Posts in North America
Two religion stories that deserve more attention: China and India

(OPINION) A piece about China’s communist government’s fear of Christianity sparks the question– why don’t news outlets cover the government’s fear and distaste of other religions, such as Buddhism and Islam, as well?

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How Churches Can Fight Conspiracy Theories

(OPINION) The data tells us that evangelicals believing conspiracy theories spread by QAnon is more pervasive than many of us realize. Jesus was clear — if we don’t deal swiftly with false teaching, it will quickly spread and devour us. Here are three practical steps to fighting conspiracy theories in churches.

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Pope Francis Documentary Offers Broad Overview of Life and Papacy, Emphasizes Role of the Holy Spirit

(REVIEW) A new PBS documentary on the life of Pope Francis that premiered on June 20 presents an hour long overview from his childhood to his papacy. It paints Francis as a reformer of the Catholic Church and a pope who cares greatly for other people.

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Guide to Olympians of Faith Competing at the 2020 Tokyo Games

The controversy and context surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics pose an opportunity to think about the Games through a lens of faith. From a Muslim track and field athlete to Israel’s first surfer, here is a guide to the Games for the religiously-minded.

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An Iraq War Law Invites Presidential Overreach. Americans of Faith Are Rallying to Repeal It

(OPINION) Members of Congress have abdicated their war powers over the past 20 years, resulting in endless wars that have devastated millions of people’s lives. Now, lawmakers must rectify their mistakes – and those of their predecessors – by repealing the 2002 Iraq AUMF and reasserting their constitutional war powers.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo As An Orthodox Christian And Star Of The NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks

While his life story is fascinating, heart-warming and remarkable, the religious life of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo is less well known. The now 26-year-old Giannis became a Christian and devout member of the Greek Orthodox Church as a young person and continues to acknowledge his Christian faith.

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Resignations, Turmoil, Continue at Piper’s Bethlehem Baptist Church

Jason Meyer, John Piper’s successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, has stepped down from his position as pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem’s downtown campus. Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members leaving Bethlehem, a church with some 4,500 members on three campuses which is seen as a flagship church in Converge, formerly the Baptist General Conference.

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Life and death challenges have tested the faith of Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams

(OPINION) Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams says his Christian faith has brought hope and clarity to areas of his life that have proven difficult. He hopes to pass on lessons learned to his players.

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Foster care and adoption ministries praise ruling in Fulton v. Philadelphia

Many leaders of faith-based adoption and foster care agencies anticipated the outcome of the case of Fulton v. Philadelphia, which pitted a Catholic foster agency against the city over whether faith-based organizations can decline to place children with adoptive same-sex couples according to their religious beliefs. Several say they were encouraged both by the protection of the Philadelphia charity’s religious freedom and by the unanimity of the decision.

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Canada church fires: Who's behind such acts of hatred?

(OPINION) There have been fires at 10 Canadian churches — mostly Catholic ones — and multiple acts of vandalism this summer. Why? That’s the question more mainstream journalists should be asking. So why not ask it?

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New MFA Program In Houston Aims To Further Catholic Literary Tradition

The University of St. Thomas in Houston is launching a uniquely Catholic MFA program with literary stars like Rod Dreher, California’s poet laureate Dana Gioia and Jessica Hooten Wilson. Few Christian colleges and universities - Protestant or Catholic - have developed MFA programs in the past.

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Why it’s unlikely U.S. mainline Protestants outnumber evangelicals

(ANALYSIS) Recent data released by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) showed that US mainline Protestants outnumber evangelicals for the first time. But that conclusion was immediately met with skepticism online. Here’s why.

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Haiti's presidential assassination shut down airports but not churches, mission teams

A hit squad of gunmen killed Haiti’s president this week, pitching the small Caribbean nation into a state of lawlessness and emergency. Outside the capital, a U.S. Christian mission team of teens and adults is going ahead with their plans, helping local churches host Vacation Bible School activities for kids in the community.

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Legal but Unethical? This Catholic School Fired a Pregnant Teacher for Sex Outside Marriage

(OPINION) An unmarried Catholic school teacher was dismissed from her position because she became pregnant through engaging in premarital sex. While religious freedom should include the right to remove an employee violating the school’s faith standards, the school could have handled the case of an unwed mother choosing life over abortion much differently.

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This entrepreneurial minister created a solution to provide clean water to rural Dominicans

Rural villages in the Dominican Republic’s hot, barren southwestern region struggle to access clean drinking water. This entrepreneurial minister created a business that filters water using ultraviolet light and an elaborate storage system and delivers clean water at affordable prices or no cost to families, schools and businesses.

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A History: 400 Years of Infighting in the Southern Baptist Convention

(ANALYSIS) Concerned over the direction that some leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have recently taken, a number of pastors in the denomination have formed the “Conservative Baptist Network” while others have left the denomination altogether. A history of the “Baptist battles” provides context for the SBC’s recent infighting along race, gender and ideology.

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