(OPINION) When evangelicals of all people fail to live up to the the New Testament’s commandments, our failure is far more glaring. It smacks of hypocrisy. Here, then, I offer six virtues the New Testament requires of all pilgrims who would be disciples of Jesus Christ:
Read MoreChurch members and relatives in Ukraine have been unable to find out who is holding Council of Churches Baptist Pastor Leonid Ponomaryov and his wife Tatyana, where and why. Armed and masked men in military uniform seized them on Sept. 21 from their home in Russian-occupied Mariupol. Neighbors “distinctly heard groans and cries” as the masked men took them away “in an unknown direction,” local Baptists said.
Read MoreChris Broussard is dressed in an elegant suit. He sports a friendly smile and looks and acts exactly like the man many love to watch on television. Broussard, a basketball analyst for Fox Sports, is passionate about basketball. He’s also passionate about being a Christian, helping Black youth, combating racism and making the world a better place.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Mauna Kea, a 13,802-foot dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii, is one example. The mountain is managed as public land by the state of Hawaii. Native Hawaiians have protested the state’s management of Mauna Kea for decades, saying Hawaii has allowed too many research buildings on their sacred mountain, which disrupts their ability to practice their religion.
Read MoreBloomberg’s bottom line: “A small but growing number of wealthy Americans (have) discovered how to bypass rules designed more than a half-century ago to ensure philanthropists stay accountable for the billions of dollars in tax breaks they receive each year.”
Read MoreFollowing a historic election, William Ruto took the oath of office as Kenya’s fifth president. Ruto is known for being a man who values prayer and brought Pentecostal zeal to his political campaign. But some citizens are concerned that he may turn Kenya into a theocracy.
Read MoreThe recent establishment of the Faith-Based Security Advisory Council and a call for Congress to appropriate additional funding to the Nonprofit Security Grant Program highlighted the federal government’s focus on security and anti-terrorism initiatives for churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious institutions.
Read MoreA documentary made by VICE News about the alleged sexual abuse cases at Kanakuk camps in southwest Missouri won a 2022 Emmy award for “Outstanding Hard News Feature Story: Long Form.” The 17-minute film, “A Christian Summer Camp’s History of Abuse,” features interviews with survivors and gives details about litigation and settlements that have occurred.
Read MoreIn a busy week for religion news, this week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights nine names to know. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MoreBoasting a flawless 29-0 record, Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov notched eight wins by knockout and 11 others via submission during a 12-year pro career. But his story goes far beyond his dominance in the octagon. Throughout his career, Nurmagomedov has shown how important discipline, faith and family can be for a pro fighter.
Read More(OPINION) Young people in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often told to get married because marriage is wonderful and family life is at the heart of the faith. The problem is that church leaders haven’t grasped the power of cultural trends in technology, education and economics that are fueling sharp declines in statistics linked to dating, marriage and fertility,
Read MoreThe Indian government banned one of the country’s top Muslim organizations for at least five years, claiming the Popular Front of India has links to terrorists. Critics of the government have two main concerns: The proof that the PFI has participated in terrorist activities is unclear, and the government does not appear to be similarly motivated to investigate Hindu extremist organizations that have participated in or instigated violence.
Read MoreA years-long Mississippi scandal ended up giving $77 million to $94 million in welfare funds to nonprofits, which doled out the money to friends and family members who weren’t qualified to receive it and who never delivered the work they were contracted to do.
Read More(OPINION) On Aug. 31, the U.N. concluded that “serious human rights violations” against the Uyghur and other predominantly Muslim communities have been committed in Xinjiang. China continues to deny the allegations and brands them as propaganda.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Shouts of “death to the dictator” and “woman, life, freedom” are reverberating throughout the streets of Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, while in custody of the “morality police” in Tehran. These protests have been gaining increased momentum and international attention, giving many Iranians inside and outside of Iran some glimmers of hope.
(OPINION) I have received more texts than usual the past two weeks. Most of them were about a rather unusual subject — Italy’s national elections. I say unusual subject because it’s not every day that this subject is discussed among my American friends. The reason? The politics and faith of politician Giorgia Meloni.
Read MoreA majority of Catholic voters agree that President Joe Biden should not run for a second term in 2024, while Republicans are also favored by this voter bloc in the upcoming midterm elections, a new poll has found. At the same time, support for Biden among Hispanic Catholics continues to wane, a worrying trend for Democrats heading into next month’s midterms.
Read More(OPINION) Prohibition, as you’ve probably heard it, was the age of insanity, when a bunch of sanctimonious busybodies briefly cast the country into chaos, thirst and violence by trying to ban liquor … and fun itself. But there’s a big problem with that trope: as Schrad establishes, hardly any of the conventional wisdom is true.
Read MoreIn his weekly Sunday address from the Vatican, Pope Francis appealed to Vladimir Putin to end the military escalation in Ukraine, decried the threat of nuclear war and asked the Russian leader to “stop this spiral of violence and death.” The pontiff added he was “saddened at the immense suffering of the Ukrainian people as a result of the aggression they have suffered.”
Read More(REVIEW) Since its first season, Hulu comedy “Ramy” has been devoted to providing a genuine look at Islam and American Muslim culture. One episode of its latest season discusses the existence of polygamy in Islam, a sensitive topic that the show handles incredibly well.
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