For real-life Jedi, 'Star Wars' fandom is a spiritual practice

The Temple of the Jedi Order is real — and its members draw direct parallels between it and church traditions.

News, Religion, Society, North AmericaJillian CheneyDecember 16, 2019Star Wars, George Lucas, jedis, jedi, yoda, movies, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Rise of Skywalker, secondary feature, Jillian Cheney, Jedi, Real Life Jedi Comment

'VeggieTales' creator's new book makes biblical literacy accessible to kids

(OPINION) Bible stories aren’t enough to convey to children what the biblical narrative is really about. They need to be able to see their place in it, argues Phil Vischer.

Genomics: Journalists should dig into its moral quandaries

(OPINION) An experiment planned for 2020 could pave the way for scientists in the field to “play God.” We should all be paying attention, and journalists should be helping us facilitate an important conversation.

Opinion, Europe, North AmericaRichard OstlingDecember 13, 2019Genomic Prediction Company, single-nucleotide polymorphism, snip, The Economist, designer babies, genomics, gene editing, pleiotropy, CRISPR, Christianity, Richard OstlingComment

Anglican church leaders in Canada face a steep decline in members

(OPINION) The archbishop takes an optimistic view of the situation, but the numbers tell a sobering story. It’s part of an overall trend of secularization in Canada.

Opinion, North America, ReligionTerry MattinglyDecember 13, 2019Canada, Anglican Church, Anglican Church of Canada, United Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, church decline, Archbishop Linda Nicholls, Anglican Journal, Anglican Network in Canada, Christians, Christianity, Terry MattinglyComment

Dwindling donations to churches due to a variety of factors

(ANALYSIS) Americans continue to be generous — but churches and some faith-based groups have suffered the most these days when it comes to donations. A drop in donations to these non-profits would also have a global impact.

Manger Relic's return to Bethlehem is cause for a historic Advent

A piece of wood believed to be from Jesus’ manger arrived in Bethlehem on Saturday. Palestinian Christians are celebrating its presence, and local businesses are hoping it will bring more tourists.

Catholicism and clergy sex abuse: The legal saga continues

(OPINION) It’s been 17 years since The Boston Globe published its groundbreaking series on clergy sex abuse. Some two decades later, a political shift in state legislative bodies and fallout from the #MeToo movement have all collided to bring what many warn is a financial reckoning that could cripple the Catholic church in America.

Analysis, North America, Opinion, Politics, Religion, SocietyClemente LisiDecember 12, 2019Clemente Lisi, Roman Catholicism, Catholic Church, Christianity, clergy sex abuse, lawsuits, Vatican, Pope Francis, priests, Sexual AbuseComment

Memoir of a Missionary Kid: Being Lesslie Newbigin's Daughter

(REVIEW) A new book about Bishop Lesslie Newbigin’s family – by his feminist daughter – exposes the collateral damage of ministry and questions Christian duty to the church over one’s family.

Asia, Primary Feature, Religion, Books, Culture, OpinionDr. Jenny TaylorDecember 11, 2019Jenny Taylor, Dr. Jenny Taylor, Lesslie Newbigin, missionaries, mission work, Christian missions, Margaret Beetham, Home is Where: the Journeys of a Missionary Child, missionary kid, Primary Feature, Christianity Comments

‘White Fathers’ mark 150 years of Christianizing Africa

The Roman Catholic societies called the White Fathers and White Sisters, named after their white robes, celebrated 150 years since their spread of Christianity across Africa.

Africa, News, Primary Feature, ReligionJohn SemakulaDecember 10, 2019white fathers, africa, John Semakula, Primary Feature, Christinaity, Catholic Church, Secondary Feature, White Fathers, ChristianityComment

Young people are living in a 'digital Babylon'

(OPINION) Religious leaders have been slow to catch up to the ways that technology is changing the lives of people in their communities. The consequences are evident.

Should the Catholic Church change course on celibacy and women priests?

(OPINION) By year’s end, Pope Francis is expected to make a pronouncement about some of Catholicism’s most long-debated traditions.

