(OPINION) The campaigns leading up to the 2020 election are fraught with religious issues. Many—including President Trump—have criticized Joe Biden’s Catholicism. Journalists should look to Catholics for predictions of election outcomes.
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(OPINION) The coronavirus pandemic has required many churches to continue virtual worship. It’s sparked debates in the Anglican church about the validity of a “virtual Eucharist.”
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Read the prologue of “The Road From Raqqa: A Story Of Brotherhood, Borders And Belonging”, a non-fiction story about two brothers from Raqqa, Syria.
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(REVIEW) “Words on Bathroom Walls” follows high-schooler Adam as he struggles with paranoid schizophrenia and transfers to a Catholic school for his last term. While there, he’s meant to learn the importance of confession.
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While most California churches remain closed after a spike in COVID-19 cases and a reversal of reopening plans, most beaches remain open with few restrictions. Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch, remains closed to in-person services, but its “surfer ministry” resumed operations at the beginning of August largely unhindered.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in fact-checks whether the virtual Democratic National Convention eliminated “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. The week’s other top religion news ranges from Joe Biden’s faith to Jerry Falwell Jr.’s uncertain future with Liberty University.
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(OPINION) In France, anti-Semitic and anti-Christian hate crimes continue to bring suffering to religious people. Similar persecution is happening in the U.S., where protests have often brought violence and vandalism to Christians and churches.
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As Jewish High Holy Days approach in September, rabbis are forced to adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic. The period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is a time of reflection on God’s judgement and redemption. “Do I really believe that God will choose to spare me from, and others will die by, fire, famine or COVID-19?” one rabbi asks.
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During the pandemic, online activity has soared. A niche of podcasts for LGBTQ people interested in religion and spirituality have captured some of that growth, establishing themselves in the podcast market.
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(OPINION) Members of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in God the Father as well as the Heavenly Mother. This is a belief completely unique to the LDS faith.
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The Democratic National Convention kicked off the week with a Sunday interfaith service featuring many different religious leaders but no Catholics, though Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden identifies with Catholicism. On Thursday, Father James Martin, a Catholic priest known for his work to advance LGBTQ acceptance in the church, is expected to speak and include pro-life views. Sister Simone Campbell, a progressive nun and friend of Biden’s, is also expected to speak.
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(TRAVEL) Taizé is a small, rural village in France popular for the presence of an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity. A Muslim woman from Lebanon shares her experience after spending a month in the interfaith community.
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India’s recent rise in Hindu nationalism can be seen playing out in multi-million-dollar projects funded by both government and private donations to build some of the world’s tallest statues of Hindu heroes, including not just an independence leader and Hindu gods but also a Hindu warrior king who defeated Muslim forces.
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(REVIEW) Traditionalists versus progressives is the major plot of a new novel called The Order by writer Daniel Silva, who puts these sinister inner workings that highlight this modern-day Vatican political power struggle — albeit a fictional account in this case — into greater focus.
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Pastor John MacArthur and Grace Community Church ignored California’s orders to host services indoors without masks or social distancing. The church filed a lawsuit against California officials, saying that state-mandated restrictions to prevent COVID-19 violate the state’s constitution.
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Zimbabwean human rights, democracy and Christian groups are rallying behind Catholic bishops in the southern African country after leaders were attacked over the weekend by the government. Government authorities labelled the bishops “evil” after they voiced their concerns over the country’s worsening economic and human rights crisis in a pastoral letter that has given new life to the #ZimbabweanLivesMatter online protest.
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This week Kamala Harris, presidential candidate Joe Biden’s running mate, will take the main stage at the virtual Democratic National Convention in events streamed online, kicked off Aug. 16 by an interfaith service featuring Christian, Native American, Hindu and Jewish religious leaders.
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(OPINION) Forgiveness has been crucial throughout history to heal tensions between races after injustice and evil. It’s just as important today.
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This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the religion angles tied to presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s selection of California Sen. Kamala Harris as his running mate.
Read MoreA growing Christian security movement focuses on training churches and ministries how to protect their congregations in case of gun violence.
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