Some free churches in Sweden may be showing the way toward growth: Engagement with young families, engagement with seniors, engagement with neighbors and the world. The Church of Sweden hasn’t completely given up on this kind of engagement either.
Read More(OPINION) Online narratives distort real life more often than you might realize. Research consistently shows that a small minority of people who have social media accounts post the vast majority of content.
Read More(OPINION) Here’s another transition I’m having a hard time with: The small rural church I lead seems to be struggling in a way I’ve never seen in 40-some years of ministry. And I thought I’d seen it all by now.
Read MoreWhile the 2,000-year-old ossuary is seemingly genuine, the underlying issue is whether its Paleo-Hebrew inscription is the real deal or a clever fake replete with ersatz patina that was planted to fool experts.
Read More(OPINION) Salvatore Cordileone made national headlines during the pandemic with his efforts to defend the First Amendment rights of churches holding small, outdoor rites while following social-distancing guidelines. And after years of private talks with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, whose home is in San Francisco, the archbishop took a stand against her public support for abortion rights.
Read More(REVIEW) The film recounts the true story of Corrie ten Boom who, along with her sister, Betsie, and her father, helped over 800 Jews escape capture in Nazi Germany by hiding them in their home before being arrested by the Nazis themselves and put into a consecration camp.
Read MoreThe following is the result of the chat Religion Unplugged contributor Davor Dzalto had with ChatGPT on July 12, 2023, on the questions regarding Orthodoxy, anarchism and AI. The resulting Q&A is a fascinating journey into what artificial intelligence knows about faith, theology and religious practices.
Read More(OPINION) Do disease and devastation for innocent people argue against God’s existence? C.S. Lewis and later writers see the opposite. Without the design and purpose of a moral God and the divine aspect of each person he creates, what could explain our inherent conviction that the innocent should not suffer, that certain things are unjust and that our world is awry?
Read More(ANALYSIS) The concept of World Youth Day has been influenced by the Light-Life Movement that has existed in Poland since the 1960s, where Catholic teens celebrated a “day of community” during youth camp retreats. This has morphed into the five-day event that ended Sunday.
Read More(REVIEW) This book is a valiant attempt to create an ethic of deep listening, empathy and guidelines for spiritual mentorship for those who find themselves marginalized by the religious community. At the same time, the Staffords’ lack of clarity exposes the groundwork to logical fallacies, self-refuting statements and logical circles.
Read MoreOver the last 10 years, the Anglican Church of Uganda has been rocked by a number of grinding legal battles pitting the flock against newly consecrated clergy. Nearly all four regions of Uganda have witnessed a legal battle in which Christians have challenged the process of electing their bishops.
Read More(ANALYSIS) The film missed the mark in looking at the socioeconomic conditions that many caretakers and mahouts undergo, the plight of the elephants outside of conservation efforts, and the history of this bond between humans and elephants in South Asia that dates back nearly 5,000 years.
Read More(OPINION) The current state of the world creates a real feeling of insecurity and uncertainty, as if everything is old and crumbling, as if nothing is stable or trustworthy, as if no one is clean. This is where we step in, not to preach religion but to preach Jesus, not to sell a product or a personality but to point people to the only One who can truly save and deliver and forgive and transform.
Read MoreLast month, hundreds of Phaneroo Ministries International churchgoers clapped in unison for more than three hours, attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the longest applause by “clapping for Jesus.” It will be a few months before the record-keeping organization makes its determination.
Read MoreThis week’s Weekend Plug-in starts with the death penalty sentence in the Tree of Life synagogue shooting. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.
Read More(REVIEW) It’s understandable why pure comedies have fallen out of favor in the entertainment world. As Mel Brooks said, “Dying is easy. Comedy is hard,” In an action-comedy— like most superhero movies are — if not all the laughs land, you still have the action. In a social commentary comedy, if the laughs lag, you still have the commentary.
Read More(REVIEW) Since its appearance in the mid-2000s, the podcast format has been one of the fastest growing media forms. Various news and entertainment outlets, religious organizations and churches utilized the popularity of the podcast. The Orthodox Church is no exception.
Read MoreHollywood superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his wife recently surprised a California pastor by visiting his church-run ministry to give hope, kindness and necessary items to an expectant mother.
Read More(REVIEW) The film is based on the true story of two brothers, Donnie Emerson (Casey Affleck) and Joe Emerson (Joe Emerson) who recorded the album “Dreamin’ Wild” in the 1970s, only to never achieve the fame they desired, only to decades later find that their album has taken off and they now have to deal with their newfound fame and how this changes their lives and relationships.
Read MoreAfter four years of excavation, archaeological preservation, extensive engineering work and construction — and just in time for the sweltering heat wave now baking Jerusalem — an indoor swimming pool was inaugurated July 3 at the Terra Sancta School in the Old City’s Christian Quarter.
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