Lithuania's World-Famous Hill Of Crosses Attracts Visitors To Ponder, Pray For Ukraine

Lithuania’s Hill of Crosses, where many visitors have left crosses to honor soldiers who died in uprisings against czarist Russia, has become a site to pray for Ukraine. The history of the Hill of Crosses is unclear. Folklore says the first cross was placed on the hill, formerly the home of a wooden castle, to remind others to pray for mercy and health of people. Soon, crosses began appearing to honor soldiers who died fighting against Russia, which disapproved and repeatedly demolished them.

Is The Southern Baptist Convention Preparing To Fight Its 1979 All Over Again?

(OPINION) Once upon a time, Southern Baptists in Bible Belt communities knew how to talk to people who didn’t go to church. Things changed as the greater Greenville-Spartanburg are welcomed waves of high-tech firms and industries with global brands such as BMW, Bosch and many others. Today’s newcomers speak German or Japanese.

The Latest United Methodist Bombshell Will Create News Throughout 2022 And Beyond

(OPINION) In this, the 50th anniversary year of the 12.9 million-member United Methodist Church’s fierce debate over the Bible and sexuality, a late summer General Conference was set to settle how to split. But a March 3 bombshell announcement canceled this all-important meeting, already postponed twice due to COVID-19.

Christians Across The US Find Ways To Support Ukraine

As Russia continues its assault on Ukraine, many American Christians are trying to help in any way they can, whether through prayer, donations or housing refugees. There is a tremendous amount of care and concern for Ukrainians — and a desire to do something.

5 Ways To Celebrate The Hindu Spring Festival Of Holi

Holi is one of Hinduism’s major festivals celebrating new seasons and joy with colorful powders, bonfires, sweets, singing and dancing. This year Holi falls on March 18.

hinduism, India, Religion, North America, NewsMyrian GarciaMarch 17, 2022Myrian Garcia, Hinduism, Holi, Holi Festival, India, Nepal, religion, Hindu Holi, Happy holiComment

What Is ‘Christian Nationalism’ And Is It Connected to the Jan. 6 Insurrection?

(OPINION) The latest bid to shape public perceptions of the concept of Christian nationalism is a 63-page “Report on Christian Nationalism and the January 6 Insurrection,” issued last month by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Russian Orthodox Priest Fined For Condemning War In Ukraine

On March 10, a court fined the Rev. Ioann Burdin of the Moscow Patriarchate's Kostroma Diocese one month's average local wages for online remarks and a Sunday sermon in church condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and stressing the importance of the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.”

Pope Urges Patriarch Kirill To Use ‘Language Of Jesus’ After Russia invades Ukraine

Pope Francis — in a private video call on March 16 with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church — said religious leaders “must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus.” Francis’ remarks to Patriarch Kirill, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, were the latest in a series of moves to broker a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

A Texas Pastor Wants Evangelicals To Forge Ties With Muslims And Jews

Multi-Faith Neighbors Network was co-founded by a Christian pastor, a Muslim imam and a Jewish rabbi to promote international religious freedom and increase cooperation and understanding between the Abrahamic faiths. The friendship between co-founders Bob Roberts Jr., an evangelical pastor in Texas, and Mohamad Magid, an imam in Virginia, illustrates that mission. “Imam Magid is literally one of the best friends I have on the face of the earth,” Roberts said. “I’d rather hang out with him than most Christians I know.”

Stories About Ukrainian Jews? Try A 1,000-Year History, The Pale Of Settlement And A Global Diaspora

(OPINION) Ukraine has one of the five largest Jewish communities in Europe. Prior to the start of the current civilian refugee exodus, Ukrainian Jews numbered an estimated 100,000-200,000 individuals, down from nearly a half-million in 1989.

Will Russia's Ruler Listen To Orthodox Christian Voices Praying For Ceasefire?

(OPINION) Orthodox leaders with ties to the European Union and highly European Western Ukraine have issued fierce statements after the Russian invasion. Many Orthodox churches with roots in Russian Orthodoxy have also condemned the invasion of Ukraine and urged a ceasefire.

Q&A With Alabama Minister Who Escaped Ukraine After War Broke Out

Alabama minister Mark Posey was preaching the gospel in Ukraine when Russia began its latest incursion into the former Soviet nation. “If we wait for ideal circumstances, then we’ll never go anywhere or do anything,” he said in an interview, now back home in North Alabama.

How India’s Religious Headwear Ban Affects Muslims And Not Hindus

On March 15 an Indian court upheld a state “hijab ban” that prevents Muslim girls from wearing the head covering at schools. The ruling could set a precedent for other states governed by the ruling Hindu-first Bharatiya Janata Party.

Two Insiders' Writings Should Be Weighed Carefully By Evangelical-Watchers In The Press

(OPINION) As U.S. Protestant evangelicalism copes with internal divisions and problematic status in the broader society, along with the usual brickbats from the left, nonpartisan journalists and evangelical strategists alike should carefully monitor the thinking of knowledgeable insiders who are not wedded to customary loyalties and assumptions.

'A Journal for Jordan' Is A Sweet Love Story And A Reflection on Good Parenting

(REVIEW) “A Journal for Jordan,” a new movie directed by Denzel Washington, tells the true story of a family whose father died while serving in Iraq while his son was still a baby. The son gets to know his father through journal entries addressed to him and of his mother’s love even during grief.

How David Brooks, Peter Wehner And Others Fail To Address Evangelical Divisions

(OPINION) Some recent careful articles have tried to analyze and illuminate the divisions of American evangelicals, but they are often one-sided, which means that they may simply exacerbate the very tensions they lament.

Member Of John MacArthur's Megachurch Publicly Shamed For Leaving Abusive Husband

A former member of John MacArthur’s megachurch says she was publicly shamed by the pastor in 2002 for her decision to leave her abusive husband and defy church counsel, according to The Roys Report. MacArthur told his congregation it was necessary for him to call out Eileen Gray, who had rejected church elders’ direction to reconcile.

How Sikhs Became A New Target Of India’s Right Wing And Voted No To BJP

Election results in India show a crushing defeat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party in the northern farming state of Punjab, the heart of Sikhism, after a surge of anti-Sikhism among the right-wing. The Hindu-first BJP needed support from Sikhs in the state but only bagged two seats out of 117 in the state’s legislative assembly.

Asia, NewsMidhat FatimahMarch 12, 2022Punjab, Primary Feature, Sikhs, Sikhism, Midhat Fatimah, Secondary FeatureComment

Documentary ‘Lincoln’s Dilemma’ Shows President’s Belief In God And Need For Repentance

(REVIEW) “Lincoln’s Dilemma,” a new four-part documentary series streaming on Apple TV+, chronicles the trajectory of Lincoln’s morality and political ideology from his early career to his death.

Some Churches Take Virtual Worship All The Way, Ditching Buildings Entirely

As the pandemic enters its third year, more churches are having to weigh the costs and benefits of online versus in-person worship. While most will not choose to become fully virtual, the dramatic shifts brought on by COVID-19 restrictions are forcing nearly existential questions about the nature of worship and the purpose of community.

NewsDiana KruzmanMarch 11, 2022Diana Kruzman, MinistryWatch, Virtual worship, Online church, Pandemic, Secondary FeatureComment

Address

Contact

Information