Posts in News
Dispatches From Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenian Christians Flee Another Genocide

(ANALYSIS) The small Armenian Christian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh — locally known as Artsakh — has long been part of historical Armenia. Since December 2022, Artsakh has been under siege by neighboring Azerbaijan, and the world has largely ignored a prolonged assault on that peaceful community of 120,000 souls.

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West Side Story: Diverse NY Church Represents 5 Continents

The Upper West Manhattan Church of Christ worships God in rented space at Hostelling International’s Victorian-style building at the corner of West 103rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue. The 25-year-old congregation began meeting in a small karate studio in 1998 — in the community that, four decades earlier, inspired the Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim musical “West Side Story.” 

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Jail Ministry Coordinator Emily Cortina Talks Spiritual Needs And ‘God’s Merciful Love’

Chicago, like many American urban centers, has a troubled jail. Inmates and advocates have drawn attention to violence, overcrowding, a lack of access to hygiene products, a lack of medical services and other issues beleaguering Chicago's Cook County Jail. These circumstances make it difficult for inmates to maintain their physical and mental health, let alone nourish their spiritual needs. 

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Inside Jerusalem’s Etrog Market In Preparation For Sukkot

(ESSAY) Growing up in an assimilated Jewish home, I was ignorant of the most fundamental observances of Judaism’s holy days, I didn’t even know what an etrog was. It takes considerable learning to appreciate the holy fruit is a fair value at $55. I’ve been engaging in that self-education, one mitzvah at a time, for a few decades.

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Free Speech vs. Blasphemy Laws: Artists Charge Poland Stifles Their Freedom

In Poland, a country in which 84% percent of the population identifies as Catholic, according to the country’s National Statistical Office, “offending religious feelings” by “publicly outraging an object of religious worship or a place dedicated to the public celebration of religious rites” is a criminal offense under Article 196 of the Polish Penal Code.

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UAW President Shawn Fain Leans On His Christianity To Rally Auto Workers

United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain may have the power to cripple assembly lines — but he’s also not afraid to invoke a higher authority throughout the negotiating process. In fact, Fain has increasingly mixed his Christian beliefs with his labor rhetoric over the past few weeks.

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Jill Duggar Dillard Says Father Treated Her ‘Worse’ Than Pedophile Son

A new memoir by another child of Jim Bob Duggar contains some stunning revelations about the former “19 Kids and Counting” TV family. According to Jill Duggar Dillard, the fourth-eldest Duggar sibling, her parents treated her worse for exposing their verbal abuse and control than they treated her brother Josh for his pedophilia.  

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Gay Leaders To Speak During Unconditional Conference At Andy Stanley’s Church

North Point Community Church, led by pastor Andy Stanley, is hosting the Unconditional Conference, which is billed as a “premier event for Christian parents with LGBTQ+ children, ministry leaders and health care professionals.” The conference is being held Sept. 28 and 29 at the suburban Atlanta church.

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‘Not A Tame Lion’ Highlights The Life And Legacy Of Christian Historian John Boswell

Since his death in 1994, the gay Yale historian’s significance has continued to rise, both in academic and wider cultural circles. So it is not surprising that a documentary entitled “Not A Tame Lion” has been produced about his life and impact by filmmakers Craig Bettendorf and Kai Morgan.

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Decades-Long Azerbaijan-Armenia War Continues To Put Christians At Risk

(EXPLAINER) A day after Azerbaijan launched a military assault against ethnic Armenians in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, they halted their offensive on Wednesday following a ceasefire. Despite the temporary end to the hostilities, Christians in the region remain at risk following three decades of war.

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Trudeau Links India To Slaying Of Sikh Separatist Leader In Canada

(EXPLAINER) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused “agents of the government of India” of carrying out the assassination of a Sikh leader in British Columbia. Trudeau’s comments, which took place before the House of Commons on Monday, pointed the finger for the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar at India’s government “in no uncertain terms” based on intelligence reports.

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Mormons (And People Of Faith In General) More Likely To Be Fraud Victims

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ furtive investment strategy ultimately resulted in it being fined by the SEC earlier this year. The move likely stemmed from a deeply rooted belief that by keeping a low profile and minimizing how much it shared about its inner workings, the church could avoid criticism from hostile outside forces looking to attack it. 

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Sikh-Hindu Collaboration Revives Mosques in Indian Villages

In the serene landscapes of Punjab’s Barnala district in the northern part of India, the melodious Muslim call to prayer resounds throughout the day. While communal tensions and clashes occasionally make headlines, a different narrative unfolds in the villages of Kutba Bamaniya and beyond. Amid this backdrop, a pre-partition mosque stands tall as a symbol of history, resilience and a shared commitment to coexistence.

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Why Africa Needs Disciples, Not Just Converts

Churches of Christ in Accra, Ghana, are growing at such a rate that their members will account for 10% of the city’s population … in 1,273 years. That number may come as a shock to Western Christians who routinely hear reports of hundreds, even thousands of baptisms from evangelists in Africa — especially Ghana, considered to be an epicenter of Churches of Christ on the continent.

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30 Years After Rabin-Arafat Handshake, Flaws With The Oslo Accords Doomed Peace Talks

(ANALYSIS) On Sept. 13, 1993, the world watched as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands on the White House lawn. It was a stunning moment. The famous handshake between adversaries marked the beginning of what became known as the Oslo Accords, a framework for talks between Israeli and Palestinian representatives, mediated by U.S. diplomats.

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Religion And National Identity Linked In Southeast Asian Countries

Many Americans may think Buddhism is a philosophy tied to mindfulness and yoga — but across much of Southeast Asia, being Buddhist is an important part of national identity, a new study reveals. The same is also true of the region’s Muslim-majority nations.

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Sikh Temples A Lifeline For Flooded Areas Of The Himalayas

In the devastating Himalayan floods in India’s Himachal Pradesh, Sikh temples have emerged as bastions of support and assistance for those affected by the calamity. As nature unleashes its fury, gurdwaras — places of assembly and worship for Sikhs — across regions hit by flooding have opened their doors, hearts and kitchens to provide essential services.

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Interfaith Couples Overcome Challenges Thanks To ‘Dhanak of Humanity’ Initiative

Dhanak of Humanity was founded in 2004 by Asif Iqbal, who started it as a support group for interfaith couples in India, aimed at providing guidance and assistance to those facing challenges due to societal prejudices surrounding interreligious unions.

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