Two religion stories that deserve more attention: China and India

(OPINION) A piece about China’s communist government’s fear of Christianity sparks the question– why don’t news outlets cover the government’s fear and distaste of other religions, such as Buddhism and Islam, as well?

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Surviving COVID-19, fire, mosque demolition: Rohingya refugees hold onto faith

Indian authorities bulldozed a makeshift mosque in one of New Delhi’s most populous Rohingya refugee camps last week, less than a month after a fire engulfed more than 50 lean-to homes built on undeveloped, government-owned land along the Yamuna riverbank. “It was not just a place of worship for us,” one resident said.

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Docuseries: Their son was lynched for being Muslim in India

Three years after the lynching of 16-year-old Junaid Khan in India, “The Dinner Table” host Harshita Rathore meets his family for a heart-to-heart conversation over a meal. In the first episode of the docuseries produced by Newsreel, the Khans share what it’s like to experience grief and discrimination as Muslims in India, who have faced increasing incidents of violence and hate crimes by Hindu nationalists since 2014.

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How Churches Can Fight Conspiracy Theories

(OPINION) The data tells us that evangelicals believing conspiracy theories spread by QAnon is more pervasive than many of us realize. Jesus was clear — if we don’t deal swiftly with false teaching, it will quickly spread and devour us. Here are three practical steps to fighting conspiracy theories in churches.

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Fact check: Who is the pastor accused in Haiti’s presidential assassination?

This week’s Weekend Plug-in features a fact check on an important religion angle related to Haiti’s presidential assassination. Plus, catch up on all the week’s best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Pope Francis Documentary Offers Broad Overview of Life and Papacy, Emphasizes Role of the Holy Spirit

(REVIEW) A new PBS documentary on the life of Pope Francis that premiered on June 20 presents an hour long overview from his childhood to his papacy. It paints Francis as a reformer of the Catholic Church and a pope who cares greatly for other people.

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Guide to Olympians of Faith Competing at the 2020 Tokyo Games

The controversy and context surrounding the 2020 Tokyo Olympics pose an opportunity to think about the Games through a lens of faith. From a Muslim track and field athlete to Israel’s first surfer, here is a guide to the Games for the religiously-minded.

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An Iraq War Law Invites Presidential Overreach. Americans of Faith Are Rallying to Repeal It

(OPINION) Members of Congress have abdicated their war powers over the past 20 years, resulting in endless wars that have devastated millions of people’s lives. Now, lawmakers must rectify their mistakes – and those of their predecessors – by repealing the 2002 Iraq AUMF and reasserting their constitutional war powers.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo As An Orthodox Christian And Star Of The NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks

While his life story is fascinating, heart-warming and remarkable, the religious life of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo is less well known. The now 26-year-old Giannis became a Christian and devout member of the Greek Orthodox Church as a young person and continues to acknowledge his Christian faith.

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Resignations, Turmoil, Continue at Piper’s Bethlehem Baptist Church

Jason Meyer, John Piper’s successor at Bethlehem Baptist Church, has stepped down from his position as pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem’s downtown campus. Meyer is part of a growing exodus of leaders and members leaving Bethlehem, a church with some 4,500 members on three campuses which is seen as a flagship church in Converge, formerly the Baptist General Conference.

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Life and death challenges have tested the faith of Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams

(OPINION) Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams says his Christian faith has brought hope and clarity to areas of his life that have proven difficult. He hopes to pass on lessons learned to his players.

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What Happens to Faith When Religious Leaders Die From COVID?

(OPINION) The continued death of pastors, imams, rabbis and other spiritual leaders across all religions from the Coronavirus has a devastating effect on the faith of those who took up to them.


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Foster care and adoption ministries praise ruling in Fulton v. Philadelphia

Many leaders of faith-based adoption and foster care agencies anticipated the outcome of the case of Fulton v. Philadelphia, which pitted a Catholic foster agency against the city over whether faith-based organizations can decline to place children with adoptive same-sex couples according to their religious beliefs. Several say they were encouraged both by the protection of the Philadelphia charity’s religious freedom and by the unanimity of the decision.

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The World’s Largest Muslim Organization Just Honored Evangelicals

(OPINION) The Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world’s largest Muslim organization, recently welcomed the new leader of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA). The two groups aim to further Muslim-Christian relations and counter threats to religious freedom and secular extremism.

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Ugandan clergy: Internet tax prevents access to online church in lockdown

Amid a second wave of COVID-19 infections and low vaccine access in Uganda, the country has imposed a nationwide lockdown ending July 30 that has pushed nearly all activities online. Now, since July 1, the government has introduced a 12% tax on Internet data that was already expensive in the country, which is constraining church members’ ability to access online worship at a time when physical gatherings are banned.

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New Roberto Baggio biopic doesn't shy away from soccer star’s Buddhist faith

(REVIEW) The movie “The Divine Ponytail” packs a lot in just 91 minutes and doesn’t ignore Roberto Baggio’s Buddhist faith and how it helped motivate the former Italian soccer star at the World Cup and beyond.

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Any kind of turnaround for 'Mainline' Protestantism would be big news, but is it true?

(OPINION) Recent polls show that mainline Protestantism is surpassing evangelicals in the United States. However, this piece explores the complexities of this data, and the ways in which important aspects are often overlooked.

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