Posts in Politics
New Report Details What Evangelicals Think About Social And Political Issues

While a majority of American evangelicals may be united by fundamental spiritual beliefs, they are by no means in agreement on a variety of hot-button subjects, according to a new study. Eight months before the 2024 presidential election that will feature a rematch between President Biden and Donald Trump, the report brings into sharper focus what evangelicals think about a host of issues that could impact the election.

Read More
A Popeless Cause: Why Hasn’t There Ever Been An Irish Pontiff?

(ANALYSIS) Remember that time Ireland had a pope? You probably don't. Because it never happened. Despite Ireland's rich monastic and missionary traditions — along with its hard-fought struggle to maintain the Catholic religion — there has never been an Irish pope. Italy, of course, has had hundreds of popes. France has had 15 and the Germans half a dozen.

Read More
Why India’s New Citizenship Law Excludes Muslim Migrants

(EXPLAINER) India has implemented a new citizenship law that excludes Muslims, a religious minority, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. Although the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed five years ago by the country’s parliament, it was not enacted at the time due to the pandemic.

Read More
Pro-Israel PAC To Increase Pressure On GOP To Pass Aid Bill

AIPAC lobbyists are headed to Capitol Hill this week to increase pressure on Congress to pass a bipartisan Israel aid bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far resisted bringing a $95 billion foreign aid bill to a floor vote. That bill, approved by the Senate last month, would support Ukraine in its efforts to repel Russia’s invasion, and send $14.1 billion to Israel, which is fighting against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah on its northern border.

Read More
Haiti On The Brink: Did Evangelicals Break The Caribbean Nation?

(ANALYSIS) The news coming from Haiti is not good. It’s not been good for years, for decades, but today it’s even worse. Gangs now control much of the country. It is essentially a failed state, with the lowest per capita income of any country in the Western Hemisphere and among the lowest on the planet. These are hard realities, but evangelicals need to face a hard reality of our own when it comes to Haiti.

Read More
Why Popular Faith-Based Films Like ‘The Chosen’ Aren’t Nominated For Oscars

Are faith projects such as “The Chosen” not considered for secular awards because of anti-Christian bias? While there is plenty of bias in Hollywood, the reason is a much more complicated one. Film critic Joseph Holmes delves into the issue in time for this Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Read More
Christian Nationalism: Is It A Threat To Democracy?

(OPINION) Are you a Christian nationalist if you love Jesus and love your country? Are you a Christian nationalist if you are simply a patriotic Christian? Are you a Christian nationalist if you believe that America was founded on Christian principles and that, the more we adhere to those principles the more our nation will be blessed? And were the Founding Fathers Christian nationalists?

Read More
Christian Women Punished For Praying In Nicaraguan Prisons

Christian women wrongfully imprisoned in Nicaragua have been beaten and denied time outdoors for praying aloud with rosaries, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported on March 6.

Read More
On Religion: Evangelicals And Catholics Share Concerns About The Migrant Crisis

(ANALYSIS) It's clear that both American evangelicals and Catholics feel compelled to show compassion when it comes to the issue of immigration — but also think that when it comes to politics, they seek solutions that include the notion that the enforcement of America's laws is not unkind.

Read More
Religious Restrictions Increase In Many Parts Of The World, New Study Reveals

Restrictions on religion by government officials across the world reached a new peak in 2021, a new Pew Research Center report released on Tuesday revealed. The report looked at 198 countries and territories around the world. It is the 14th year that Pew released such a report on the global state of religion.

Read More
As War In Gaza Rages On, the Latest Despicable Anti-Israel Lie

(OPINION) According to a quote widely attributed to Winston Churchill, “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.” This is absolutely true when it comes to reporting about Israel, except even more so. We could say that anti-Israel lies become canonized, even becoming part of sacred religious lore, before the truth even gets out of bed.

Read More
India’s Latest Mosque Fight Further Fuels Tensions Between Hindus And Muslims

Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a Hindu temple built over a mosque demolished by agitators in 1990, a new report by the Archaeological Survey of India found that another mosque had been built over a pre-existing Hindu temple. A court ruling that followed the survey granted Hindus permission to conduct prayers in one of the mosque's four cellars, igniting tensions with Muslims.

Read More
How Alabama Supreme Court’s Ruling On Life Affects IVF

(EXPLAINER) The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) healthcare system announced that it was pausing all in vitro fertilization (IVF) fertility treatments. This pause is due to the perceived fear of prosecution and lawsuits in light of the Alabama Supreme Court’s ruling on Friday, Feb. 16, stating that human beings in the embryonic stage have the same legal rights and protections as children who are born.

Read More
Game On: The Religious Dynamics Of A Biden-Trump Race

(ANALYSIS) Assuming it’s game on for an inevitable rerun of Trump vs. Biden, with a predicted narrow victory margin, what religious dynamics will be playing out?

Read More
Is There A New Strongman Leading The World’s Largest Muslim-Majority Nation?

(ANALYSIS) The Feb. 14 election of Indonesia's current Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto as the country’s president should raise concern in the U.S., both because of who he is and also the chicanery surrounding his campaign. Official results will still take some weeks to appear and there are allegations of election fraud.

Read More
Putin Critic Alexei Navalny Found Purpose In Christianity

In 2021, Navalny expressed hope that the Orthodox church in Russia could act as a mediator between the people and the state. He recognized this was unlikely; but if his demise tells us anything, it’s that moral courage in Russia’s mother church isn’t totally dead. On the contrary, we might see a resurrection yet.

Read More
Biden Ups Pressure On Israel As Deadline For Rafah Assault Approaches

After Benjamin Netanyahu pulled Israeli negotiators out of talks in Egypt, blaming Hamas for refusing to budge on what he called its “ludicrous” demands, Israel’s prime minister pledged to press ahead with the Rafah offensive. However, his war cabinet member Benny Gantz said a deal might still be possible.

Read More
Indigenous Embassy Opens In Jerusalem With A Nod To The 12 Tribes Of Israel

An emotional gathering of about 200 tribal leaders from North and South America, Canada, various Pacific island states and Africa took place in Israel as diplomats and dignitaries assembled for the launch of the “Indigenous Embassy.” Standing together with members of several North American tribes, members proudly displayed a collection of their artwork.

Read More