The defeat of socialism in the first round of Bolivia's presidential elections on Aug. 17 marked a turning point for the Catholic Church. Bolivia has been governed by the Movement Toward Socialism party, known as MAS in Spanish, since 2006 — a period only interrupted by the interim government of Jeanine Áñez between November 2019 and November 2020.
Read More(ANALYSIS) What’s striking about this ceasefire is not just how tentative it is, but how deeply entwined the experiences of Jews and Muslims have become — not in harmony, but in suffering. Both communities claim moral righteousness. Both grieve their dead. And both are trapped in narratives of fear and survival that often leave little room for compassion or compromise.
Read MorePresident Donald Trump celebrated the implementation of a Gaza ceasefire with the return of the last hostages after two years. “This is the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” he said. “After so many years … the skies are calm, the guns are silent, the sirens are still, and the sun rises on a Holy Land that is finally at peace, a land and a region that will live, God willing, in peace for all eternity.”
Read MoreSix-time Grammy winner Amy Grant, who gained much of her notoriety through her Christian songs, has agreed to a legal settlement about a church founded by her great-grandfather in downtown Nashville. The boarded-up building, now worth at least $11 million, served for decades as the Central Church of Christ, founded in 1925 by A.M. Burton.
Read MoreIgnoring pleas from animal rights advocates to denounce bullfighting and its close ties with Spanish Catholicism, Pope Leo XIV is aligning himself with Spain’s bishops, who remain hesitant to condemn the cruelty of the popular bloodsport. Animal rights groups see a red flag, arguing that the practice, which dates back centuries, is barbaric.
Read MoreLa derrota del socialismo en la primera vuelta de las elecciones presidenciales de Bolivia, el 17 de agosto, marcó un punto de inflexión para la Iglesia Católica.
Read MoreThe estate of A.M. Burton has reached a settlement agreement with the Nashville Church of Christ after years of dispute over the downtown Nashville, Tenn., church building formerly known as the Central Church of Christ.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Starting in the 1880s, two groups rushed into the central Appalachian Mountains: Industrialists seeking coal, and missionaries seeking moral reform. Both changed the region forever, and their stories were intertwined.
Read More(ANALYSIS) European lawmakers have criticized Serbia’s use of force against anti-government protesters. But the Serbian Orthodox Church — representing 85 percent of the country’s population — has been largely urged the student protestors to “go back to their classes” and not protest.
Read More(ESSAY) In a world where sports and spirituality don’t often intersect, Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt stood as a remarkable exception. Best known as the chaplain and No. 1 fan of Loyola University Chicago’s men’s basketball team, Sister Jean captured the hearts of millions during the team's improbable March Madness runs.
Read MoreThe ongoing federal government shutdown furloughed 57 members of The Commonwealth of Faith Church in Michigan, where a third of the 350 attendees are federal workers, including bivocational Pastor Torion Bridges and his wife Jasmine.
Read MoreIn the early 2000s, women were more regular churchgoers than men, and according to researchers, it is unclear whether this new shift “is a story of women stepping back or men stepping up.”
Read MoreThe plan, if adopted in full, would eventually end the two-year war that started when Hamas killed almost 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped about 250. Israel’s attacks on the Gaza strip, where the hostages were taken, have since killed at least 66,000 Palestinians, the Gaza Health Ministry says, and left much of the enclave in ruins.
Read More(ANALYSIS) A reporter asked the Pope about the decision to give a U.S. Senator Dick Durbin a lifetime achievement award. The problem: Durbin consistently backs abortion rights and remains barred from receiving Holy Communion in Springfield, Illinois, his home diocese.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Ethiopia stands at a critical juncture. Years of civil war and ethnic strife have left deep wounds and a fragile peace. The northern civil war that ended in 2022 alone caused an estimated 600,000 deaths and displaced millions. Atrocities were committed by all sides, including the government, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and Eritrean troops.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The question of whether Christianity is under attack, especially in the United States, is a complex and deeply polarizing one. Is it discrimination? Is it part of an overall decline? Is it a cultural shift? It could very well be a combination of all three.
Read MoreMost pastors are confident their churches are helping people grow as Christians. Just don’t ask them how they know that. In the second part of the State of Discipleship study from Lifeway Research, U.S. Protestant pastors describe their congregations’ discipleship approaches and reveal data behind some key spiritual growth metrics.
Read MoreNine months before she was killed by an Israeli airstrike, Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona started quoting “Shawshank Redemption.” “Hope is a dangerous thing,” she told Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi over a WhatsApp video call. Farsi and Hassona began talking in early 2024, after Farsi’s plans to make a documentary in Rafah were upended due to the closing of the border.
Read More(REVIEW) “House of David” is the flagship title of the newly launched “Wonder Project,” and Season 2 is the biggest launch title for its new subscription platform. The series delivers on epic battles, complex characters and biblical themes. It recounts the ascent of the biblical figure David, who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel.
Read More(ANALYSIS) If Charlie Kirk’s movement accomplishes its ambitious goals, it would rival America’s significant evangelical youth revival that erupted after World War II. “Parachurch” organizations formed during that era, like InterVarsity, The Navigators, Cru and YoungLife are all active today.
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