(OPINION) Expect an increase in agenda-driven messaging about religion’s role in the COVID-19 response and elsewhere in American public life. We should be aware of unbalanced narratives coming from the left and right, and journalists should take extra care in their approach to these issues.
Read MoreThanks to geographic isolation, decisive leadership and some luck, New Zealand has so far deflected a COVID-19 crisis. Church leaders in the island’s Māori and Pacific Islander communities have been key to this success, at times ahead of the government response while caring for the vulnerable in their flocks.
Read MoreCatholic leaders — be it the pope, cardinals, bishops or even your local parish priest — don’t traditionally endorse candidates for political office. Here’s a look at why things may be changing as both the church and voters prepare for another U.S. presidential election.
Read More(OPINION) Restrictions by the Church of England and a “revolving” Body of Christ by a French Catholic priest are two responses to this crisis as clergy struggle to attend to the spiritual needs of their flocks.
Read MoreSince GOD TV launched its Hebrew-language Shelanu Television on April 29, the international Christian media network has sparked an uproar in Israel over the clash between media freedom and the state’s concerns about missionary activity.
Read MoreTwo separate studies were published recently about how lower mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic may lead to more premature death. While one study estimates 75,000 Americans are at risk of dying by suicide, another finds that regular religious services attendance lessens the likelihood of a fatal mental health illness.
Read More(REVIEW) The church was planned to open May 9 on the 75th anniversary of Russia’s “Victory Day” celebrating the Nazi surrender and end of WWII but postponed during the coronavirus pandemic. The church’s architecture resembles military missiles, iron steps are forged from melted German weapons, and figures like Stalin, responsible for murders of thousands of faithful and clergy, were originally planned to feature inside the sanctuary alongside saints.
Read MoreThis week’s “Weekend Plug-in” column highlights Pittsburgh Post-Gazette religion editor Peter Smith winning recognition as a Pulitzer Prize finalist — a year after he was a key part of a Pulitzer-winning entry for that same paper.
Read MoreOn this day for 68 years, tens of thousands of Americans, evangelicals in particular, have gathered in public places and churches to pray for their leaders and their communities. This year for the first time, many hosts have canceled the event or shifted online, which has encouraged other Christian denominations and even other faith groups to join or organize parallel events.
Read More(OPINION) With these words Martin Niemoller criticized our silence in the eyes of evil, silence that amounts to complicity in the crimes. These words are as relevant now as they were during War World II in the case of human rights violations in China.
Read More(OPINION) During the pandemic we should remember that what the media reports is a picture of the important and unusual things happening around us— not necessarily the everyday encouraging acts of goodness that are also a part of our reality during lockdown.
Read MoreSpray nozzles called bum guns, water pots called lotas in South Asia and bidets have been keeping behinds clean for many years without toilet paper, in line with Islamic and Hindu texts urging purification of the body with water.
Read More(REVIEW) The WORLD Magazine Editor in Chief and author of 20 books writes that the Christian faith can and should use journalism to further its aims, but the only criterion of good journalism is a good story. Religious literacy simply gets you better stories, and Olasky never says this.
Read MoreThe fight is the latest salvo in the ongoing war between traditional forces within American Catholicism and the LGBTQ community trying to push the church to more progressive positions on an array of social issues. The Catholic church considers sexual activity between members of the same sex to be a sin.
Read More(OPINION) The national conversation regarding religious freedom right now is largely focused on the question of public, in person gatherings for worship services. And yet, it is important to recognize that this is not the only element of the institutional religious freedom discussion that needs to be had at the moment. In the weeks to come, this column will take up in detail emerging public policies that impact the freedom of faith-based organizations.
Read MoreCohen, an 11th grader, beat 72 teenagers from 41 countries. The 14-18-year-old contestants competed remotely from their home countries. The event, broadcast on Israeli state TV, also sparked some controversy this year.
Read More(OPINION) Nobody knows how long the COVID-19 crisis will last. Simply “waiting it out” is not an option for businesses, and it’s not am option for faith communities. In order to stay relevant in this time of uncertainty, churches need to exercise the same innovation seen in the marketplace.
Read MoreInstitutes for training imams are common across Africa, but the Rabat-based Mohammed VI Institute for the Training of Imams stands out because it welcomes female students to become spiritual guides. Since the late-1990s, Morocco has promoted moderate Islam to push back against radicalism at home and as an antidote to the Wahhabi tradition of Saudi Arabia with its links to Salafi jihadism. Morroco’s King Mohammed VI believes women are part of the solution.
Read MoreIn this week’s Weekend Plug-in, columnist Bobby Ross Jr. introduces the new president of the independent donor advocate MinistryWatch.com.
Read More(OPINION) Most states are on a timeline to reopen businesses and lift shelter-in-place guidelines. The issue has become largely partisan, but in conservative Christian circles there is some debate about the morality of how we balance the economy and public health.
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