(ANALYSIS) The biannual U.S. Catholic bishops’ meeting received more than its usual attention this June due to one particular item on its agenda: a proposed document on the Sacrament of the Eucharist, a ritual also known as Holy Communion. What is the Eucharist, and what does it mean to be denied it?
Read MoreWhile many churches have resumed in-person services, the Jehovah’s Witnesses remain completely virtual in their operations with no plans to reopen. While the deaf-blind make up a tiny portion of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the organization has innovated ways to minister to this group, using everything from advanced electronic readers to macaroni.
Read MoreRural villages in the Dominican Republic’s hot, barren southwestern region struggle to access clean drinking water. This entrepreneurial minister created a business that filters water using ultraviolet light and an elaborate storage system and delivers clean water at affordable prices or no cost to families, schools and businesses.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Concerned over the direction that some leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention have recently taken, a number of pastors in the denomination have formed the “Conservative Baptist Network” while others have left the denomination altogether. A history of the “Baptist battles” provides context for the SBC’s recent infighting along race, gender and ideology.
Read More(OPINION) Whenever the Southern Baptist Convention gathers in times of trials and turmoil, one thing is certain – someone will preach a sermon that makes a difference. That's how Southern Baptists do what they do. These sermons may not produce as many headlines as SBC elections or fiery debates about hot-button social issues, but the sermons matter.
Read MoreLinda Byler, 63, is an Old Order Amish wordsmith who began writing out of financial desperation. With 39 published novels, she has captivated Amish and non-Amish audiences (called English)—readers from around the nation who sometimes drop by her farm just to meet the writer who captures the simple life of the Amish sect, more than 300,000 strong in the United States alone.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in explores the faith angle in the collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida. Plus, catch up on all the week’s top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
Read More(ANALYSIS) KASHMIR -- Nearly two years after Jammu and Kashmir was split into two Union Territories and Article 370 of the Constitution was revoked, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met 14 J&K leaders in New Delhi on June 24 to end the political impasse in the former state.
Read More(OPINION) What’s important to remember is that as Catholics our faith is not a set of political positions that we hold on a variety of issues. Our faith is rooted in what Jesus said about God’s purpose and his will for every person. That has been transmitted to all of us in the gospels, through centuries of church tradition and Canon Law.
Read MoreAfter the remains of 215 indigenous children were found in Canada, churches are working to confront their past and serve their communities.
Read More(ANALYSIS) It's hard to follow warfare inside the Southern Baptist Convention without a working knowledge of biblical symbolism. Here is a recap of some of the images and references at play.
Read MoreIn a 2019 survey, 44% of Americans – along with 45% of people across 34 nations – said that belief in God is necessary “to be moral and have good values.” So what happens to a person’s morality and values when they lose faith?
Read More(REVIEW) This unique sporting event is the focus of a new 69-minute documentary called “The Holy Game” by filmmakers Brent Hodge and Chris Kelly. The film, distributed by Gravitas Ventures, details what’s often called the “World Cup of the church” — but also takes a behind-the-scenes look at these young seminarians who love both playing the game and God.
Read More(OPINION) After centuries of slavery and racial persecution in U.S. history, a fascinating era emerged when the Bible was used to promote peace and equality rather than strife and subjugation.
Read More(OPINION) Standard news judgment automatically puts the spotlight on hot disputes in the nation's two largest religious sectors — white evangelicalism and Catholicism. Meanwhile, the media consistently downplay the third-ranking religious category, "Mainline" Protestantism. Do these “Mainliners” hold insights into how to mitigate sexual abuse scandals in churches?
Read MoreAs the pope met with local Christian and Muslim leaders in March 2021, the names of smaller religious groups found in Iraq also made the news. One of these was the Mandaeans. Also called Sabians, they are followers of the last Gnostic religion to survive continuously from ancient times down to the present day.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in explores the role of Christian denominations in taking Indigenous children from their families in Canada and the U.S. Plus, check out all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) The Census Bureau reports the “unprecedented environment” during the COVID-19 pandemic fueled a boom in “pandemic pods” as well as parents considering virtual schools and home-school organizations beyond the neighborhood public school. The Census Bureau reported home-schooling among Black or African Americans increased by five times to 16.1% of households last fall.
Read MoreThe structure of St. Baglan's Church in North Wales is simple, with plastered stone walls and whitewashed timbers between the slate slabs of its roof and floor. The 13th Century sanctuary was rebuilt in the 1800s, but the carved doorway lintel dates from the 5th or 6th century. An adjacent field contains the 7th Century well of St. Baglan and for ages the faithful sought healing in its waters.
Read More(OPINION) Whether you’re a Catholic or just like to root for the underdog — or both — then you’ll be watching Croatia at this summer’s European Championship.
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