The summit unfolded against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tension, coinciding with U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the prospect of regime change in a country gripped by Shi’a rule for nearly 50 years. For many of the attendees who flew to Malta, regime change in Iran is the start of a new era.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Understanding this distinction can help get past oversimplified narratives. The Middle East’s conflicts are not simply ancient religious feuds. They are modern political struggles shaped by history, identity and political interests. Here’s what you need to know about Sunni and Shia Islam — and how it impacts Iran and the current situation there.
Read MoreVenezuela's president has been in U.S. custody for two months now. But has the situation in Venezuela improved, and what does it mean for religious freedom? We talk with human rights experts about concerns for Latin American liberty at large.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Three rounds of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran failed to persuade President Trump that a solution to the nuclear impasse lay in diplomacy, rather than military action. A perceived lack of progress on Feb 26, was enough to prompt Trump to green-light a massive onslaught of missiles that has degraded Iran and killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Read More(ANALYSIS) An intriguing religious issue is raised by an odd space-age colloquy in mid-February between Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Out of the blue, political podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen asked Obama, “Are aliens real?” He immediately replied, “They’re real, but I haven’t seen them” and he knows of no proof that extraterrestrials exist.
Read MoreWith a U.S.-Israel bombardment underway and President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu openly pressing for regime change, related questions now loom large: What are the Iranian people prepared for — and who, exactly, is positioned to lead them if the Islamic Republic falls?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Imagine a world where crimes are stopped before they even take place. Science fiction has imagined this world, most famously in the 2002 film “Minority Report,” where society can predict criminal acts and allow authorities to intervene in advance. Thanks to AI, this dystopian reality could be coming to your neighborhood in the not-so-distant future.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The joint U.S.–Israeli strike on Iranian targets on Saturday marked a dramatic escalation in the decades-long confrontation with the Islamic Republic — and raised two profound questions: Is this a real attempt at regime change? What would that mean for religious freedom inside Iran?
Read More(ANALYSIS) Be warned — this one is super nerdy and goes very deep into the weeds of survey methodology. I want this newsletter to be really accessible to the average American, but I think it’s helpful every once in a while to pull back the curtain on stuff that I see in the data that just doesn’t sit right with me.
Read MoreIt’s also important that this unconventional religious leader’s social ties to Epstein continued long after the financier became a convicted sex offender, after he pled guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl.
Read MoreOvert antisemitism among online influencers has started to break into the real world. A notable recent example comes via Tyler Oliveira, a YouTuber who rose to fame with stunts like trying to absorb a swimming pool’s worth of water with paper towels before pivoting to “documentaries” that often purport to expose conservative bugaboos — and who has filmed two recent videos focused on Jews.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Of Jesus’ 12 disciples, Saint Peter is one of the most important. In the Book of Matthew, Jesus declares that Peter is the “rock” on which “I will build my church.” Catholic tradition considers him the first pope. Martyred in the first century, Peter asked to be crucified upside down so he would not die the same way as Christ. That story, however, is not in the Bible.
Read MoreLewis’s 1945 novel “That Hideous Strength” was marketed as fiction, but it read like more like a prophecy. Lewis’ warning at the time cuts deep for modern-day readers. The danger is not artificial intelligence itself. The danger, Lewis argues, is what happens when humans regard tech tools as oracles. It’s about what happens when humanity stops kneeling before God and starts bowing to its own tools.
Read More(ANALYSIS) What do you envision when you think of meekness? You probably see a mousy doormat, someone sheepishly acquiescing to the will of the stronger. When Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” you might think that those wimps will hand it over without a whimper or word of objection to stronger, more ambitious people.”
Read MoreChristian movies have a pretty negative reputation. But, in recent years, their Rotten Tomatoes scores have been on a steady uptick. What’s happening? The tide that has turned in the faith-based film industry is multifaceted. The studios have become willing to give Christian directors bigger budgets. Writers have started telling stories with more complicated heroes and honest portrayals of life.
Read MoreYou don’t have to be a person of faith to be visited by or to express a desire to see a hospital chaplain. In fact, a 2022 Gallup survey found that approximately one in four Americans have encountered a chaplain, with half saying that the meeting occurred in a healthcare setting (a bit more than 10 percent of those polled mentioned the military).
Read More(ANALYSIS) Understanding others requires charitable interpretation: Seeing them as protagonists doing their best within imperfect circumstances. While we can misjudge by overlooking faults or inventing virtues, it is often worse to dismiss others outright. Balancing agency and generosity fosters humility, productive disagreement and cooperation across personal, cultural and political divides.
Read MoreIn a profoundly positive appraisal of the Protestant Reformation, high-ranking Vatican officials are championing the Augsburg Confession — a pivotal Lutheran text — highlighting it as a shared basis for Christian unity, as the 500th anniversary of the document approaches in 2030. It would be a profound shift should Pope Leo decide to embrace the centuries-old document.
Read MoreFred Rogers’ legacy continues to resonate in 2026, from Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl tribute to church celebrations, global music tours and educational initiatives. His timeless message of kindness, peacemaking and “looking for the helpers” remains a source of comfort and connection, inspiring new generations to practice neighborliness during uncertain times.
Read MoreDuring the Winter Olympics outreach in Milan, over 100 Southern Baptist volunteers shared the Gospel using Olympic-themed pins and QR codes. Conversations in areas packed with tourists sparked global interest, amplified by social media, leading to thousands of spiritual discussions with local and international visitors alike.
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