Clash Of The Acronyms? Finding The Right FoRBula In The Fight For Religious Freedom

(OPINION) There is a noticeable difference between the terminology of the religious freedom cause in Europe and the United States. In the last decade, in the European context especially, the acronym FoRB (freedom of religion or belief) has become the universal acronym. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to use the standard acronym IRF (international religious freedom).

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Ex-FLDS Women Describe Horrific Loss Of Freedom, Eventual Escape In ‘Keep Sweet’

“Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey” tells the story of Warren Jeffs’ rise in the FLDS church after the death of his father Rulon and the way women were treated as property under the practice of polygamy. ReligionUnplugged.com talked to Rachel Dretzin about the series and why she focused on the heart-wrenching stories of women who left the church.

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The Ordination Of The First Female Rabbi 50 Years Ago Has Brought Many Changes — And Some Challenges

(ANALYSIS) Fifty years ago, on June 3, 1972, as Sally J. Priesand became the first woman ordained a rabbi by a Jewish seminary, her 35 male classmates spontaneously rose to their feet to acknowledge her historic feat.

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Choosing Joy Over Happiness: Why An American Catholic Doctor Stayed Put In Sudan’s Civil War 

(ANALYSIS) Tom Catena, an American Catholic, has worked as a doctor for 14 years in the the Nuba Mountains in Sudan — a desolate, rebel-held area that was bombed repeatedly from 2011 until 2018 by the Khartoum government when Omar al-Bashir was president.

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As We Await SCOTUS Decision On Abortion, Press Avoids News About Church Vandalism

(OPINION) As we await a final Supreme Court ruling, we could be in for a long summer of violence and vandalism. My criticism here is not in the news coverage this issue has received. Instead, it’s the lack of coverage. The vandalism of the past few weeks and the lack of news coverage could very well be a template of what’s to come once the Supreme Court makes public a final decision.

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Faith Helps Drive Steph Curry And The Golden State Warriors in NBA Title Quest

In a sport in which scoring three-pointers, avoiding turnovers and getting to the free-throw line frequently are all keys to a successful season, it’s the Golden State Warriors’ commitment to Christ and faith that has become a major driver for the success of this team.

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Secretary Blinken: The Rights Of Religious Minorities Are Under Threat In Communities Around The World

(OPINION) On June 2, the U.S. State Department delivered its annual report to Congress on international religious freedom. The report identifies the numerous challenges to the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized some of the main findings of this in-depth research into the situation around the world.

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Canada Awaits Pope Francis Visit As Pontiff Aims At Reconciliation With Indigenous Peoples

Pope Francis’ trip to Canada next month will have a rather dour feel. The pope will make the transatlantic trip so he can apologize in person for past abuses suffered by Indigenous people at the hands of the Catholic Church. The pope will be in Canada from July 24 to 29 with stops in Edmonton, Quebec City and the small town of Iqaluit, where nearly half the population of 8,000 is Inuit.

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Surging Violence Against Nigeria’s Christians Demands White House Action

(OPINION) On Pentecost Sunday in Owo, Nigeria, a horrifying massacre took place at St. Francis Catholic Church. Unfortunately, the St. Francis church massacre is only the latest outrageous account of anti-Christian terrorism in Nigeria. There have been countless others.

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Southern Baptist Leaders Respond to Guidepost Solutions Pride Tweet After Abuse Investigation

Guidepost Solutions, the firm leading the Southern Baptist Convention investigation into sexual misconduct allegations, tweeted support for the LGBTQ movement June 6 as part of Pride Month. Several SBC leaders have responded with criticism, calling for the church to cut ties with the firm.

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Fake Miracle Spree In Kenya Leads To Pentecostal Oversight

In Kenya, an especially noxious scandal involved “pastors” making robocalls to people promising miracles in exchange for donations. The harder the miracle, the larger the donation. In 2014, in the wake of a fake miracle spree, the government of Kenya tried to sharply curtail the freedom of fake pastors to operate.

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Pro-Abortion Rights Protesters Interrupt Joel Osteen Church Service

Three activists with a Texas pro-abortion rights group interrupted a service at Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch last weekend by stripping to their underwear and shouting, “My body, my choice,” “Overturn Roe,” “Hell no” and other epithet-laced slogans.

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Overflowing Cups Of Joy: Discovering Pathways Leading To The Fullness Of Salvation

(OPINION) Everyone’s cup of joy is full in heaven. So why concern ourselves whether the paths we are taking will bring us into the fullness of salvation? Our cups will be full. Yes, but not everyone’s cup of joy will be the same size, “for the measure you give will be the measure you get.”

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After Yet Another Mass Shooting, Church Prays, Reflects: Is There A Solution?

On the heels of a May 14 supermarket barrage in which 10 people died in Buffalo, New York, and a May 24 school massacre that claimed 19 children and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas, a gunman opened fire last week in a medical office in Oklahoma’s second-largest city. How do Christians respond?

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Korean Covenant Fellowship Church Halts Investigation Into Sexual Misconduct Allegations

A Korean church located near the Champaign-Urbana campus of the University of Illinois that came under fire last year for allegations of ongoing sexual misconduct has terminated an independent investigation before its completion.

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