Worldwide, more than 2.6 million deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. Christians are reflecting on the loss of their family members and loved ones to the virus. “This is an opportunity for the church to mourn with those who mourn. And there are a lot of people mourning,” said one pastor in Ohio.
Read More(OPINION) Catholics in Nigeria had buried many priests and believers killed in their country's brutal wars over land, cattle, honor and religion. But this was the first time Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese had preached at the funeral of a seminarian. A suspect in the crime said 18-year-old Michael Nnadi died urging his attackers to repent and forsake their evil ways.
Read MoreThis year’s Passover, the annual Jewish holiday, will offer families the chance to reflect on the hardships of the previous year. It also prioritizes looking with hope to the future.
Read More(OPINION) The harsh reality is that news consumers will need to read a wider variety of news sources if they are interested in finding solid facts, on-the-record sources and some sense of balanced reporting. On issues linked to religion, culture and politics, that will mean paying more attention to independent religious publications — including Catholic websites — that are now punching way above their weight.
Read More(REVIEW) Here are five new books — on a mix of subjects and for all ages — to add to your Amazon cart in time for Easter.
Read MoreThe government of Mozambique claims that religious fundamentalism rather than its own failures is the primary cause of a fast-escalating conflict that has killed over 2,500 people and displaced another 700,000. In March, the U.S. began training Mozambique defense forces in counter terrorism. But some journalists, researchers and clergy on the ground say that this narrative only serves the authoritarian government, accused of torturing and killing critics.
Read More(OPINION) After a new report released by Grace Church School in lower Manhattan that outlines new guidelines involving removing gender pronouns, how does one respond relating to the work of mainstream journalism?
Read More(OPINION) Religions evolve and accommodate as they migrate around the globe. A contemporary religious travel story is the Westernization of Asian Buddhism. Tricycle, a leading American Buddhist publication, deconstructed the phenomenon in its Spring 2021 issue.
Read More(OPINION) After two mass shootings in the U.S., many are examining the motives of the shooters. But people are complex creatures. We may be driven by hate, by anger and greed, and also by fear, insecurity, guilt, shame, jealousy and envy. Sometimes motives may be impossible to fathom.
Read More(OPINION) No one should be surprised that worship leaders frequently turned to "It Is Well With My Soul" as their people wrestled with the coronavirus pandemic. Faithlife, a company that publishes online worship and Bible study tools, recently released a report covering 2020 trends spotted in its Proclaim software. "It Is Well With My Soul" topped the hymns list, with usage increasing 68% after the pandemic hit.
Read More(OPINION) The March 11 edition of MSNBC’s "Morning Joe" aired a relatively long and serious discussion of a theme that journalists may want to grab if they're looking for a promising Easter feature idea. Interviewing prominent Evangelical leaders like Rev. Timothy Keller, MSNBC questioned the meaning of the holiday for Christians.
Read MoreSince 2013, the Christian Culinary Academy has flourished in an artsy coastal getaway, barely two hours away from Portland, sometimes called America’s best food city. The program is part of Christian Chefs International, a 23-year-old organization of 2,000 members having its annual conference this week in Cannon Beach.
Read MoreIt’s clear, thanks to COVID-19, that the church is not a building. In a post-pandemic world, some ask: Why have a building at all?
(OPINION) On March 24, the U.N. marks the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. It is a day designated to honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice. We need to do more to ensure that there are comprehensive investigative mechanisms in place for the Uighurs.
Read MoreFranciscans in the Holy Land, a Catholic order that’s preserved Christian sites in Jerusalem since the Middle Ages, have celebrated Lent for years by following the path step by step that Jesus may have taken nearly 2,000 years ago on his 40-day fasting journey through the Judean Desert.
Read MoreIn the aftermath of horrific killings, a local Korean-American leader in Atlanta explained that he appreciated the empathy shown by the Jewish community. She claimed that the Jewish community paved the way for others in the area.
Read MoreAn Asian American ministry leader reflects on rising hate crimes and the murders of six Asian American women in Georgia and offers three takeaways for the U.S. church.
Read MoreChurch People is a new Christian comedy about a youth pastor who has to try and stop his church from hosting a real crucifixion. It’s an improvement on past faith-based films and shows the changing landscape of audience desires for faith-based comedies.
Read MoreAsma Uddin, a religious liberty lawyer and a fellow at the Aspen Institute, writes in her new book The Politics of Vulnerability about how American Muslims and conservative Christians can engage better to protect their religious freedoms.
Read MoreTanzania’s President John Pombe Magufuli died of a heart attack on March 17 after frequently citing prayer as the best way to ward off the coronavirus. His political opponents are claiming he died of COVID-19, there is not evidence of that claim.
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