Ugandan NGOs, many faith-based, at risk of closing after government suspends EU funds

The Uganda government’s suspension of a Western-funded grant has left the survival of more than 70 organizations, including 15 state agencies, hanging in the balance. The trouble between President Yoweri Museveni and the EU started in 2020 when Museveni suspected the West of backing his rivals. Then several Western countries criticized Uganda for falling short of required standards for a free and fair election.

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Remembering Luis Palau and his last trip to Peru: 'Well done, good and faithful servant'

(OPINION) Luis Palau, called the Billy Graham of Latin America, died March 11 at age 86. Religion Unplugged contributor and board member of The Media Project recalls what it was like working with Palau in Peru and accompanying him on official meetings with government officials and artists.

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The Array Of Beliefs Inside America's Rising Religious 'Nones'

(OPINION) Religion Unplugged contributor and data journalist Ryan Burge thinks the rising number of Americans who don’t identify with any particular religion may be the most consequential religious group. They are one-fifth of the population and the fastest-growing religious group in the U.S. On point after point, they are notably different from both atheists and agnostics.

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Exclusive: Cardinal Zen Says Chinese Church Without Vatican's Help Will 'Die Out Soon'

Hong Kong pro-democracy leader and Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen told Religion Unplugged that if the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) were to pull out of cooperation with the Vatican and attempt to maintain an entirely Chinese Catholic Church without the pope as its head, the entire organization will be rejected by the laity. New regulations on the Church go into effect May 1 and appear designed to block the Vatican’s control of the Church inside China.

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How Much More Evidence Is Needed Before The International Community Acts On Xinjiang?

(OPINION) On March 9, 2021, Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a non-partisan think tank based in the U.S., published a new report co-authored by over 50 global experts in human rights, war crimes and international law, analyzing the situation of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang, China, against the legal definition of genocide and the duties to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.

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Beth Moore, Southern Baptists and the story behind the scoop that broke the internet

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the story behind Religion News Service’s big scoop on Beth Moore declaring she is “no longer a Southern Baptist.” Plus, find links to all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.

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A Guide To Faith Communities Booming On The Clubhouse App

Clubhouse, the new audio chat app from Silicon Valley, is a booming spot for faith groups hoping to supplement weekly worship and grow their communities. Here are the best ones to check out.

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Christians, Jews, Muslims and Lobbyists Left and Right Fret Over SCOTUS 'Donor Privacy' Case

(OPINION) What cause could ever possibly unite the Christian Right and the pro-choice left? Non-profit groups cannot operate or raise money in the state of California unless they give its attorney general the names and addresses of their major donors, the same list that's required as an appendix to their federal IRS returns.

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The Tyrannical Threat of New Blasphemy Laws in Scotland

(OPINION) In Scotland, old blasphemy laws are being discarded — only to be replaced with harsher ones. The bill introduced is opposed by many faith and secular groups.

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Are we all evangelicals now? How the term has grown to blur theology and ideology

The term “evangelical” has broken away from its roots as a sub-genre of Protestant theology and has now morphed into a social, cultural and political term that stretches far beyond the boundaries of Christianity. In fact, the term “evangelical” is now being embraced by religious groups that do not believe in any of the tenets of an orthodox evangelicalism.

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Polls apart: Pew Research Switching Methodologies With its Much-Used U.S. Religious Surveys

(OPINION) These days the "response rates" among those in randomly selected samples are so low it's tough to tell how representative the people are. Pew's expertise often provides all-important distinctions between white "mainline" and white "evangelical" Protestants, and between white and Hispanic Catholics. Pew is changing the way it surveys religious behavior and attitudes, so the media will want to be aware of why and how.

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How the Equality Act would impact faith-based child placement agencies

(ANALYSIS) The proposed Equality Act explicitly bans discrimination in federally funded programs on the basis of sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, which would require all adoption and child placement agencies to adopt to LGBTQ couples.

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India begins promised detention, deportation plan of Rohingya refugees

Thousands of Rohingya refugees settled in India’s only Muslim-majority region Jammu and Kashmir are at risk of arrest and detention after the Indian government moved 175 Rohingya to a detention center March 6, saying the Myanmar government — now controlled by the military accused of ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya— asked for the Rohingya to be deported back. The move follows the BJP ruling party’s promises to deport Rohingya, ahead of elections in key states this week.

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Ravi Zacharias International Ministries to Change its Name, Remove Founder Content

Ravi Zacharias International Ministries will change its name and remove content from late founder Ravi Zacharias from its website and social media platforms, RZIM CEO Sarah Davis said in a statement. Davis said the organization will discontinue the use of “The Zacharias Institute” brand immediately and that content to be removed includes publications and videos.

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How Harry And Meghan Sent The Church Of England Into Panic Mode

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex caused major waves via their bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. Accusations of racism, betrayal and a lack of empathy dominated the talk, but one key detail dropped about the couple’s wedding has left the Church of England in a difficult position.

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