Religious Freedom: New Report Paints A Grim Global Picture

Millions continue to suffer religious persecution globally, with wars and civil conflicts exacerbating already existing ills in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the U.S. State Department documented in its 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom. The report attempts to present an overview of persecution by governments, extremists and members of society, relying on information from government officials, religious groups, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, academia and the media.

St. Vitus Day: 5 Serbian Orthodox Monasteries To Explore When Visiting Kosovo

Kosovo is a region in the heart of Europe that offers visitors an amazing journey through nature, history and religion. Despite its rich history and beautiful views, tourists had avoided Kosovo for years because of the ethnic conflict between Albanians and Serbs.

Crossroads Podcast: What Religion Questions Do Biden And Trump Want To Avoid?

The timing was awkward, to say the least, for the recording of this week’s “Crossroads” podcast. Lutheran Public Radio listeners who heard this chat live heard us discussing an alleged “debate” between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump that had not yet taken place. Ditto for anyone who immediately downloaded the Issues, Etc., audio file.

‘The Exorcism’ Review: Why It Fails To Deliver On Its Brilliant Meta Premise

(REVIEW) “The Exorcism” is a beautifully shot and smartly conceived meta-take on the exorcism genre. Unfortunately, instead of developing or paying off its ideas, it abandons them in favor of an unreflective string of the very cliches it spent the rest of the movie deconstructing. Russell Crowe stars as Anthony Miller, a washed-up actor out of rehab trying to reconnect with his troubled daughter.

Supreme Court Allows Emergency Abortions In Idaho In Limited Ruling

In a 5-4 vote, the U.S. Supreme Court sent the case of Idaho and Moyle v. U.S. back to the Ninth Circuit Court in a ruling released on Thursday. The case involves a conflict between state law and the Biden Administration’s use of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act.

Oklahoma’s High Court Blocks First Religious U.S. Charter School

The Oklahoma Supreme Court blocked on June 25 a publicly funded religious charter school that would have been the first in the U.S. The state’s contract creating a religious charter school violates state and federal law and is unconstitutional, the court wrote, siding with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond in his challenge to the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School.

St. Vitus Day: Why The Feast Is So Important To Orthodox Serbs

(EXPLAINER) The Serbian Orthodox Church celebrates on Friday the Feast of St. Vitus (in Serbian Vidovdan), commemorating the Battle of Kosovo against the Ottoman Turks, which took place in 1389. St. Vitus Day is a Serbian national and religious holiday. Here’s everything you need to know about the feast day.

Churchgoers Believe Public Perception Of Christians In The US On The Decline

Most churchgoers believe Christians have a good reputation with Americans in general, but they worry those feelings are starting to sour. A Lifeway Research study finds 53% of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say most Americans have a positive perception of Christians. Two in five (40%) disagree and 8% aren’t sure.

Did Dobbs Have A Noticeable Impact on Abortion Opinion?

(ANALYSIS) If anything can shift abortion opinion in the general public, it has to be Dobbs, right? It is, without a doubt, the biggest change in policy regarding abortion in the last 50 years. In fact, the last example I can think of a time when the government has taken away rights that were already granted was Prohibition. And we all know how that turned out.

How Indigenous Peoples Are Reclaiming The Summer Solstice

(ANALYSIS) As a historian of astronomy, I am interested in the role astronomical events had on ancient people and continue to have in modern times. My ancestors lived on the Central Mexican Plateau, where for many Indigenous cultures, both past and present, the rising and setting of the Sun during equinoxes and solstices were sacred events.

On Religion: Southern Baptists Wade (Once Again) Into Religious Liberty Waters

(ANALYSIS) In the midst of heated debates about female pastors and the morality of in vitro fertilization, the national Southern Baptist Convention recently passed a religious liberty resolution that — in terms of Baptist history — was rather ordinary. But these are not ordinary times in American life.

Robert Morris Resigns From Gateway Church Following Details Of Abuse

Just days after allegations surfaced that he molested a 12-year-old girl in the 1980s, Pastor Robert Morris has resigned from his Dallas megachurch, Gateway Church. In a statement released to media today, Gateway claimed it did not know the age of Morris’ victim and the length of her abuse.

Ugandan Church Marks 40 Years Of Transforming Lives Of Most Vulnerable Children

One of the country’s biggest church communities will celebrate its 40th anniversary this month with a series of events, including a book launch by its founders, a new music album and an agribusiness institute. In fact, the celebrations by Watoto Church Ministries highlight their extensive contributions to community development and spiritual growth.

Haredi ‘Lost Boys’ May Find Themselves Drafted Into Israel’s Army

Members of Israel’s Haredi community are warning of a religious war after this country’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the government must start drafting yeshiva students into its military.

Ukraine Baptists Seek One-On-One Church Partnerships To Rebuild

The Ukraine Baptist Union grew from 900 churches to more than 2,000 within a decade or so, Bandura told Baptist Press, and amid the current war comprises 2,300 congregations. This time around, members hope individual Southern Baptist congregations will partner with Ukraine Baptist churches to help congregations rebuild after the war.

Google Is Answering Searches With AI: What Does It Mean For Holocaust History?

What if, when you Googled a question about Holocaust history, instead of being taken to, say, Wikipedia or a news article, you were just given a few bullet points written by artificial intelligence? This is the sort of thing a new UNESCO report, “AI and the Holocaust: Rewriting History?” warns about.

Jewish, Judaism, News, North America, ReligionMira FoxJune 24, 2024Mira Fox, Jews, Judaism, Holocaust, AI, artificial intelligence, technology, Google, religion, news, Primary featureComment

‘Loyal To The Oil’: Finding Religion In The Stanley Cup Finals

(ANALYSIS) The Edmonton Oilers showcase a worldview in which triumph, luck and rugged work pay off — beliefs at home on the ice or in the oil field. The Stanley Cup Final offers a glimpse into how the oil industry has helped shaped the religious fervor around Canada’s favorite sport.

Inside The Beatles’ Abandoned Indian Ashram That Keeps Visitors Coming Decades Later

(TRAVEL) The path to the Beatles Ashram, once the tranquil retreat of the famous British band, is now overgrown with lush plants reclaiming the crumbling structures. Tucked away in the Himalayan foothills, this abandoned Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram was a brief escape for the Beatles from their hectic lives in the spotlight. Decades later, fans find this site a place they must visit.

SBC Clarifies New IVF And Religious Liberty Resolutions

A flurry of traditional and social media discussion surrounding two SBC resolutions (one on in vitro fertilization, the other on religious liberty) has provoked clarifications among Southern Baptists following the Convention’s Annual Meeting June 11-12 in Indianapolis.

Louisiana Mandates Ten Commandments Be Displayed In All Public Schools

A specified Protestant version of the Ten Commandments must be displayed in all public schools in Louisiana by January 2025, the mandate of a bill Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law on June 19.

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