For months, a Washington state bill generated controversy over two critical interests: protecting children from abuse and protecting the freedom of religion. Signed by the governor this past May, SB 5375 designated clergy as mandatory reporters, requiring them to report child sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect — even if they learned of the abuse during a confidential sacred rite.
Read More(REVIEW) Throughout the show “Chad Powers,” the f-bombs burst through the air more than footballs — and not just from Russ, but the coaches, women and the extras. The only one not dropping them in this faux football world was the “Christian” backup quarterback who was, of course, a sincere idiot.
Read MoreThe World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Conference, held in Egypt to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea, brought together a wide range of Christian leaders over five days in search of renewed unity. Yet, as inspiring as the goal may have been, the path toward visible Christian unity remains fraught with challenges — theological, historical, cultural and even practical.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, published a statement condemning the latest public execution in Afghanistan and calling on the de facto authorities to immediately impose a moratorium and abolish the use of the death penalty.
Read MoreMany U.S. homes may decorate for Halloween each year with ghosts and witches, but most American adults are doubtful they actually exist. Surveys from both Gallup and Pew Research Cener find broad skepticism for psychics, ghosts, astrology and, yes, witches. Gallup found that 66 percent are generally skeptical.
Read MoreBeneath a church sanctuary, a basement is filled with skeletons of over 40,000 individuals arranged in horrifying ways — it is like a scene out of a scary movie, but it is entirely real. For Christians, memento mori — a Latin phrase meaning “remember you must die” — is inescapable.
Read More(OPINION) Overall, human beings don’t like to think about death. As Halloween approaches, though — and November being the month of All Souls in the Catholic Church — such thoughts occur more frequently this time of year.
Read MoreAblution, 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(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(REVIEW) “The Exorcist” has always stuck out to me as a movie because of its universality, its appeal to both the religious and secular. “Exorcistic” is a byproduct of the movie’s lasting influence in media that certainly leaves a wild impression of its own. It’s worth seeing if you want something to put you into the Halloween spirit.
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 MoreA special ecumenical gathering featuring various Christian traditions opened on Friday — the start of a five-day conference that aims to engage in dialogue that will bring with it broader unity much like the Council of Nicaea did 1,700 years ago.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Across the country, colleges and universities are grappling with the effects of the demographic cliff: This year’s sharp drop in the number of high-school graduates resulting from lower birth rates during and after the 2008 recession.
Read MoreWhat do you know? If you go to a typical online dictionary and look up the verb “drawl,” you will find, “to speak slowly with vowels greatly prolonged.”
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(OPINION) In the wake of the historic schism that has fractured the worldwide Anglican Communion, lazy and ignorant narratives have already begun to emerge. The secular media and even some progressive Christian outlets would have you believe this is a simple story of progress versus bigotry — a misogynistic, homophobic and unenlightened conclave of Global South bishops mostly from the African continent breaking away because a woman was put in charge.
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 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.
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