How about a trip on a Ferris wheel, walk a labyrinth or rest under the stars? It’s summertime, and British cathedrals took on a holiday atmosphere — complete with some unusual activities. You might even encounter creatures from the deep oceans or step back in time. Such activities have become very much part of a British summer.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In early August 2024, thousands of women and women’s rights campaigners took to the streets across Iraq to protest proposed legal changes that effectively would legalize child marriage. The proposed change is to allow citizens to choose between religious authorities or civil judiciary to decide on family matters.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Crow” is the latest Hollywood remake brought to the screen. Based on the 1994 cult classic, the new film stars Bill Skarsgard as Eric Draven, who, after home invaders kill him and his girlfriend, makes a deal with an agent of the afterlife to come back as an indestructible assassin to exact revenge on the killers.
Read MoreThe 24-acre Texas parsonage of televangelist I.V. Hilliard has been listed for a staggering $15 million. As reported in the Christian Post, the Spring, Texas, property owned by New Light Church in Houston is listed on realtor.com. The estate, with six houses and 22 garage spaces, was used “by Hilliard as a parsonage, meaning that he has not had to pay any property taxes on it,” the listing notes.
Read MoreDuring one of the presidential elections during my decade teaching in Washington, D.C., there was more than the usual chatter about the importance of the so-called “Catholic vote” and its impact in swing states.
Read MoreIn the midst of a conflict on three fronts — Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran — Israeli troops congregate on street corners, in cafes and around government buildings. Many are between 18 and 20 years old, recent draftees of the mandatory military service required of Israeli citizens.
Read More(REVIEW) While “The Forge” deserves credit for wanting to address the real problems of struggling men and boys, it fails to speak to the very people it says it wants to help. Christian parents of such boys would be better off passing on this movie and following other sources for their boys, and following the example of the movie’s Cynthia by praying for them instead.
Read MoreWith election day just three months away, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) founder Charlie Kirk pulled no punches in his keynote speech to pastors gathered for a recent political training conference in a Dallas suburb. His message: Pastors need to vote for former President Donald Trump, become activists and mobilize their congregations to do likewise.
Read MoreNot only are churchgoers watching Christian movies, but some find them useful as an evangelistic and discipleship tool. A recent study asked churchgoers if they agree with the statement, “Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.” The study by Lifeway Research finds 68 percent of American Protestant churchgoers have watched a Christian movie in the last year. Around four in five say Christian movies are effective evangelism tools.
Read MoreAs the rattle of gunfire and the spirited sloganeering raged on in the streets, Gen Zers opened a new theater in this fight: training their rage on the church for allegedly working with the state. They have accused church officials of being subservient to the political class.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It was a strange way for Oliver Anthony to mark the anniversary of the YouTube video that turned him into a country music roots phenomenon. “Rich Men North of Richmond” launched last Aug. 8, 2023. When that date rolled around a year later, Hurricane Debby was sweeping through Virginia. The creeks were rising as Anthony headed into the woods with his dogs and his smartphone to record another emotional mini-sermon.
Read MoreThe International Mission Board and Wycliff Bible Translators are among more than 95 organizations and churches collaborating globally to change the dismal statistic. Since a 2023 meeting representing more than 170 Deaf leaders and 49 countries Eurasia, IMB and Wycliff have collaborated with others to begin Bible story translations in more than 75 new sign languages.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The pronunciation of “Kamala” is the least interesting thing about this lovely name, which is only one of many words in Sanskrit for the radiant, fragrant, large-petaled pink lotus, or Nelumbo nucifera , that is ubiquitous in the Indian subcontinent.
Read MoreDuring another divisive political season, preachers across the nation are expressing messages that put “politics in perspective.” While many permit or even encourage participation in the political process, they advise church members to measure their political beliefs against the Gospel.
Read MoreAs millions prepare to watch the Democratic National Convention this week, tens of thousands of protesters are converging on Chicago to rally against the ongoing war in Gaza. Inside the United Center arena, at least 30 party delegates are expected to voice their opposition to the administration’s policies on the conflict.
Read MoreA majority of U.S. adults believe humans came about because of divine intervention, but there’s disagreement over what that involvement looked like. A Gallup survey finds 37% of Americans believe God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so.
Read More(REVIEW) Cryptocurrency is a really fascinating topic worth talking about. It’s gratifying to see it being talked about in the context of faith. If the documentary had only trusted the audience more to inform them rather than advertise to them, it would have added something even more valuable to the conversation.
Read MoreThe University of California at Los Angeles blocked Jewish students from portions of campus when protests erupted in response to the Israel-Hamas War, a district judge has ruled, citing their faith as the sole factor.
Read MoreArizona and Missouri are the latest states to add measures to the November ballot allowing voters to enshrine abortion rights in their respective state constitutions, joining at six other states with similar measures. In at least two states, Nebraska and Pennsylvania, ballot initiatives to protect life are pending.
Read More(ESSAY) In one theme of this summer's travels, the history of Japanese Christianity, I found a different issue. This is the ignorance not only amongst foreigners but also amongst Japanese themselves of that history, particularly the long history of persecution. Some of this, especially the dire persecutions of the early seventeenth century, is better known through Shusako Endo's gripping 1966 novel “Silence.”
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