Serbian tennis superstar Novak Djokovic says he’s willing to miss more major tournaments after he was forced to sit out the Australian Open because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19. An eccentric Orthodox Christian, Djokovic’s faith plays a role in his decision to skip vaccines even if it costs him titles and jeopardizes his ranking as the world’s top men’s tennis player.
Read MoreSince evangelicals galvanized to declare abortion their No. 1 social and political issue, they have used two main strategies to reduce the number of abortions: legislation that restricts access to abortion and ministries — including pregnancy centers — that give women viable alternatives to abortion by providing the resources and support they need.
Read More(REVIEW) A new documentary shows 23 years of behind-the-scenes footage with Kanye West, including his faith journey, from his first days as a Chicago producer to where he is now. Conceptually, the documentary is genius. Kanye is one of the largest public figures in the world in almost every possible way: his music, his politics, his shoes, his celebrity family.
Read More(OPINION) Reporter Kelli Stavast interviewed the NASCAR winner Brandon Brown and said that the crowd was cheering, “Let’s Go, Brandon,” when the crowd was actually cursing President Joe Biden. The Rev. Seth Carter was surprised when people of the church started adding the slogan “Let’s Go, Brandon” into regular conversations.
Read More(REVIEW) “The Power of the Dog” became the most-nominated movie for the 2022 Oscars with 12 nominations. A slow-burn Western that explores power, masculinity and forbidden love, the movie gets its title and conclusion from a notable psalm prayed by Jesus.
Read MoreWhen New Dover United Methodist Church in Edison, New Jersey, closed its doors in 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19, parishioners went home and made sandwiches. They haven’t stopped. To date, they have made 100,000 sandwiches for the hungry in their neighborhood.
Read More(OPINION) Take a deeper look into what it means when a type of religion is considered a cult. The Guy proposes this definition: A marginal religious group we’re not supposed to like much or at all that deviates from accepted practices or long-familiar beliefs, typically controlled by a dictatorial leader or leaders and often isolated from mainstream society.
Read MoreAmerica incarcerates people at higher rates than any other country, and as the country’s inmate population has grown to more than 2 million, major prison ministries have followed the “captive audience” model. But COVID-19 made some prisoners inaccessible for two years. That’s why some say a different model — a staff model — makes sense.
Read MoreA former plaintiff in a suit against Institute in Basic Life Principles told MinistryWatch that the IBLP’s media statement contains many “manipulations and distortions of the truth” and it made many “who knew the inside story sad and angry that the most they can offer is ‘no comment’ after decades worth of alleged abuse within their organization.”
Read MoreThe State Committee for Work with Religious Organizations will take over naming imams in all mosques from the Caucasian Muslim Board if amendments to the religion law awaiting their second reading in Parliament are approved. The amendments would also give the committee the leading role in reappointing all imams every five years.
Read MoreThousands of Liberians gathered for a national memorial service over the weekend to mourn the 29 people killed in a stampede during a Pentecostal revival service Jan. 19. The panic began when local gang members attacked worshippers returning home after a two-day Christian crusade event in a low-income neighborhood of Monrovia.
Read MoreEnes Kanter Freedom’s efforts go far beyond the basketball court. He is one of the most outspoken basketball players and athletes at the professional level when it comes to activism, standing up for religious freedom and the oppressed. He’s been one of the few pro athletes willing to criticize China for its treatment of religious minorities.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in explores the old — and new again — concept of a weekly day of rest. Plus, catch up, as always, on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreThe Mount Angel Abbey, a Benedictine brewery in Mount Angel, Oregon, welcomes visitors year-round to taste and believe that the Lord is good. They follow the tradition of Saint Benedict, the late fifth-century founder of the Benedictine order who created self-sufficient communities in which the monks could make their own food and drink.
Read More(REVIEW) February is Black History Month, and it’s a reminder of the many contributions Black Americans have made to the culture, life and history of the United States. Often overlooked is the relationship between African Americans and the Roman Catholic Church in this country. Here are five books that delve into their history and why it matters.
Read More(REVIEW) In a push to create a conservative alternative to Hollywood, the conservative news outlet The Daily Wire produced its first film, premiering Feb. 10 on YouTube. “Shut In” is a solid home-invasion horror film that seamlessly integrates faith with thrills. ReligionUnplugged talked to producer Dallas Sonnier about how his parents’ murders influence his portrayals of violence and faith.
Read MoreA standing–room only crowd of 500 packed the Heichal Ya’acov synagogue in Jerusalem this week to pay their final respects to Esther Pollard, the wife of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Jay Pollard. Esther Pollard, 68, died on Jan. 31 of septic shock complicated by COVID-19. She was also battling breast cancer.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The focus the past few weeks has been on Germany and the involvement of Benedict XVI in the handling of some abuse cases, decades before he became a key church official in Rome and, eventually, pope. This was also long before the church adopted stricter policies on how to handle cases of clergy sexual abuse.
Read More(OPINION) Recent years have seen several incidents in India that should have raised the alarm and should have been monitored and analyzed along the lines of the serious risk of genocide and other atrocities. These incidents include the government’s systematic discrimination against the Muslim minority in India.
Read MoreSyed Ali Sarvat Jafri lives near Ayodhya, the Indian city that witnessed violent intercommunal rioting after Hindu nationalists tore down a 16th century mosque. Jafri aims to spark conversations about history, memory and heritage-preservation through his art, which draws on his ancestral legacy of blending Hinduism and Sufism in poetry.
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