(REVIEW) A new documentary “God and Country” tries to warn against an American political movement that is corrupting both politics and Christianity — but its misrepresentation of the topic only makes its audience less informed and instead gives strength to the movement.
Read More(REVIEW) At the beginning of Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” he describes himself as being in a dark place spiritually. Virgil, the protagonist of the one woman show “Spiritus/Virgil’s Dance,” finds herself in a similar position in the middle of her life: A job she hates, devoid of passion and breaking promises she’d made to herself in youth.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights five takeaways from the shooting at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreReading books about African Americans during the month of February has become an essential practice for promoting empathy, understanding and appreciation for what Blacks have contributed to American society. This is not just true of political, cultural and entertainment figures, but also ones that were central to religion.
Read MoreIt was quite a week for Javier Milei. Not only did he visit Israel in a show of support; the recently-elected Argentine president then flew to Vatican City, where he made peace with Pope Francis. While Milei is a Catholic, he hasn’t been shy about criticizing the pontiff in the past while also flirting with the idea of converting to Judaism.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On Feb. 15, 2015, both were among the men beheaded by Islamic State soldiers on a beach in Libya. All 21 — 20 Egyptian Copts and a Ghanan who professed his Christian faith — were soon declared martyrs by the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Read MoreAhead of the Super Bowl, this week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the rise of sports betting and people of faith’s stance on it. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreIt was a New York Times headline that created tremors online: “As Kids, They Thought They Were Trans. They No Longer Do.” But here’s the question that was at the heart of this week’s “Crossroads” podcast: Why was this Pamela Paul essay in the opinion section, as opposed to being a hard-news report out front?
Read MoreInspired by a variety of religious and mystical traditions, the artist Marina Abramović has spent the last 50 years pushing her body and mind to their limits in performances that have captivated audiences around the world. This spring, one of the largest retrospectives of the artist’s work opens at The Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam.
Read MoreSuper Bowl ads are not all secular. Religious organizations have often used the annual big game as a platform to spread their message. On other occasions, religious themes have been used in a funny way to sell products. Here’s a closer look at five that stood out.
Read MoreNot everyone will be enjoying chocolate this Valentine’s Day. For the first time since 2018, Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day fall on the same day. In fact, this rare occurrence is taking place once again in less than a week. It has happened three times in the last century — 1923, 1934 and 1945 — and will happen again in 2029.
Read More(ESSAY) The priest showed Nutsa the coffin holding the body of a revered Orthodox saint named Father Gabriel, whose remains were continuously sent around to various churches to provide miraculous healings. Georgians reported being healed of diseases ranging from burns to birth defects to cerebral palsy to brain cancer upon touching it. The local priest told Nusta she would be healed if she kissed Father Gabriel’s coffin. Nothing came of the ritual. Nutsa became an atheist a year later.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in opens with the top headlines from the International Religious Freedom Summit. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and big news in the world of faith.
Read MoreThis year’s Super Bowl matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers may be contested at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas — known as Sin City — but it will feature two very pious quarterbacks when Patrick Mahomes faces off against Brock Purdy. Both are practicing Christians unafraid to talk about their faith.
Read MorePalestinians celebrated the country’s national team after qualifying for the knockout stage at the AFC Asian Cup. The historic win, a 3-0 victory against Hong Kong to close out the group stage, allowed Palestine to reach the round of 16 for the first time in the tournament’s 68-year history. It also brought some comfort amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in features a retrospective from columnist Bobby Ross Jr. on his 25 years on the Godbeat. Plus, a major new study on ‘nones’ — and, as always, all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(ESSAY) For veteran religion writer Bobby Ross Jr., an unexpected assignment to cover Pope John Paul’s 1999 visit to St. Louis planted a seed. Twenty-five years later, Ross reflects on that experience as the spark that launched the most important phase of his journalism career.
Read MoreA new report on “nones” — one of the largest ever conducted on this fast-growing demographic — attempts to drill down into what these Americans believe, their feelings towards organized religion and politics. The decades-long rise of the “nones” has been one of the most talked about phenomena in the United States.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights plans for the annual March for Life, expected to draw 100,000 abortion opponents to the nation’s capital. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreOver the next few weeks, a team of pastors will organize events in Ivory Coast — with plans to involve players, coaches and fans — throughout the Africa Cup of Nations, which ends on Feb. 11 with the final. The host nation — along with Senegal, Nigeria, Morocco and Egypt — are among the favorites to win Africa’s premier soccer tournament for national teams.
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