(ANALYSIS) Nearly two decades have passed since the 26-year civil war ended in Sri Lanka. Yet, Muslims displaced from the island nation still face significant challenges in returning to their homes and reclaiming their land. The civil war between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Tamil guerrilla separatists, displaced around 300,000 Tamils and 70,000 Muslims.
Read More(ANALYSIS) With the transgender policies among President Trumpâs blizzard of new executive orders, further explanation is needed on the cultural reality of deep-seated religious concepts. In particular, the resolutely âbinaryâ Bible depicts humans as either male or female and underlies 2,000 years of Jewish and Christian teaching. Similarly with the Quran and Muslims. How should that heritage affect secular society and policy?
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Feb. 9 resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, which conveys little remorse or admission of failure, must at least be followed by swift and constitutionally sound action from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ensure that this potential first step toward resolving the prolonged conflict is somewhat effective.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Oklahoma can open St. Isidore: an online Roman Catholic charter school named after the patron saint of the internet. If affirmed, the school would be the nationâs first faith-based charter â a sea change in education law, expanding the boundaries of government aid to faith-based schools.
Read More(REVIEW) In âThe Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance,â Jamar Tisby provides a survey of leaders whose devotion to racial justice resulted from their belief in God and commitment to Godâs work in the world. In time for Black History Month, the church has been given a resource that explores people of faith and their work in racial justice. Christians of all races and ethnicities can benefit from knowing those who made a connection between their faith and justice and acted accordingly.
Read More(REVIEW) Bryan Johnson went viral several times before the recent release of his Netflix documentary âDonât Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.â The title says enough about his goal and the source of his virality â but his story, of course, goes deeper than his obsession with extending his lifespan.
Read MoreUnder normal conditions, a pope releasing a highly personal memoir about his life would create quite a few headlines. However, that doesnât seem to be the case with âLife: My Story Through History,â the new autobiography from Pope Francis, co-written with Carlo Musso, founder of the Italian publishing company Libreria Pienogiorno. Thatâs strange, since this is being hailed as the first memoir from a sitting pope.
Read More(OPINION) Itâs gratifying to see new government policies which align with Godâs creational order, yet this is not the end of our witness on this issue. Our churches should both be eager to declare what is good and true and beautiful about biblical masculinity and femininity and read to help those who struggle with gender dysphoria find hope in the Gospel and the resurrection of the body at the end of the age.
Read MoreEvangelicals want both secure borders and laws that provide avenues for certain illegal immigrants to obtain legal status, according to a Lifeway Research study. They want to deport dangerous illegal immigrants but arenât as concerned about those who arrived as children and have lived peacefully in the U.S. Additionally, evangelicals recognize personal and national responsibilities to care for refugees and others fleeing their nation of origin.
Read MoreExtolling the importance of religious liberty, Trump announced the formation of a task force to âeradicate anti-Christian biasâ in the country as well as the launch of the White House Faith Office during the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday morning. The task force will come by executive order on Feb. 6, he said, and will be led by newly confirmed Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Read MoreFor the most fervent of the football faithful, the Super Bowl â which last year drew a record 123.7 million U.S. viewers â brings rituals and traditions with a quasi-religious feel. But at least one Christian scholar has concerns.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Carey Nieuwhof recently released a video discussing five disruptive trends in the church, which included some sobering statistics. In this article, Iâll highlight one of these trends and offer thoughts on potential solutions from the front lines of reaching the next generation. The first trend Nieuwhof highlights is that Gen Z is simultaneously experiencing revival and retreat. I generally agree with his assessment.
Read More(ANALYSIS) President Donald Trumpâs suggestion that the U.S. should âtake overâ Gaza, displace its current population and turn the enclave into âthe Riviera of the Middle Eastâ is unsettling â in both a literal and, to Palestinians, a very personal sense.
Read MorePresident Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order aimed at prohibiting transgender women and girls from competing in womenâs sports, directing agencies to withdraw federal funding for any schools that refused to comply. The step, taken on National Girls & Women in Sports Day, is one of several by the new president regarding gender.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Chaplains work with hospitals, hospices, military units, legislatures, schools, sports teams, corporations, prisons and police and fire departments. Many, but not all, are ordained ministers. For most Americans, the chaplains they know best serve in the nation's 6,000 or more hospitals. Pastors visit the sick and dying from their own congregations. For hospital chaplains, this is the heart of their work â every day.
Read MoreThe partisan divide between how Americans view family and the importance of marriage is growing â although most agree that economic challenges continue to be a major concern, a new survey reveals. The annual American Family Survey found that 71% of respondents identified the economy as one of the most important issues affecting families today.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Looking at the calendar, I see that the Kansas City Chiefs and Taylor Swift have one more game this year. Thus, let me ask two questions that â when placed back to back â create a paradox that points to some ironic tensions in this culture of ours.
Read More(ANALYSIS) On Jan. 31, United Nations agencies called for an end to the violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as fighting between government forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group intensified. The call comes after M23 rebels have already seized Goma, the provincial capital.
Read More(OPINION) Trumpâs ideas, however fantastical, would reshuffle the deck completely. How exactly he might intend for the U.S. to take over management of the territory and rebuild it âmagnificently,â is unclear. Even more unclear: Who, exactly, would benefit from this dubiously thought out plan?
Read More(REVIEW) In âImmigration and Apocalypse: How the Book of Revelation Shaped American Immigration,â Yii Jan Lin narrates how some Americans have used the apocalyptic vision from the Book of Revelation to idealize the United States as a new holy land, while simultaneously marginalizing immigrants. The U.S. is portrayed as the New Jerusalem, with immigrants viewed as outsiders exhibiting unethical behaviors.
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