There will be more prayers at the Super Bowl on Feb. 12 between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Patrick Mahomes taking on Jalen Hurts will mark the first time that the starting quarterbacks for both teams are Black. It is also a milestone because both men are practicing Christians not afraid to publicly talk about their faith and how it helps them succeed in the NFL.
Read MoreFor South African preachers, salary often comes with stigma. Many of the country’s first Churches of Christ were planted by missionaries — who also served as their first ministers, supported only by sponsoring churches in the U.S. As these churches transitioned from mission work to independent congregations, missionaries were hesitant to stress the importance of financially supporting future ministers.
Read MoreAn Iowa church that uses a hallucinogenic drug as part of its religious ceremonies is engaged in an ongoing fight to win tax-exempt status from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The Iowaska Church of Healing of Des Moines sued the IRS in U.S. District Court last year for denying its request to be recognized as a nonprofit organization.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Taha A.-J. “purchased” and enslaved a five-year-old Yazidi girl named Reda and her mother. Taha’s wife was implicated as well. Taha and his wife held Reda and her mother as captives at their residence in Fallujah and forced them to practice Islam, work as slaves and deprived them of sufficient food.
Read More(OPINION) A blockbuster in the November U.S. Religion Census report said that, taken together, nondenominational Protestants number 21 million and are unquestionably the largest U.S. Protestant group, exceeding by millions the largest denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, and second only to Catholics.
Read More(OPINION) God is so great none of us can comprehend all that he is. Ten of us — or 10 denominations, even — can’t grasp the full mystery. Thus we ought to approach other pilgrims with open minds and open hearts, looking for what we can impart to them and also what we can receive from them.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Despite efforts to convince the American public that the religious left is a potent force in American politics — the data just does not support that assertion. In fact, it shows that Democrats are significantly less religious by any objective measure of the term compared to their Republican counterparts.
Read MoreA California woman is suing the Salvation Army and its Pomona branch, alleging she was sexually abused by a youth group leader when she was a minor. The woman, identified in the lawsuit only as Jane Doe, is suing for negligence, claiming those in authority failed to prevent or protect her and other children from the abuse.
Read MoreLow pay and benefits. Overly demanding leaders. Unrealistic expectations. Full-time ministry often doesn’t have the best reputation, contributing to a shortage of candidates to fill pulpit openings. John and Carla Moore began work at Bear Valley Bible Institute six years ago with a goal of reversing the trend.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Tragic reports about the killing of Nigerian Christians have become all too common. And the recent account of a Catholic priest being shot and burned alive in his church just before Christmas was particularly gruesome — in that same incident, 40 worshippers, including children, also lost their lives.
Read More(OPINION) Violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief, including in their most egregious manifestations, whether crimes against humanity, war crimes or even genocide, are not issues left behind in 2022, or in the past. The early days of 2023 already show that such violations will continue.
Read More(OPINION) Around the nation, in response to the life-threatening injury to Buffalo Bills football player Damar Hamlin, people prayed. Hamlin’s teammates and coaches prayed. Millions of fans joined in prayer, tweeting their support. Even on live TV, sports commentators stopped in the middle of their broadcast to pray. But this is only natural. During times of crisis, especially life and death crisis, people turn to God.
Read MoreA North Carolina church cheated out of more than $793,000 in funds it had raised to build a new sanctuary has set up a GoFundMe account to try to replace some of the stolen money. Elkin Valley Baptist Church lost the funds when cyber thieves compromised a staff member’s computer and intercepted an email from Landmark Construction.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Plus, as always, catch up on all the top headlines and best reads in the world of faith.
Read More(OPINION) Temple Grandin says that without a major shift in how we learn, one that values neurodivergent people and all visual thinkers, American innovation will be stifled. If you’re a Christian, that ought to be of interest to you.
Read More(FILM REVIEW) The seven-time Oscar-nominated movie “The Fabelmans” is Steven Spielberg’s reflection on his early family life and filmmaking aspirations. It’s also a reflection on his Jewish roots.
Read More(OPINION) Cardinal George Pell had no way to know, as he rose to preach during a spiritual retreat in southern Italy, that this was his last sermon — opening with the biblical cry, “Repent, because the Kingdom of God is near.”
Read More(OPINION) Provorov is just the latest example of this reverse bigoted, small-minded, judgmentalism which leaves us with only one ethical choice: We will continue to love our LGBTQ+ neighbor as ourselves and we will refuse to back down on our convictions regardless of cost or consequence. That’s what Jesus would have us do.
Read MoreTo a visitor entering the Northwest Church of Christ on a recent Sunday, the assembly might have sounded like the Day of Pentecost. Distinct voices praised God in English, Korean and Spanish — all at the same time.
Read More(ANALYSIS) Many Muslims today believe it is inappropriate to depict Muhammad, but it was not always so in the past. Debates about this subject within the Muslim community are ongoing. Within the academic world, this material is taught in a neutral and analytical way to help students assess and understand historical evidence.
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