Liberty University makes cuts amid falling enrollment

The reason for the cuts appears to be more related to falling enrollment after the Liberty president Jerry Falwell Jr.’s support for President Donald Trump than the economic impacts of the coronavirus.

New Zealand Crushed COVID-19: How Māori and Pacific Faith Groups Helped

Thanks to geographic isolation, decisive leadership and some luck, New Zealand has so far deflected a COVID-19 crisis. Church leaders in the island’s Māori and Pacific Islander communities have been key to this success, at times ahead of the government response while caring for the vulnerable in their flocks.

Israel launches investigation into evangelical TV channel

Since GOD TV launched its Hebrew-language Shelanu Television on April 29, the international Christian media network has sparked an uproar in Israel over the clash between media freedom and the state’s concerns about missionary activity.

New research says religion can prevent COVID-19 'deaths of despair'

Two separate studies were published recently about how lower mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to more premature death. While one study estimates 75,000 Americans are at risk of dying by suicide, another finds that regular religious services attendance lessens the likelihood of a fatal mental health illness.

Inside The $100 Million Russian Church Meant To Honor Putin, Stalin And War

(REVIEW) The church was planned to open May 9 on the 75th anniversary of Russia’s “Victory Day” celebrating the Nazi surrender and end of WWII but postponed during the coronavirus pandemic. The church’s architecture resembles military missiles, iron steps are forged from melted German weapons, and figures like Stalin, responsible for murders of thousands of faithful and clergy, were originally planned to feature inside the sanctuary alongside saints.

National Day of Prayer features interfaith prayers for revival

On this day for 68 years, tens of thousands of Americans, evangelicals in particular, have gathered in public places and churches to pray for their leaders and their communities. This year for the first time, many hosts have canceled the event or shifted online, which has encouraged other Christian denominations and even other faith groups to join or organize parallel events.

Islamic and Hindu Customs Wipe Out Need for Toilet Paper

Spray nozzles called bum guns, water pots called lotas in South Asia and bidets have been keeping behinds clean for many years without toilet paper, in line with Islamic and Hindu texts urging purification of the body with water.

Rift between Detroit archdiocese and LGBTQ group highlights Catholic divide

The fight is the latest salvo in the ongoing war between traditional forces within American Catholicism and the LGBTQ community trying to push the church to more progressive positions on an array of social issues. The Catholic church considers sexual activity between members of the same sex to be a sin.

Israeli teen becomes first girl to win World Bible Quiz in more than a decade

Cohen, an 11th grader, beat 72 teenagers from 41 countries. The 14-18-year-old contestants competed remotely from their home countries. The event, broadcast on Israeli state TV, also sparked some controversy this year.

The Moroccan school training women imams to combat extremism

Institutes for training imams are common across Africa, but the Rabat-based Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams stands out because it welcomes female students to become spiritual guides. Since the late-1990s, Morocco has promoted moderate Islam to push back against radicalism at home and as an antidote to the Wahhabi tradition of Saudi Arabia with its links to Salafi jihadism. Morroco’s King Mohammed VI believes women are part of the solution.

Religious Nonprofits in 'Evangelical Mecca' Face Unprecedented Challenges

The coronavirus pandemic has confronted ministries with an unprecedented triple whammy: declining donations, unexpected expenses for sanitation and remaking workplaces for remote employees, and challenges in delivering their services, some of which are more needed now.

For Virtual Ramadan, American Muslims creating mini-mosques at home

On April 24, the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims welcomed their most important holiday with the appearance of the new moon. Usually, they would spend 30 days fasting, studying the Quran and enjoying celebratory “iftars,” evening meals with tables full of food and homes full of family and friends. This year, none of that is happening in the usual ways.

COVID-19 Forces Holocaust Survivors to Relive Self-Isolation

For Holocaust survivors, including some who later lived under Communist rule, COVID-19 has brought a mixed bag of old traumas sparked anew, depression and anxiety, isolation and fear, but also reminders of the traits that sustained them through difficult periods in their lives.

Two secular New Yorkers visited the Samaritan’s Purse field hospital: One volunteered, the other was arrested

A neighbor of the field hospital and an area activist had sharply different reactions to Franklin Graham’s organization setting up an emergency medical facility in Central Park.

Tacos to tote bags: churches partner with small businesses during COVID-19

As lockdowns largely halt the economy, small businesses are bracing for the worst. A creative church on the East coast and a faith-based rehabilitation center on the West coast have found ways to boost local business in their COVID-19 relief efforts.

Christian Colleges Face Uncertain Future Amid COVID-19

Nearly a third of America’s public and private universities were already operating at a deficit before the coronavirus pandemic. Now the crisis threatens the survival of the weaker institutions in higher education, and even those that survive will emerge weaker as they struggle with destructive ripple effects for years. Here’s how Christian colleges are coping.

In a pandemic, a Buddhist chaplain’s zen practice becomes purpose

Jamie Kimmel’s training and prior experience as a hospice chaplain couldn’t have prepared him for the ways this crisis is changing how he works. He’s rationing personal protective equipment and relying on reduced public transportation for his commute. At his hospital, he comforts COVID-19 patients by phone as they grapple with existential questions and the possibility of death, all while separated from loved ones.

The Evangelical PhD Student Convincing Christians To Care About Climate Change

While white evangelicals are the least likely religious group to view global warming as a crisis, there is a growing movement of evangelicals like Michelle Frazer who not only care about the impacts of climate change, but perhaps more significantly, are appealing to conservative Christians in ways that the secular, left-leaning environmental movement hasn’t.

A butcher by name, this Muslim surgeon saves lives across battle lines

Dr. Mohammed Elgazzar has served in medical missions to war-torn Sierra Leone, Sudan, Syria and more, saving lives without regard to the beliefs of the wounded. His faith inspires him. “The Quran is not coming from Allah just to be read,” he said. “It is not enough to see pain and feel sad. You have to do something about it,” he said. “That is my religion.”

One evangelical’s mission to promote 'creation care'

A spiritual experience in the desert set Mitch Hescox on a path toward igniting Christians to care for the environment. Caring about environmental issues like climate change and pollution is about caring for the least of these in society, and that’s the only way to be truly pro-life, he argues.

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