(OPINION) The true scale and nature of the violence against protesters are yet to be uncovered. This is not an easy task, especially following the protests and, since Sept. 19, the U.N. reported prolonged internet disruptions in Tehran, Kurdistan provinces and other parts of the country.
Read MoreA Dallas-area church, St. Andrew United Methodist Church of Plano, with more than 6,500 members said it will disaffiliate with the United Methodist Church and will remain independent while it investigates alliances with other Methodist denominations.
Read MoreYes, God loves Russians, Sorina Vintila told Zahar, a five-year-old Ukrainian refugee and his classmates. But “God doesn’t like when we are doing bad things. It makes him sad. God wants us to listen and obey him, just as Samuel did.”
Read MoreOrthodox Awareness Month aims to serve as a reminder of the long and rich history of Orthodoxy in America and the contributions Orthodox Christians made to American culture, history and public life. Here are five books to read for insight into the history and theology of the Orthodox Church, the lives of saints and the evolution of the Orthodox faith in America’s northernmost state.
Read More(OPINION) While battles over sexuality make headlines, along with years of lawsuits over church properties and trust funds, the Rev. C. FitzSimons Allison said the dividing lines among Episcopalians and Anglicans are usually linked to a single controversial word — “sin.”
Read More(REVIEW) Historian John McGreevy’s new book “Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis,” covering a period of 230 years, can only be defined as ambitious. Extremely well researched and skillfully put together, McGreevy’s book is a must-read for anyone interested in the planet’s largest Christian denomination.
Read MoreOnce again, the Gulf Coast Church of Christ is serving as a relief hub after a major hurricane pounded Florida. But this hurricane, Ian, surpassed anything church members had seen.
Read MoreAs a college student, Odd Inge Tangen found comfort with his university chaplain during his seminary years, confiding his biggest secret to her. Now, Tangen is a chaplain to Norwegian students in North America working for the Norwegian Seamen's Church.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Whether it’s on issues like abortion or same-sex marriage, transgenderism and school curriculums, faith voters will play their part. If the recent past is any guide, Catholics will play an outsized role in the outcomes depending on the state, especially in the so-called swing states.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The mounting anger and dissatisfaction in Iran have translated into recurring protests in the country, which the state has suppressed with brute force. But despite the brutality of state crackdowns, over the years, the frequency of these protests has surged.
Read More(OPINION) It may sound contrived to say one song you listened to 35 years ago changed you. But hearing “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” I realized you could be from places such as Loretta and I were from and cherish them as gifts, not curse them as barriers. You didn’t have to fix the way you talked — it made you different, but not inferior.
Read MoreAccording to the 2022 Bank of America Private Bank Study of Wealthy Americans, most well-to-do people of all ages feel compelled to give to philanthropic causes. However, although 82% of parents believe their children share the same vision and goals when it comes to giving, members of younger generations feel the need to pave their own way in the world of philanthropy.
Read MoreTenzin Peljor runs a popular Buddhist blog that addresses controversies in Tibetan Buddhism, especially regarding abusive spiritual teachers. After choosing a guru, students take vows to see their teacher as an enlightened being — questioning or criticizing them can send one to a Tantric hell. Peljor, a monk himself, says he is exposing harmful practices while remaining faithful to the Buddhist tradition.
Read MoreUntil recently, Pre-Born! has flown under the radar and operated in the background of the pro-life movement by supporting pregnancy help centers as a grant writer and support system. But in the last couple years, it has seen exponential growth by engaging in partnerships with Christian and conservative radio programs.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights five finalists for the Religion News Association’s Story of the Year honor. Plus as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read MorePinkie Makua founded her faith-based nonprofit, Agape Flows, out of her Southern Africa Bible College dorm room to provide impoverished girls with menstrual products so they won’t miss school due to limited access to necessary hygienic items — an unconventional ministry, but a “fulfillment of pure religion.”
Read More(ANALYSIS) Since mid-September 2022, when a young woman named Mahsa Amini died in detention after being detained for not wearing her headscarf “properly,” protests against the morality police and the broader regime have erupted across the country and from sympathizers around the world.
Read More(OPINION) Lynn vowed to tell the truth about both sides of her life. She loved to sing hymns and gospel music, while critics hailed the rhinestone feminism of her hits such as “You Ain’t Woman Enough,” “The Pill,” “Rated ‘X’” and “You’re Lookin’ at Country.”
Read MoreEboo Patel founded Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on building religious understanding between students, in 2002. It now has 52 employees, an entire floor of lake-view offices at the Chicago Board of Trade, and an annual budget of $13 million. Now IFYC has rebranded as Interfaith America. The dropping of the word “youth” is another signal — that both the organization and its founder have wider goals than changing the world one kid at a time.
Read MoreA Forsyth County historical marker erected just last year recounts the 1912 lynching of Rob Edwards, a 24-year-old Black man accused of raping and murdering a young White woman. More than a century later, about 600 Christians — Black, White and Hispanic — filled the pews of the Grace Chapel Church of Christ for a special unity service.
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