Posts in North America
In Alaska, A Russian-Speaking Church Becomes A Hub For Helping Ukrainians

An Anchorage congregation with members from Ukraine, Russia and other Slavic nations is working to feed and support families forced to flee their homes. “We can’t just sit here,” church member Zori Opanasevych says. “We have to do something.”

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IRS Backlog Affects Ministries And Churches, Leaving Donors Uninformed

Almost 11 weeks into tax season, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service continues to experience delays in processing last year’s tax returns. Millions of tax returns and filings are still backlogged, including those in the Form 990 series, an annual reporting obligation by tax-exempt entities like ministries and churches.

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Bucket Ministries Gather Supplies For Ukraine — With $10,000 Boost From Kelly Clarkson

Churches across the U.S. are gathering buckets of supplies to help refugees in war-torn Eastern Europe, including one ministry that got a $10,000 donation from TV host Kelly Clarkson and another that’s getting help wrapping presents from St. Nicholas.

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AARP Lawyers Join Suit Against African Methodist Episcopal Church Over Retirement Funds

AARP Foundation attorneys will act as co-counsel in a class-action lawsuit alleging the African Methodist Episcopal Church mishandled nearly $90 million in retirement funds, the organization said. The AME stopped making payments to retired ministers covered by its pension plan earlier this year after a 2021 audit found that two-thirds of the denomination’s retirement funds had been lost in risky investments.

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Q&A With ‘The Flag And The Cross’ Author Samuel L. Perry On White Christian Nationalism

Two sociologists of religion, Philip S. Gorski and Samuel L. Perry, wrote an upcoming book titled “The Flag and The Cross,” which explores White Christian nationalism through the lens of history and recent survey data. Gorski and Perry attempt to explain its past while explaining its importance for understanding the future of American religion and politics.

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Catholic Bishops Meet In Secret To Discuss ‘Culture War’ Issues: What Does It Mean For The Church?

(ANALYSIS) While Pope Francis was presiding over a ceremony at the Vatican to consecrate Ukraine and Russia, a group of high-ranking American bishops met in Chicago. The gathering, entitled “Pope Francis, Vatican II and the Way Forward,” aimed to create a dialogue between theologians and bishops.

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Catholic Parishes Celebrate Coming of Easter With Weekly Fish Fry Tradition

During Lent, many Catholic churches participate in fish fries, a meal containing battered or breaded fried fish. Served every Friday following Ash Wednesday, the meals served during the Christian season of repentance have become a mainstay for many Catholic churches who use them to raise money and build community.

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News Media Quiet As A Mouse Regarding Catholic Angles In Disney-DeSantis Dispute

(ANALYSIS) The so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law continues to get media coverage for two reasons: first, Disney’s involvement, and second, the larger notion that DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, is “engaging in a culture war.” This remains a political story, a business story and a pop culture story. Is it also a religion story?

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Qatar 2022 World Cup Mascot Highlights Muslim Garb Known As ‘Keffiyeh’ And ‘Thawb’

Named La’eeb — which FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, said is “an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player” — the World Cup mascot triggered plenty of confusion and scorn on social media. But the mascot was primarily an homage to Arab garments known as the “keffiyeh” and “thawb.”

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Jews Encouraged To Abandon Zoom Seders This Passover As Pandemic Eases

Passover is a time for the Jewish community to reflect on the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, and hosting a Seder is one way families and communities come together to celebrate this biblical event. OneTable and Haggadot.com have joined forces this year to provide people with the tools needed to host their own unique Seder.

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Pastor Claims He Was Ousted From Florida’s Celebration Church For Uncovering Fraud

Stovall Weems, founding pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, says he was illegally removed from his position by the church’s governing board earlier this year, after his accusations that a trustee was improperly billing the church for “enormous sums of money” for services were turned back on him.

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Eric Metaxas Says Vetting Guests Is Not His Job In Defamation Lawsuit Testimony

Metaxas and other conservative Christian media figures are being probed about their practices in a defamation lawsuit filed by Eric Coomer, an executive with Dominion Voting Systems. In a deposition for the case, Metaxas said he had done little to verify claims aired in the broadcast that Dominion had rigged elections in the U.S., Mongolia, and Venezuela.

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Christian University, Faulkner, Awarded $4.25 Million In Grants To Support Black Students

Faulkner University in Montgomery, Alabama, has been awarded two grants meant to bolster opportunities for low-income and African American students, the university has announced. The grants will provide Black students better access to mentors, academic coaches and student tutors, among other offerings.

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Did God Tell Will Smith To Slap Chris Rock? A 2022 Oscars Roundup

The last thing anyone expected from last night’s Oscars ceremony was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock onstage. After he did, he proceeded to talk about God’s calling for his life. Here, we recap that and other faith moments from last night’s awards.

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St. Peter’s March Madness Miracle Run Ends, But They Will Forever Be Remembered

(OPINION) St. Peter’s crashed out of the NCAA Tournament following a defeat to No. 8 North Carolina — but they will forever be remembered as one of the greatest Cinderella teams at the men’s basketball tournament. The Catholic school had made history on Friday, downing Purdue to become the first No. 15 seed in tournament history to advance to the Elite 8.

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Longtime Professor Claims He Was Fired From Christian University For Hosting Gay Speaker

Michael O’Keefe and his attorney claim he was fired for including an openly gay guest speaker in his senior-level “Business of Branding” course. But the university asserts that O’Keefe’s termination stemmed from the content of the speaker’s presentation — and the professor’s alleged subsequent effort to squelch student complaints.

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5 Films That Show How Buddhism Has Influenced Japanese Animation

Throughout Japan, there is a mixture of Buddhism, Shintoism and Taoism, which are easily recognized within the culture. Respect for nature, as well as reverence for “bodhisattvas” can even be seen in Japanese animations, teaching children and even adults. Here are five animations that have Buddhist themes and references.

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