What explains the durable popularity of Handel’s 'Messiah' (especially at Christmas)?

(COMMENTARY) Handel’s “Messiah” — the Easter cantata that is so frequently heard at Christmastime — is probably the most-performed and most-beloved piece of great music ever written.

North America, Religion, Opinion, CultureRichard OstlingDecember 18, 2018Richard Ostling, Handel, Handel's Messiah, Old Testament, choir music, Hallelujah chorus, New Testament, Bach, Easter cantata, Christmas music, Christianity

The Faustian deal of trying to be a good Christian and a Trump voter

(COMMENTARY) Due to God’s charge to Christians, they should not support President Donald Trump. By claiming one can be a “good Christian” despite who you vote for, Christians such as Jerry Falwell Jr. imply that one’s political activities are completely divorced from their faith. Such a claim, in essence, reduces Christianity to a mere set of propositions and intellectual or moral claims. However, the Bible presents Christianity as something far more whole-person than many Trump supporters realize.

Analysis, Politics, Religion, Opinion, North AmericaZachary WagnerDecember 17, 2018Donald Trump, Russell Moore, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Wayne Grudem, Jerry Falwell, Jr., Liberty University, Christians, Primary Feature, Christianity

Surprise – The crucial religion story of 2018 is the specter of 'designer babies'

(COMMENTARY) He Jiankui, a U.S.-trained biological researcher in China, claims he has successfully altered the genes of newly born twins, with a third such birth expected soon.

PBS story on Iran's Jews doesn't fully explain what captive minorities must do to survive

(COMMENTARY) In late November, PBS NewsHour broadcast a piece that, like other attempts to explain the Iranian Jewish community, came up frustratingly short.

Pope Francis has the chance to repair Catholicism at upcoming World Youth Day

(COMMENTARY) There is a spiritual hunger around the world. Pope Francis needs to get back to basics and focus on evangelization like John Paul II did during his papacy. This pope needs to be less political and more spiritual. He needs to break free from the labels that have been heaped on him by critics and supporters alike. He needs to get back to the universal message of the church that resonates in both industrialized nations and the developing world.

South America, Opinion, Religion, EuropeClemente LisiDecember 13, 2018Catholic church, Pope Francis, Clemente Lisi, Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day, Primary Feature, Catholicism, Christianity

Future of all those Roman (and American) churches? No need for anxiety, says pope

(COMMENTARY) Lots of Rome’s 900-plus churches will be empty in the next generation or so.

India’s Hindu Nationalists want to build a temple over a mosque

(COMMENTARY) Twenty-six years ago, Hindu nationalists destroyed a 16th century mosque. Today, the right wing’s campaign issue is how to build a temple on that site.

American politics and the deadliest attack on Jews in US history

(COMMENTARY) In democracies, politics and politicians come and go, but Trump or no Trump, Jew-hatred moves steadily along its historic path as an unrivaled and utterly devastating source of evil.

Analysis, Conflict, Middle East, North America, Religion, OpinionLela GilbertDecember 8, 2018Lela Gilbert, Judaism, Jews, synagogue shooting, Anti, Donald Trump, Louis Farrakhan

China's relentless assault on religious freedom

(COMMENTARY) Since 2017, there has been a rapidly broadening pattern of assaults on believers, faith leaders and worship centers in China.

Holiday mystery to ponder – Where are all the Hanukkah movies?

(COMMENTARY) Cable TV’s holiday movie season is full of Christmas titles. Do Jews want more representation?

North America, Religion, OpinionTerry MattinglyDecember 4, 2018Christmas, Hanukkah, Terry Mattingly, Holiday, Adam Sandler, Mark Pinsky, Maccabees, Menorahs, Judaism, Jews, Christianity

Is Genocide Threatening Nigeria's Christians?

(COMMENTARY) Is the world turning a blind to eye to another imminent genocide?

