A new exhibit, “Kingdom of David and Solomon Discovered” — on display now through Jan. 31, 2025, in the lobby of the Armstrong Auditorium in Edmond, Oklahoma — reflects on the panoply of the royal house of Judah, whose influence extended from Tyre in ancient Phoenicia, today Lebanon, to Sheba or Saba, in what is modern-day Yemen and Ethiopia. On display are 49 outstanding artifacts illuminating the material culture of those Hebrew monarchs.
Read More“Dune: Part Two” has been a massive hit at the box office, making back the first movie’s entire ticket take on its opening weekend and narrowly beating the opening of “Oppenheimer.” And with a Rotten Tomatoes critical and audience score over 90%, many are already calling it one of the best sequels of all time. Here’s what the movie says about religion and those who practice it.
Read MoreMinisters and church leaders traveled to a Nebraska farming town to pray, fellowship and brainstorm ideas for revival at a time of declining numbers, post-pandemic challenges and political polarization.
Read MoreOver the past decade, the American Bible Society spent nearly $100 million to build and operate a state-of-the-art interactive museum in Philadelphia that explains the role of the Bible and a Christian worldview in the nation’s founding, as well as in the ongoing history of the nation. At the end of this month, the museum will permanently close.
Read MoreThis decision, Catholic Charities v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission, might at first glance seem to be yet another boring administrative matter. That’s far from being the case. In fact, the outcome raises the bar for all religions to show that their charity arms deserve such exemptions in the state.
Read MoreSaint Joseph's Day — celebrated each year on March 19 — continues to hold immense significance for Italians. Intertwining religious devotion, cultural heritage and values such as family, the feast day serves as a reminder of Saint Joseph’s crucial role as the embodiment of fatherhood. And Italians commemorate the day with plenty of food.
Read MoreOn this Friday afternoon, an Oklahoma church’s usual, angelic a cappella gives way to the guitar riffs of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.” Volunteers wearing hairnets, plastic gloves and T-shirts that say “Jesus ♥ You” congregate around plastic tables. In unison, the crowd proclaims, “PROTEIN! VEGETABLES! SOY! RICE!” as they fill and seal plastic bags labeled MannaPack.
Read More(OPINION) It is one thing to push pills that could lead to death because of overdose or abuse. It is another thing to push pills that are designed to kill. But that’s just what one young pop star is doing – a pop star with 36.7 million Instagram followers. I’m speaking of Olivia Rodrigo.
Read MoreMaureen Gaffney Wolfson opened The Maureen Gaffney Wolfson Fine Art Gallery in December 2023. Though it may have originated from heartbreak, her paintings are full of color, light, and, perhaps most critically, the divine. “I started painting out of heartbreak,” said Wolfson. “It was therapy for me. Then it became a hobby. Then it became a career.”
Read MorePastor Billy Glover sought the best Gospel witness when 3 minutes and 52 seconds of totality covers Steel City Church in the solar eclipse April 8. He’s offering baptisms in total darkness in the church parking lot.
Read More(TRAVEL) Sitting snugly at the start of the escarpment taking visitors up from the floor of the Great Rift Valley, not far from Kenya’s capitol Nairobi, is Mai Mahiu Catholic Church, otherwise known as the “Travelers’ Chapel.” Older generations call the place as “Msikiti,” which means mosque. One of Africa’s smallest churches, in fact, dates back to World War II when it was built by Italian prisoners of war.
Read MoreVictor Lyons’ work in collecting information for the 2020 Census made it clear to him that Wilcox County reflected the burgeoning Spanish-speaking population of South Georgia. The pastor of First Avenue Baptist Church will officially add another title this Sunday as pastor of Iglesia Vida Abundantè (Abundant Life) Church, which will meet in First Avenue’s sanctuary.
Read More(REVIEW) This film is not just a historical overview of the growth of Orthodox Christianity in America’s northernmost state among Native Alaskans; it also captures the fusion of Native Alaskan culture and Orthodox spirituality. The film shows what we can learn from Alaskan Orthodoxy. Becoming fully human, caring for the land and the animals are main themes discussed in this documentary. These lessons are not just important for Orthodox Christians, but for all human beings.
Read MoreThe vast majority of U.S. adults say religion’s role in public life has declined — and a very large number of them are not happy about it. A new Pew Research Center report revealed the stark finding that 80% of U.S. adults agree with the statement that the role of faith in everyday American life is shrinking.
Read MoreComparable to I.M. Pei’s iconic pyramid that transformed the entrance to the Louvre, the glass-and-steel structure is a minimalist, less-is-more architectural triumph that redefines the orientation of the museum's galleries and just about everything else in this historic cultural hub. Located in a sprawling structure that once served as a palace and fort.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Holy Week and Easter are perhaps the most important days in the Christian calendar. Many associate those celebrations with church services, processions, candles, incense, fasting and penances. However, there is another tradition that many Christians follow — that of tattooing.
Read MoreWhile a majority of American evangelicals may be united by fundamental spiritual beliefs, they are by no means in agreement on a variety of hot-button subjects, according to a new study. Eight months before the 2024 presidential election that will feature a rematch between President Biden and Donald Trump, the report brings into sharper focus what evangelicals think about a host of issues that could impact the election.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Remember that time Ireland had a pope? You probably don't. Because it never happened. Despite Ireland's rich monastic and missionary traditions — along with its hard-fought struggle to maintain the Catholic religion — there has never been an Irish pope. Italy, of course, has had hundreds of popes. France has had 15 and the Germans half a dozen.
Read MoreAcutely aware of the painful history of Christian participation and complicity in antisemitism, and a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents nationally and globally, Christian scholars and clergy are calling for a new level of reflection and accountability for churches, starting from the pulpit.
Read More(EXPLAINER) India has implemented a new citizenship law that excludes Muslims, a religious minority, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. Although the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed five years ago by the country’s parliament, it was not enacted at the time due to the pandemic.
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