Posts in News
The Religious Freedom Impacts Of The Texas Abortion Law

(ANALYSIS) The Texas abortion law could affect the religious liberties of those providing pastoral care for women considering abortion or Jews who, in accordance with Jewish teaching, seek an abortion to save the life of the mother.

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Belarus Brings Criminal Charges Against Church For Outdoor Worship

Officials are threatening Pastor Vyacheslav Goncharenko and other members of New Life Pentecostal Church in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, with administrative and criminal charges for continuing to hold meetings for worship in the open air in the church’s car park.

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India Setting Up 'Anti-terrorism Squads' After Taliban's Afghanistan Takeover

A state government in North India known for its Hindu-first moves is increasing its number of “anti-terrorism squads” in the wake of the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, a Muslim member of parliament appeared to support the Taliban on social media, sparking online harassment against Muslims.

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Where To Go After War: An Interview With Afghanistan, Iraq Veteran Fernando Arroyo

Executive Editor Paul Glader interviews Fernando Arroyo about his time as a soldier in Afghanistan, dealing with the trauma of war, the loss of friends and what rehabilitation can look like at the Orange County Rescue Mission after the 20-year conflict.

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In Russia, Religious Minorities Face Curfews, Movement Restrictions, Job Bans After Jail

Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims in Russia jailed on "extremism"-related charges for exercising freedom of religion or belief face years of restrictions and stigma after the sentence ends, including blocked bank accounts, restricted movement and voting rights, harsher penalties for another offense and more. This means that the religious lives, health, reputations and finances – of people who have not engaged in any violent activity or infringed upon the human rights of others – could be adversely affected for well over a decade.

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Jesus Show ‘The Chosen’ Is Inviting Fans To Be Extras

Hot off the success of its second season, Jesus series “The Chosen” is inviting fans to be in the crowd of 5,000 Jesus miraculously feeds in the third season’s adaptation of the gospels. Fans shouldn’t expect to spend time with Jesus for free, however.

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Kabul Airport Attacks Strand Afghan Contacts Of Christian Humanitarians

One of the families at the gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul Thursday had gone there with papers John and Jan Bradley helped them acquire and a letter the retired Air Force general had written for them. As of late Thursday afternoon, the news from Afghanistan was not good. And not clear.

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Out Of Nowhere, Afghanistan Might Be The Biggest Religion Story Of The Year

This week’s Weekend Plug-in starts with the deadly explosions that rocked the Kabul airport as the U.S. military attempts to evacuate thousands. Besides the Afghanistan news, catch up, as always, on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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In Orthodox Georgia, Women Are Pioneering Tourism To A Muslim Valley Hit Hard By War

After more than two decades struggling with a post-Soviet economic recession and destabilization brought on by war and anti-terrorist operations, Georgia’s Pankisi Valley is rebuilding its reputation and attracting tourists — enough to secure a coveted spot in the world’s most popular guidebook, “Lonely Planet,” in 2020.

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Female Muslim Activists Become Targets Of Online Harassment

A fake online auction targeted Muslim women in India with derogatory language, harassment and rape threats. Muslim women activists who endure frequent cyber bullying from Hindu nationalist online trolls say it’s far from an isolated incident in India.

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Flood Swamps Tennessee Church’s Building — For The Second Time

The Pinewood Church of Christ in Nunnelly, Tenn., had to rebuild after devastating floods swamped the Volunteer State in May 2010. More than a decade later, a deluge again has ravaged the Hickman County congregation’s meeting place.


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Docuseries: Kashmiri Hindus Talk Hindu-Muslim Peace After Fleeing Violence

A displaced Kashmiri Hindu family talks to show host Harshita Rathore 30 years after fleeing anti-Hindu violence in India’s Muslim-majority Kashmir region, their ancestral home. This is the second episode in the docuseries “The Dinner Table” produced by Newsreel Asia in partnership with ReligionUnplugged.


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Catholic Bishops, Church Charities Pledge To Help Afghan Refugees

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced its cooperation with the U.S. government to organize and process the tens of thousands of Afghan refugees entering the country as the U.S. withdraws troops and the Taliban assumes control over Afghanistan.

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Young Afghans speak out about rapidly changing life under the Taliban

Afghans in and outside the capital describe scenes of violence, deteriorating living conditions and shrinking personal freedoms amid the Taliban’s rise to power with the U.S. troop withdrawal set to complete on Aug. 31.

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Afghan government collapses, Taliban seize control: 5 essential reads

(ANALYSIS) The Taliban – which means “the students” in Pashto – seized control of Afghanistan in 1996 after capturing Kabul in the Afghan civil war. The Taliban regime was then toppled in 2001 by the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan. Here, Afghanistan experts offer insight into the Taliban – then and now – and explain the United States’ role in Afghanistan’s collapse.

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As Afghan government collapses, Christians work to help volunteers leave

John and Jan Bradley have spent years building schools and trying to improve life in war-torn Afghanistan. Amid the Taliban’s takeover after U.S. troops withdrew, they are helping other volunteers and colleagues evacuate the country. Anyone who helped the Bradleys is in danger.

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As American News Suffers Declines, Amish Newspapers Flourish In Print

Die Botschaft is a weekly tabloid newspaper, loosely translated to The Messenger, with a national circulation of 16,000. While its name is in Pennsylvania Dutch, the newspaper is printed in English and features letters, lots of letters of about five- to-eight column inches in length, from across the nation.

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