Africa, Religion, OpinionLela GilbertDecember 4, 2018Lela Gilbert, Nigeria, jihad, Boko Haram, Fulani, Leah Sharibu, Donald Trump, Muhammadu Buhari, religious violence, Nigerian Christians, Islamist Jihadis, Christianity, Islam

9 Catholic Traditions That Highlight The Christmas Season

Christmas is more than just Santa Claus, bright lights and presents. For Christians, the season, marked by the start of Advent, begins a period that culminates with the birth of Jesus. While Christians of many denominations observe this period, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the four weeks preceding Christmas with many special observances in order to prepare for the coming of Christ.

Analysis, Religion, OpinionClemente LisiDecember 3, 2018Christmas, Catholics, Catholic Church, Jesus, Clemente Lisi, Advent, nativity scene, Primary Feature, Christianity, Roman Catholicism Comment

The Saudi puzzle: Here are four religion threads woven into this sordid political drama

(OPINION) There are several more religion stories to be told surrounding the murder of the former Washington Post op-ed writer Jamal Khashoggi.

Middle East, Religion, Politics, North America, Conflict, Analysis, OpinionIra RifkinDecember 1, 2018Ira Rifkin, Middle East, Islam-Muslims, Godbeat, Islam, Muslims, Human Rights, International News, New York Times, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Primary Feature

Protestants also face #ChurchToo scandals. Reporters: Here’s a handy way to assess them.

(OPINION) Journalists should be paying more attention to sexual abuse stories from Protestant churches.

North America, Religion, Women, Justice, OpinionRichard OstlingDecember 1, 2018Richard Ostling, women, #MeToo, #ChurchToo, #MeToo Movement, social media, sex, Pope Francis, Evangelicals, Catholicism, Christianity, sexual abuse, Protestant Church

Buckley's Catholic faith and conservative political legacy

William Buckley’s ability to articulate a strong national defense, need for small government and a devotion to God and traditional values became the bedrock of the modern American conservative movement. It was Buckley’s Catholic faith that proved central to his life and ideology. He was a man who not only lived his devotion daily, but one that helped to inspire future generations of politicians, thinkers and broadcasters.

Meeting the woman who could become St. Thea of Mississippi

(COMMENTARY) The Vatican is investigating whether to grant a Mississippi African-American woman sainthood.

North America, Religion, Africa, Women, OpinionTerry MattinglyNovember 26, 2018Catholic, women, Thea Bowman, USCCB, Saints, Black Church, Africa, Denver, Mississippi, Primary Feature, Terry Mattingly, Catholicism, Christianity

American missionary killed by reclusive island tribe in India

A 27-year-old American, John Allen Chau, was killed by members of the Sentinelese tribe in the North Sentinel Island of Andaman, India after he made several unsuccessful attempts to contact them, allegedly to preach Christianity.

Religion, Religion News, Asia, Conflict, NewsSurinder Kaur LalNovember 22, 2018Primary Feature, John Allen Chau, Sentinelese tribe, Andaman, Sunder Raj, Pandit Tiwari, Surinder Kaur Lal, missionary, missionary death, Christianity

How do conservatives respond to archaeologists’ skepticism about Bible history?

Richard Ostling explains seeming discrepancies in what archaeologists find and the Bible teaches.

Religion, Science, OpinionRichard OstlingNovember 20, 2018Richard Ostling, Bible history, archeology, Biblical Archaeology, skeptics, Christianity

Jordan Peterson's secular approach to the soul and the sacred (Part II)

(COMMENTARY) Jordan Peterson, a psychology professor turned Youtube theologian, mixes science, art and faith from a nuanced secular perspective.

Religion, Science, OpinionTerry MattinglyNovember 20, 2018Jordan Peterson, Terry Mattingly, Youtube, Jonathan Peterson, Apologetics, Atheism, Psychology, Darwinism, science, YouTube

New Documentary Honoring Charleston Church Shooting Tells Story of Forgiveness

Deeply stirring documentary “Emanuel” about the 2015 Charleston Church shooting, directed by Brian Ivie, unearths a hidden parallel tale of living amidst hate. The film, which premiered on November 14 at the New York Documentary Festival, shows how one community chose to respond to tragedy with forgiveness.

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