Ablution, or wudu, is often performed before prayer and involves washing the hands, face, mouth, nostrils, arms, and feet in a certain sequence with running water. “I always travel across Africa with work. Many buildings and public spaces have no wudu facilities. This makes most Muslims uncomfortable,” said one frequent traveler.
Read More(REVIEW) John Chau was an American man who died trying to preach the Gospel to North Sentinel Island, home to a tribe cut off from the outside world. The story captured the world’s attention — but a new film, "Last Days", recalls what happened, but was also a missed opportunity for secular-religious empathy.
Read More(ANALYSIS) I’ve always found survey questions about prayer in public schools somewhat difficult to interpret because the context matters so much. For example, what if a local school district simply offers a quiet time for students to meditate or read? Students could choose to pray during this period, but it wouldn’t be mandatory. Or what if the teacher guides the class in a moment of self-reflection, encouraging students to set their intentions for the day?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Halloween used to be different. Very different. Before Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger, before trick-or-treating and crowded costume parties, it was All Hallows’ Eve. It was a night when candles burned for the dead and prayers rose into the dark. Families across Europe gathered in solemn silence, marked more by reverence than by revelry.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Two hundred years ago, on Oct. 26, 1825, New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton boarded a canal boat by the shores of Lake Erie. Amid boisterous festivities, his vessel, the Seneca Chief, embarked from Buffalo, the westernmost port of his brand-new Erie Canal.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Compassion loses nothing by being partial, only when it turns self-righteous. Empathy must be guided by conscience, not by those who claim the right to decide whose pain counts.
Read More(ANALYSIS) One of my main goals as a professor is to get students excited about the material. In a philosophy of youth ministry class our instructor wrote in big letters on the board, “It’s a sin to bore people with the Gospel.” I’ve taken that to heart and expanded it — it’s a sin to bore people at all.
Read MoreThe competition — called “FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025” — had been originally scheduled to be played in Dubai with teams from Chad, Libya and the host nation UAE. FIFA confirmed that the tournament would instead be be played in Morocco, starting on Sunday, with a revised lineup that includes the Afghan refugee squad, Chad, Tunisia and Libya.
Read MoreOn lists of most dangerous jobs, professions such as logger, roofer and lineman rank high. Preacher? Not so much. But serving the Lord can be — at least occasionally — difficult on one’s physical health, as David Duncan, Randy Roper and Trey Morgan discovered.
Read More(ANALYSIS) This month marks 181 years — on Oct. 15, 1844 — since the birth of a man with a magnificent mustache. That man is Friedrich Nietzsche. So often cast as the very symbol of atheism, the German philosopher is widely misunderstood. To read him as a cheerleader for unbelief is to miss the point entirely.
Read MoreWhile Vance emphasized “partnership” with Israel and pushed back on the notion that the Jewish state had become a “protectorate” of the United States, the underlying tensions in this evolving post-Gaza war framework reveals that the alliance has entered a new phase.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Many congregations have developed safer celebrations — often called “Holy-ween, “fall festivals” or similar terms — which almost always offer “trunk 'r treat” options, with families parked in church lots and children going car to car collecting candy.
Read More(ANALYSIS) In Myanmar, when the military has a hard time conscripting enough residents into their ranks, they turn to monks for help. The religious leaders — many of whom have been well-connected to the government — are backing the recruitment drive. The regime has been targeting men across all segments of society — including the urban poor, displaced populations and ethnic and religious minorities.
Read More(REVIEW) “Black Phone 2” is good when it’s going for vibe and style. The first half, where it shows characters dealing with trauma without judging them, is Derrickson at his best. But a disappointing second half that focuses more on preaching than entertainment undermines any goodwill the film built up. And its harmful spiritual messages mean that this is a phone call there’s very little reason to take.
Read MoreTouchdowns may be scored on the field, but what goes on off it? Fans are praying, warding off evil, consulting mediums and even wondering if angels or aliens are silently shaping the fate of their favorite teams. The study, conducted by Free Bets, surveyed over 2,000 fans across all 32 NFL teams to uncover just how many of them believe in the supernatural.
Read MoreThis landmark five-day gathering — convened under the theme “Where now for visible unity?” — marks a significant moment in the century-long journey of ecumenical dialogue.
Read More(OPINION) After participating in multiple protests this year opposing authoritarianism, a Christian minister reflects on how people of faith can help sustain the growing No Kings movement — with hope, humor, and moral clarity. The “No Kings” movement, thank God, has only just begun.
Read More(OPINION) My grandkids are nearly grown, I’m afraid. Of the five, three are in high school now and one’s in middle school. Only the youngest is still a little guy.
Read More(ANALYSIS) With its pending case of Christian psychological counselor Kaley Chiles, the U.S. Supreme Court faces a potentially momentous choice between her claim of free speech during therapy, over against Colorado’s professional licensing standards that forbid so-called “conversion therapy” regarding homosexual orientation and transgender transitions.
Read MoreAmerican attitudes about religion’s role in public life are shifting as a growing share of adults saying religion is gaining influence in society — with most viewing that trend positively, according to a new study. The percentage of U.S. adults who believe religion is gaining influence in American life jumped from 18% to 31%.
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