The Travels of Guðríður Símonardóttir tells the little-known story of an Icelandic woman in the 17th century who was captured by North African pirates. She was enslaved at a harem in Algiers until ransomed, then married Iceland’s most famous poet. His hymns, inspired by the couple’s suffering, are still sung in churches and at funerals.
Read MoreHindu nationalists are trying to stop a Catholic parish’s proposed 114-feet-high granite Jesus statue atop a hill in rural South India, sparked by a large Christmas land donation from a Hindu politician. The archbishop of Bangalore sought the state chief minister’s intervention this week to continue the $1.5 million project.
Read MoreCrowds of Romanians gathered on the coast of the Black Sea to watch priests bless holy water and throw three crosses into the water, representing God in the trinity of father, son and holy spirit. Then the race in near-freezing water began to retrieve a cross, believed to bring its owner blessings in the new year.
Read MoreThe coalition backing President Donald Trump officially launched on Jan. 3 at El Rey Jesús, a Miami megachurch. The coalition was announced in the aftermath of a Christianity Today editorial that called for Trump’s removal from office.
Read MoreAmid rising attacks against American Jews, many Modern Orthodox synagogues in New York are grappling with how to ensure security within their houses of worship while remaining compliant with their religious laws.
Read MoreHundreds of mourners, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, paid tribute to volunteer security team member Richard White, who died Sunday in a shooting at West Freeway Church of Christ near Fort Worth, Texas.
Read MoreThousands gathered in the small Muslim neighborhood of Shaheen Bagh on the outskirts of India’s capital to protest against the new citizenship law that excludes Muslim migrants and a proposed citizenship register, calling Jan. 1 a “black day” rather than a holiday.
Read MoreThe Media Project staff, board and members worldwide submitted nominations for the best efforts in religion journalism that we admired most in 2019.
Read MorePreacher Britt Farmer lost his best friend in the Sunday shooting at a Church of Christ near Fort Worth. At the same time, the close-knit congregation 10 miles west of Fort Worth had beefed up its security team and trained members for a real-life nightmare such as this.
Read MoreThe congregation of West Freeway Church of Christ, about 280 people, came together a day after a gunman killed two of their flock and an armed member fatally shot him.
Read MoreAmid a global trend of increasing anti-semitism, attacks have been reported on an almost daily basis throughout Hanukkah in New York City. Faith leaders there met to discuss what to do about it.
Read MoreSince launching in February, the Religion Unplugged team has been thrilled with our readers’ responses. We’re also proud to have won an Editor & Publisher award in our first year for best culture and entertainment news for websites under 1 million monthly views. Thank you for reading!
Read MoreA gunman opened fire during the Lord’s Supper at a Church of Christ in Texas Dec. 29, killing two worshipers. Armed members immediately returned fire and killed the shooter at the West Freeway Church of Christ in the Fort Worth suburb of White Settlement.
Read MoreChristians from different denominations plan to walk a 500 km route over 14 days to honor the late Church of Uganda archbishop Janani Luwum, murdered in 1977 by the brutal regime of Uganda’s former dictator Idi Amin Dada. Luwum was one of the most influential leaders of Christianity in Africa at the time of his death and a fierce critic of the Ugandan government’s abuses.
Read MoreA Torah scroll that survived the destruction of the Jewish community in Ozorkow, Poland was recently refurbished and will be rededicated at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on Jan. 5.
Read MoreThe museum’s famed nativity creche, currently on display through January 6, features the baby Jesus with a radiant halo surrounded by figures that range in size from 12 to 15 inches in height.
Read MorePresident Trump’s latest executive order aligns with his Education Department’s previous action against a Middle East studies program at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As advocates in different corners of the Israel-Palestine and anti-semitism debates gird themselves for more legal fights, those who’ve experienced the aftermath of the one launched in September say discord has worsened.
Read MoreA new citizenship law that excludes Muslim migrants is the latest and boldest move by India’s Hindu nationalist government, igniting protests by Indians who support the country’s secular founding and worry about increasing authoritarianism in the world’s largest democracy.
Read MoreThe whistleblower distanced himself from the public exposure of the case by his twin brother. After pointing reporters to its frequently asked questions about finances on Monday, The LDS Church published a statement on Tuesday and then posted three short videos to YouTube on Friday. And past and present members of the LDS Church discussed the allegations widely online as the story spread through traditional and social media.
Read MoreA surprising editorial from the evangelical magazine Christianity Today called for President Donald Trump’s removal from office. Reactions have ranged from shock to shrugs, including disagreement about how surprising the piece was.
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