Opinion, Religion, South AmericaRichard OstlingDecember 10, 2019Catholic, Catholics, Pope Francis, Amazon Synod, viri probati, celibacy, Christianity, Richard Ostling, Celibacy, women priestsComment

New poll looks at Catholic voting trends ahead of the 2020 presidential election

With less than a year before the 2020 presidential election, a new poll puts the spotlight on American Catholics and what candidates and issues matter to them most.

India's energized Hindu right is set on claiming more mosques

After a Supreme Court ruling that allows Hindus to rebuild a temple over an illegally demolished mosque, Hindu nationalists are looking to claim another Mughal-era mosque in one of Hinduism’s holiest cities.

Shinto festival carries on centuries-old tradition in Japan

The Chichibu Night Festival, famous for its elaborate floats, has roots stretching more than 1,000 years, with roots in an older tradition of villagers giving thanks to the nearby mountain god for helping them during the planting and harvesting season.

Asia, News, ReligionMalcolm Foster, Associated PressDecember 5, 2019Associated Press, Shintoism, Japan, chichibu night festival, minoru sonoda, kami, shinto festival, secondary feature, Secondary feature, Secondary Feature, Malcolm Foster

Ethiopian Jews celebrate their return to Jerusalem, yearn for more acceptance

Ethiopian Jews claim ancestry back to the Israelite tribe of Dan and escaped religious persecution with aid from Israel. Today, they continue celebrating the festival Sigd, about returning to Jerusalem, to remember God’s promise and bring more awareness is Israeli society about the racism and discrimination they still face.

Benedict and Francis: The truth about spirituality, soda and soccer

(OPINION) If you really want to see this movie, then definitely do your homework and read the very good reporting that went beyond the fawning reviews.

Opinion, Religion, South AmericaClemente LisiDecember 5, 2019Catholic Church, catholicism, Clemente Lisi, Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, religion, movies, film, opinion, newspapers, journalism, media, ChristianityComment

'A Very British Muslim Activist' tells story of Islamist-turned-peacemaker

(REVIEW) Ghayasuddin Siddiqui founded a handful of Islamist organizations in the U.K. and feels responsible for attitudes that may have inspired London’s Islamic terrorist attacks. By the nineties, he recanted his Islamist views and today leads social justice and assimilation efforts in the British Muslim community.

News, Politics, Religion, Books, EuropeDr. Jenny TaylorDecember 3, 2019a very british muslim activist, uk muslims, Jenny Taylor, Dr. Jenny Taylor, Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, islam, secondary feature, Secondary feature, Primary Feature, Islam, MuslimComment

The Rising Trend of Christian Persecution

(OPINION) Acts of violence based on religion or belief are on the increase globally. This includes atrocities that amount to genocide and crimes against humanity. While such acts of violence affect all religious groups (especially minority religious groups), over the recent months, report after report has been raising the issues that relate to the persecution of Christians globally.

Opinion, Religious Equality, EuropeEwelina U. OchabDecember 3, 2019Ewelina U. Ochab, Christian persecution, Religious persecution, Religious Freedom, Terrorism, UK, genocide, human rights, Human Rights Watch, Christianity

Why God Continues To Have A Place At The Thanksgiving Day Table

(ANALYSIS) Thanksgiving has endured over the centuries through waves of immigration and wokeness, even though the way the holiday is taught in American classrooms has changed in recent years. The reason may be that this uniquely American tradition has a universal meaning to everyone, regardless of one’s faith or lack of it.

North America, Politics, Primary Feature, Religion, Society, Analysis, OpinionClemente LisiNovember 28, 2019Christianity, Pilgrims, Thanksgiving, religion, Clemente Lisi, Opinion, secondary feature, Primary Feature, Recharge, Christmas seasonComment

Vatican's semi-official newspaper may be suffering from a 'fake news' problem

(OPINION) For those who have never heard of it, L’Osservatore Romano is a daily newspaper that reports on the Vatican. It is printed in Italian with weekly editions in six languages, including English, and once a month in Polish.

Politics, Religion, Society, Analysis, Opinion, EuropeClemente LisiNovember 28, 2019Catholic Church, Vatican, Vatican press office, newspaper, journalism, Clemente Lisi, Journalism, Trump, Opinion, Donald Trump, Christianity Comments

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