Patriarch John X of Antioch delivered a powerful sermon at the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, addressing Christians in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the takeover by an Islamic rebel group.
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(ANALYSIS) The Justice Department is in a legal fight against Tennessee and, by extension, all 26 states with laws that forbid or restrict “gender-affirming” transition treatments for youths under the age of 18. Observers of the recent U.S. Supreme Court arguments in this United States v. Skrmetti case figure the Court will favor federalism, allowing states leeway for such limitations.
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A 15-year-old female student opened fire on Monday morning inside a study hall at a private Christian school in Wisconsin, killing a teacher and a student, authorities said. The shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, also wounded six others at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, including two students who were in critical condition.
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Despite this grim reality, church leaders in this nation of 2.3 million are not just in denial about this social crisis — but are also in denial about being in denial, leaving the desperately depressed with no one to give them the much-needed message of hope. Talking about suicide is taboo in many African societies and that includes Lesotho.
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Bible-engaged Christians are the most charitable people in the nation, and giving increases happiness among the generous, the American Bible Society said in releasing the last chapter of the 2024 State of the Bible.
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(OPINION) Usually, if we focus on the commonalities, we begin to find the hand of God working among us. If we major on our differences, we not only help the devil, but may come to imagine the other person is the devil.
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Ten Catholic priests and a seminarian were murdered during the six-year term of former Mexican President López Obrador that ended Sept. 30, the Catholic Multimedia Center said in its 2024 annual report.
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A rise in Bible sales coincides with reports by Lifeway Christian Resources and reflects a growing desire to learn more about God’s Word, say Bible study leaders and those in the industry. “It’s an interesting time,” said Andy McLean, publisher of Bibles and Reference for Lifeway. “We’ve seen a general increase in the last two or three years with the Bible market. There are a lot of unique types of Bibles.”
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As part of a comprehensive plan to protect children and other vulnerable populations in their care, churches and other ministries should conduct thorough background screenings. D.J. Paxton, CEO of Compass Abuse Prevention Services, explained the importance of background checks of an overall screening process for volunteers.
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(ANALYSIS) Changes in the film industry, and the changing demographics of family life in America, mean we’re likely to see a more movies in the future that are focused on faith. You might say the future of Christmas films is very much faith-based. One of the most fascinating things is the collapse of the Christmas movie and the rise of the faith-based genre happened around the same time.
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(ANALYSIS) Let’s start here: The people of Pensacola, North Carolina, are truly grateful for the waves of supplies, clothing, food and even Christmas gifts they have received from religious organizations, nonprofits, civic groups and businesses both large and small.
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Minnesota Christian parents are challenging a state law that blocks certain Christian colleges from a program that allows colleges to enroll high schoolers in tuition-free college credit courses.
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(ANALYSIS) The installation was a two-month project in religion, technology and art titled “Deus in Machina,” created at the University of Lucerne. The original Latin phrase literally means “god from the machine”; it refers to a plot device used in Greek and Roman plays, introducing a god to resolve an impossible problem or conflict facing the characters.
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(ANALYSIS) Christmas is a good news, bad news situation in Pensacola, a tiny community in the Cane River Valley, high in the mountains of North Carolina. The good news is that Hurricane Helene’s flooding — which washed away almost everything at the town's crossroads — was followed by waves of volunteers and relief shipments from churches, nonprofits and businesses large and small.
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An Ohio judge has issued a preliminary injunction against Dad’s Place and its pastor Chris Avell, preventing the church from using its first floor to shelter homeless people, even as temperatures are expected to plummet later this week.
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(ANALYSIS) Today, I am especially interested in what is happening with the Republican party in a post-Trump America. I have some data that offer a little bit of a window into who evangelicals might vote for when Trump’s name is not on the primary ballot.
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Two historic New Jersey churches won a preliminary injunction in federal court that blocks a policy excluding them from a funding program for historic buildings.
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Facing mounting debt and accreditation concerns, Episcopal-affiliated Saint Augustine’s University has eliminated 136 staff — about half its total workforce. The Triangle Business Journal reported the cuts were made as part of an emergency plan by the historically Black liberal arts school in Raleigh, North Carolina, to become compliant with its accreditation agency.
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Ukrainian Christians are resilient in the lingering war with Russia and yet optimistic of “a just peace,” Southern Baptist leader Dan Darling said on the heels of a weeklong tour of Ukraine and Poland.
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(OPINION) Today, in 2024, with centuries of historical evidence to show witchcraft accusations as false, nonfactual and harmful superstition, there are thousands of innocent people accused of witchcraft who are tortured and killed annually. Most of the accused are children, a few elderly women and people who can’t physically defend themselves.
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