school by Consolata Missionaries because he did not have the strength for the back-breaking tasks of peasant farming and looking after animals. Those early interactions with Catholics became evident in Kibaki’s moderate dealings as a lecturer, politician and eventual president of Kenya.
Read More(OPINION) Egypt is a country of contrasts when it comes to all kinds of human rights, including religious freedom. Egyptian Christians attended Easter service boldly, in spite of the looming threat posed by extremists and problematic laws. Still, many Christians would argue that it’s the most free and peaceful time they’ve known.
Read MoreIn a West African country of 21 million, Burkina Faso, a militia group formed by the government in 2020 to help defend rural communities from terrorism is a controversial — and interfaith — force.
Read MoreNamed La’eeb — which FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, said is “an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player” — the World Cup mascot triggered plenty of confusion and scorn on social media. But the mascot was primarily an homage to Arab garments known as the “keffiyeh” and “thawb.”
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